The court also relies heavily on Missouri Form 14 – a child support calculation, which sets forth the presumed amount of child support that should be awarded in a given case. The Missouri Form 14 uses a complex formula to determine, based on the factors laid out in the Missouri child support statute, a fair and just monetary amount that one parent should pay to the other for the care and maintenance of the minor children.
Below are factors to consider when calculating child support.
- Income.
The annual gross income of both parents, which includes, but is not limited to: salaries, wages, commissions, overtime compensation, bonuses, severance pay, business income, rents, royalties, investment income from separate and marital income, social security benefits, unemployment benefits. In the event that a parent is unemployed, the court may impute income to that parent based on that parent’s work history of
- Maintenance.
Any maintenance (spousal support and alimony) being paid between the parents that may have been agreed upon or ordered by the court.
- Number of Children.
The number of children involved in this case and other children from other relationships, including any child support paid or received for the other children.
- Need of the Children.
The needs and resources of the children, as well as their customary standard of living, The physical and emotional needs of the children,
- Expenses for the Children.
The cost of work-related childcare, healthcare, and other extraordinary expenses (private school tuition, extracurricular activities, college costs), who is responsible for paying for these expenses, does the other parent contribute or reimburse the other parent.
- Overnight Credit.
The amount of time the child spends with each parent which is most often calculated based on the number of overnights.
Although courts use the Form 14 and factors detailed above to help determine an appropriate amount for child support, family law cases are not one size fits all. There may be particular factual circumstances and reasons to deviate from the Form 14 amount. It is our responsibility to help our clients navigate this sometimes tricky issue for an outcome that best serves the needs of our clients, as well as providing the necessary support for the minor children, commensurate with Missouri law. The presumed amount may be unjust and inappropriate for a variety of reasons, it is our responsibility to counsel clients on their rights in their specific instance.