Child Support in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the Surrounding Counties

Child support is based on the idea that the non-custodial parent must pay support to the parent who has primary custody of the child.  By Michigan law, child support must be paid by income withholding through the non-custodial spouse’s employer.  The needs of the child and the custodial parent—and the ability of the non-custodial parent to pay—determine the amount of support.

The Michigan Child Support Formula determines these needs and ability, the use of which is mandatory by Michigan law.  The formula is based upon the net earnings of both spouses.  In addition to child support, the non-custodial spouse may also be ordered to pay a portion of the child care expenses, medical insurance for the minor children and spouse, and certain debts of the parties.

Filing for child support

A child support order may be part of a court order in a divorce settlement, paternity action, child custody action, or separate child support action.  While an attorney is not required to file for child support, it is strongly recommended that anyone filing for support have an experienced family law attorney.  A Grand Rapids child support attorney can advise you of all your legal rights and obligations and ensure the following of proper procedures.  Upon filing the order, the case is normally referred to the local Friend of the Court (FOC) office, who investigates the case and makes a recommendation to the court.

Determining child support amounts

Child support in Michigan is calculated according to a strict and complex formula.  Factors considered in a child support order include the following:

  • The net income of both parties
  • The number of children of both parties and the custody of those children
  • Parenting time of each party
  • Other support obligations
  • Health care and child care costs

A non-custodial parent may be ordered to pay support even if that parent has no income or has no visitation with the child.  In some instances, the final order issued by the judge may deviate from the support amount determined by the FOC using the formula.  However, the judge is required to explain this decision.

Contact

If you need an experienced Michigan family law attorney to represent you in a divorce or other family law matter, contact an experienced child support attorney in Grand Rapids at The Law Offices of Robert B. Relph online or call 616-647-3204 to schedule a consultation.