Category Archives: Child Support
New Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines Impact Obligations for Extra Expenses
Child support ordered in a divorce proceeding is meant to cover the basic expenses of taking care of a child, such as medical care, food, clothing and education. But as a child grows older, parents must shoulder additional expenses that fall outside those basic needs, such as the costs of extracurricular activities, music lessons, athletic… Read More »
Who Pays for a Child’s Private Schooling and Extracurricular Activities?
When parents get divorced, Pennsylvania law has specific guidelines that judges use to determine how much child support should be paid. But the guidelines are designed only to calculate costs of food, clothing, shelter, health care and other essentials. When extraordinary expenses arise that are outside the scope of basic child-rearing, the court must decide… Read More »
Can a Court Impute Income to a Spouse or Parent Who Is Unemployed or Underemployed?
Child support and alimony obligations can be among the most acrimonious issues in divorce. Often, the party required to pay support doesn’t want to overpay, while the party receiving it doesn’t want to be, in his or her view, shortchanged. When animosity leads to behaviors such as quitting a job or taking a low-paying job… Read More »
Pennsylvania Child Support Calculations May Change Due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has wide-ranging implications, including how it may affect the calculation of child support payments. The TCJA became law in 2017, and it leaves payors and recipients facing no tax consequences for legally mandated child support payments. They are also not required to declare support on their tax forms…. Read More »
Do Divorced Parents in Pennsylvania Have to Pay Child Support for College Tuition?
Over the years, college students across the United States have sued their parents to pay for their school tuition and other expenses – sometimes successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully. But can a Pennsylvania court order divorced parents to cover their child’s college costs? The short answer is no, unless an agreement is made to the contrary,… Read More »
How Do Pennsylvania Courts Determine Child Support Arrangements?
Pennsylvania’s child support system is based on the “income shares model.” The full guidelines the state uses are outlined in Chapter 1910 of the Pennsylvania Code. Below is an overview of the guidelines and how they might affect your case. In these guidelines, the state provides an estimate for a total amount of support a… Read More »
Does the Noncustodial Parent Have to Cover the Cost of Braces?
When you get divorced, your child support arrangement and the amount you pay will be determined based on the needs of your child at the time of your divorce. But what happens when new expenses arise? For example, if you are the noncustodial parent of a child who needs braces, will you be responsible for… Read More »
Does Pennsylvania Child Support Cover Childcare Costs for Working Custodial Parents?
In Pennsylvania, as in all states, parents must provide child support until their children are at least 18 years old, with few exceptions. The amount of money the support payer provides to the custodial parent depends on the state’s child support guidelines as they are applied to each case. These guidelines primarily take into account… Read More »
New Tax Cuts Eliminate Child Dependency Exemptions
Dependency exemptions are often a point of contention among divorced or unmarried parents during tax season. However, in the wake of tax reform, these dependency exemptions will no longer exist, neutralizing at least one common source of debate and frustration for divorced or unmarried parents. Under the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017, the… Read More »