How much income do you need to support your children while raising them as a single mother? Chances are your answer to that question is different than the answer your ex would give.
The security of your family is crucial. You don’t want to drain your ex’s bank account, but you do want to get the amount of support you know you need to give your children a safe, healthy, and happy life. When calculating child support, the San Francisco court uses certain guidelines that aim to provide a fair way to determine how much is reasonable in a regular payment by one parent to another.
To accurately calculate your San Francisco child care costs, there are a few add-on expenses you can include to give a better representation of the financial obligations you face as a single parent. Here are the top three that the court will include to help you receive fair payments.
- Childcare costs due to employment or job training. As a single parent, you can no longer rely on your other half to care for your children while you are at work or training for a job. Therefore, childcare costs usually fall in the lap of the other parent.
- Uninsured health care costs. Your children are the responsibility of both you and your ex. If they get sick, you both must care for them equally and share the costs for required health care that isn’t covered by insurance.
- Travel expenses for visitation. If your ex wants to see your children, he is usually obligated to pay for the visitation costs. This includes travel expenses while they are in his care.
Calculating California child support is complicated. If you are about to enter the negotiation process with your ex, do not go it alone and leave money on the table. Contact a San Francisco child support attorney to help you get the most out of your monthly payments so you can give your children a healthy and happy life.