Child Support

In the United States, there is a strong public policy interest in making sure that both parents support a child. This means that rigidly enforced child support laws are in place in all 50 states. Parents generally cannot waive a child's right to child support, and parents who are ordered to pay support but do not do so can face a host of enforcement actions and penalties including the loss of their driver’s license or garnishment of their wages. Support determinations are made by looking at factors such as the income of the parents, the responsibilities of the parents, the number of children and the needs of those children. Each state has slightly different laws and calculations, including the Income Shares model, the Percentage of Income model, and the Melson Formula model. More information about child support models and about the various laws related to child support orders and enforcement can be found in this section.