In North Carolina, both parents have a legal obligation to provide financial support for their children. The North Carolina Child Support Guidelines create a presumption regarding what is a reasonable amount of child support in a particular case by taking into consideration the combined gross monthly income of both parents, the number of children for whom support is sought, the particular custody arrangement in place, and certain expenses incurred for the benefit of the children.
The North Carolina Child Support Guidelines, however, establish only what is presumed to be an appropriate amount of child support in any given case, and either parent may argue that the amount of child support calculated pursuant to the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines is inappropriate for his or her children and that it would be more appropriate to calculate child support by deviating from the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines. Further, the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines only apply when the combined gross monthly income of the parents is $25,000 or less ($300,000 or less per year). In cases where the parents’ combined gross monthly income exceeds $25,000, child support is determined on a case-by-case basis by more closely evaluating the actual needs of the children in light of the parents’ respective incomes and the particular custody arrangement in place.
In North Carolina, the obligation to pay child support generally terminates when a child reaches the age of 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later. Consequently, there is no legal obligation to pay for a child’s college education, unless such an obligation is otherwise created by a formal written agreement signed by both parents.
To learn more about child support, contact Chapel Hill Family Law by phone at (919) 419-1244 or by e-mail at info@chapelhillfamilylaw.com.