Divorce Child Custody and Support 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How is child support typically calculated in the US?
- Flat rate set by federal law
- Based on state guidelines using both parents' incomes and custody time (Correct answer)
- Based solely on the non-custodial parent's income
- Set by mutual agreement without court involvement
Correct answer: Based on state guidelines using both parents' incomes and custody time
Child support is calculated using state-specific guidelines that consider both parents' incomes, the number of children, and the custody arrangement.
Question 2: Until what age is a parent typically required to pay child support in most US states?
- 16
- 18 (Correct answer)
- 21
- 25
Correct answer: 18
In most US states, child support obligations continue until the child reaches age 18, though some states extend it through college.
Question 3: What is 'imputed income' in child support calculations?
- Income from rental properties
- Income a court assigns to a parent it believes is voluntarily underemployed (Correct answer)
- Child support payments received
- Tax refunds included in support calculations
Correct answer: Income a court assigns to a parent it believes is voluntarily underemployed
Imputed income is income attributed to a parent by the court when it determines the parent is deliberately earning less than they are capable of to reduce support obligations.
Question 4: What can happen if a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support?
- Nothing, as it is a civil matter only
- Wage garnishment, license suspension, or even jail time (Correct answer)
- Automatic reduction in the support amount
- Automatic transfer of custody
Correct answer: Wage garnishment, license suspension, or even jail time
Enforcement tools for unpaid child support include wage garnishment, suspension of driver's and professional licenses, passport denial, and contempt of court proceedings.
Question 5: What is 'parental alienation'?
- When a parent moves to a foreign country
- When one parent manipulates a child to reject or fear the other parent (Correct answer)
- When both parents agree to limit visitation
- A legal term for international custody disputes
Correct answer: When one parent manipulates a child to reject or fear the other parent
Parental alienation refers to behavior by one parent that manipulates a child to turn against the other parent, which courts take seriously in custody determinations.
Question 6: What is 'right of first refusal' in a custody agreement?
- The custodial parent's right to deny visitation
- The right of one parent to care for the child before third-party childcare is used (Correct answer)
- The child's right to choose their school
- The court's right to modify custody at any time
Correct answer: The right of one parent to care for the child before third-party childcare is used
Right of first refusal means that if the custodial parent cannot care for the child during their time, they must offer the other parent the opportunity to babysit before hiring outside childcare.
Divorce Child Custody and Support 2
How is child support typically calculated in the US?