On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in divorce on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
If you are a parent facing divorce, the amount of monthly child support you will pay or receive may well be one of your greatest concerns. FindLaw explains that Missouri law includes a Schedule of Child Support Obligations that supplies guidelines for which of you will pay child support to the other in what amount based on your respective monthly gross incomes and the number of children you have.
Each of you will fill out a Child Support Amount Calculation Worksheet setting forth your respective incomes from all sources, including such things as the following:
- Salary or wage
- Interest, dividends, commissions, partnership distributions, etc.
- Trust and/or annuity income
- Pension and/or retirement benefits
- Social Security benefits
- Rental and/or royalty income
Ultimate child support calculation
Missouri child support begins at $50 per month for one child. It then increases for each additional child, plus each additional $50 in adjusted gross monthly income. Ultimately the judge determines the precise amount of child support and issues the order therefor.
Child support period
You can expect to pay or receive child support until one of the following occurs:
- Your child attains the age of 18 and graduates from high school, but does not enroll in college
- (S)he graduates from college or attends it on only a part-time basis
- (S)he attains the age of 21
- (S)he marries
- (S)he becomes an active-duty member of the military
- (S)he dies
If you have a disabled child, however, the judge can order child support payments to continue throughout his or her adulthood unless and until (s)he can support himself or herself.