In Nebraska, the amount of parenting time with your children directly affects the amount of child support you will receive or owe to your former spouse. Generally speaking, the more parenting time, the more child support you will receive.
Here are answers to three frequently asked questions regarding how parenting time affects child support:
- How Is Parenting Time Calculated?
For the purpose of calculating child support, parenting time is defined by the total number of “overnights” that a parent has with the children during a year. For example, if you and your former spouse share an equal amount of parenting time, it is calculated that you both have 182.5 overnights per year.
- How Much Parenting Time Is Required to Receive “Full Child Support”?
A parent receives “full child support” (also referred to as “Worksheet 1” child support) when that parent has 257 or more overnights with the children per year. However, a parent can still receive full child support if they spend between 224 and 256 overnights per year, if the court decides that the child support amount is in the best interests of the children. If both parents have at least 142 overnights per year with the children, courts will award “joint custody child support” (also referred to as “Worksheet 3” child support) unless the parents voluntarily agree to another calculation.
- What Is the Difference Between “Full Child Support” and “Joint Custody Child Support”?
Full child support provides a much larger monthly payment to the parent receiving child support than joint custody child support. In Nebraska, courts and attorneys calculate full child support by using a mathematical formula often referred to as “Worksheet 1.” Alternatively, joint custody child support provides less monthly support, if any at all, to the parent receiving child support. Instead, both parents are equally responsible to pay for the needs of the children. Often this is effectuated by reconciling receipts on a monthly or quarterly basis. Joint custody child support is calculated by using a mathematical formula often referred to as “Worksheet 3.”
Your legal team at Koenig|Dunne is here to answer your questions about child support and to protect the financial stability of your family.
