Child Support in Utah

Child Support in Utah can be more than a simple payment to the other parent. In Utah, child support includes several items from dental and medical expenses to health insurance. In addition, the courts can order the children’s parents to share expenses for daycare and other child care while the custodial parent is either undergoing training or working. What’s interesting about Utah is that not just one, but both parents, could be ordered to provide child support. The guidelines for Utah Child Support are used by the courts in order to determine support if the child’s parents have not agreed to their own amount of child support. In another case, if the courts decide that their agreed upon amount is unjust for the case.

How is Child Support in Utah Calculated?

A Child Support Worksheet is used to calculate child support in Utah. The worksheet calculates a fair amount according to each parent’s income as well as other factors like retirements contributions and paid taxes. it’s important to take into account “Deviation factors” which may be applicable.

Income Shares Model

The Income Shares Model is used to decide how much child support the non-custodial parent should pay. The model also estimates what the support amount would have been if the marriage hadn’t failed. Then, the estimated amount is divided fairly to the parents according to the income of each parent. The process is fairly easy to do with the Child Support Worksheet and pay records can be used to validate the estimated incomes.

This routine takes into account both parents’ gross income and applies a percentage to it based on the number of minor children they have together. The court takes the combined income of both parents and works out the proportion each contributes. That figure is then divided proportionately based on each parent’s ability to pay and which parent has primary custody.

If the noncustodial parent has a higher income than the custodial parent, the noncustodial parent would then be responsible for the greater portion of the child support obligation; conversely, if the noncustodial parent has a lower income than the custodial, the noncustodial parent would then be responsible for the smaller portion of the child support obligation.

The state guidelines are generally based on a percentage of the total gross income of both parents, the number of children to be supported and the percentage each parent contributes to the total gross income.