Is There a Child Support Calculator in Tennessee?
- At May 05, 2014
- By Miles Mason
- In Child Support, Family Law
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Yes, see our Tennessee Child Support Calculator and App.
Is there a child support calculator in Tennessee?
Every Order Begins with TN’s Child Support Guidelines
Every state has guidelines for calculating how much parents should contribute to the support of a minor child. Our rules are incorporated into the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines, which you can review here.
In general, a deviation from the amount calculated using the guidelines is possible when circumstances are such that the judge, in his or her discretion, deems it necessary to do so in the best interests of the child. Be mindful, however, that both parents are presumed to contribute financial support. Each parent’s obligation is tied to his or her gross income from any and all sources.
The parties will use the Tennessee child support worksheets for their children of divorce or legal separation, with a child custody determination involving unwed parents, and with modifications of parenting time or visitation if necessary at some point after the original orders are handed down.
You can read more about child support at Tennessee Child Support Law Answers to FAQs. Child support lawyer Miles Mason, Sr., also has three informative videos on the topic.
Original Child Support Order from the Tennessee Judge
Based upon the parents’ respective financial details, the parenting time and visitation schedule in their parenting plan, and their child support worksheets, the judge will issue an original child support order establishing the parties’ respective obligations.
More specifically, the original order will include the following court directives:
1. Who the obligor as Alternate Residential Parent (ARP) shall be. The ARP has the child for less than half the time (the Primary Residential Parent, or PRP, has the child for more than 50% of the time). Note that when the parties share parenting time equally – 50/50 – Dad is typically designated the ARP.
2. How much shall be paid.
3. How health insurance will be provided for the child. If for some reason health insurance is unavailable, then the court will order one parent or both parents to contribute cash medical support for the child’s needs.
4. Effective date of the child support order.
5. Frequency of payments (bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly).
6. Date support shall terminate. Ordinarily, this is when the child graduates from high school or turns age 18, whichever occurs last.
Unless the support order is modified through a separate proceeding later on, the original child support order remains in effect until the court specifically terminates it. For example, upon motion from the ARP to terminate support following his 18-year-old child’s high school graduation.
Celebrity Lessons in Paying Child Support
Every child has a fundamental right to be supported by his or her parents. That goes for the children with parents of modest means and those born to the rich and famous:
● Charlie Sheen. According to Forbes, Sheen was ordered to pay his ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, a hefty $105,000 per month for support of their twin boys, Max and Bob. Yes, you read that correctly. But there’s more. Sheen is also under orders to pay $50,000 per month in child support to his other ex-wife, Denise Richards. She’s the mother of their two daughters, Lola and Sam. The grand total? $1.86 million per year.
● NAS. Rapper Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (aka “NAS”) was ordered to pay his ex-wife Kelis Rogers $40,000 in monthly support for their son Knight.That’s $480,000 per year for one child.
● Martin Brodeur. Forbes’ list of big-ticket baby daddies includes goalie Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils. Brodeur’s ex-wife Melanie Dubois receives $11,000 a month, or $132,000 per year, in support for their three kids.
Child support will always be an issue when child custody comes before the court. The best way to prepare for Tennessee child support calculations, and related negotiations with the other parent, is to meet first with an experienced child support lawyer.
References, Resources and More:
- Tennessee Child Support Laws
- Tennessee Child Support Law Answers to FAQs
- Tennessee Child Support Calculator & Links to App
- Tennessee Parenting Plans and Child Support Worksheets: Building a Constructive Future for Your Family
- For analysis, updates, commentary and case law summaries, view the Tennessee Child Support category of our MemphisDivorce.com Tennessee Family Law Blog.
