If I Make $1,000 a Week, How Much Child Support Do I Pay?
When you ask the court to make decisions about your child custody rights and child support obligations, your budget is likely about to change. So, it is time to start asking questions. For example, you might wonder, If I make $1,000 a week, how much child support do I pay in Nevada? You should expect to pay at least 16% of your income, but you could pay as much as 30% or more, depending on the circumstances of your case.
While every parent has an obligation to financially support their child, child support orders should be fair and should not make the paying parent destitute. At Mills & Anderson, we put our 40 years of collective experience to good use to protect the hard-working parents of Nevada. We provide straightforward and cost-effective counsel to those who seek our help.
If I Make $1,000 a Week, How Much Child Support Do I Pay in Nevada?
In general, Nevada courts calculate a parent’s child support obligation based on the amount of money they make and the number of children they have. To make specific calculations, the court looks to the guidelines developed by the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services of the Department of Health and Human Services. There are other factors that can affect your court-ordered support obligation, and we discuss those below. But for now, let’s take a look at the basic math that determines the amount of child support owed in many cases.
What Is Your Monthly Income?
If you make $1,000 per week and take no unpaid vacations per year, you make approximately $4,333.33 per month (1,000 x 52 ÷ 12). And if you make $1,000 per week and take one week of unpaid vacation per year, you make $4,250 per month. Depending on the types of vacations you take and the time off benefits at your job, your monthly income might be different, but individuals who make $1,000 per week make less than $5,000 per month. These are important figures to remember because child support calculations become more complex when a parent earns more than $6,000 per month.
How Does the Law Calculate Child Support Obligations?
When Nevada courts consider the number of children involved and the income of the paying parent, they calculate child support payments as follows:
- A parent who must pay for only one child must typically pay 16% of the first $6,000 of their gross monthly income,
- A parent who must pay for two children must typically pay 22% of the first $6,000 of their gross monthly income,
- A parent who must pay for three children must typically pay 26% of the first $6,000 of their gross monthly income,
- A parent who must pay for four children must typically pay 28% of the first $6,000 of their gross monthly income, and
- A parent who must pay for more than four children must typically pay 28% of the first $6,000 of their gross monthly income plus 2% for each child number five and over.
In the next paragraph, we go over examples of support obligations you could expect to pay. The calculations below are just examples and not a guarantee of what you might have to pay in your case. Each case is different, and you might have to pay more or less than the basic amount.
Child Support Calculation Examples
Using the $4,250 monthly income we mentioned above, let’s say you have one child, and the other parent has primary custody of your child. Under Nevada’s basic rules, you would likely have to pay 16% of your gross monthly income in child support, which is $680 per month.
If you take no unpaid time off, earn $4,333.33 per month, and have four children, you would likely have to pay 28% of your gross income in child support, which is approximately $1,213.33 per month. Remember that Nevada law bases your child support obligation on your gross income, so you should budget for extra deductions from your check for taxes and benefits.
Now that you know the basics, we can go over factors that can further affect the amount of your child support obligation.
How Much Child Support Do I Pay in Las Vegas When There Are Adjustment Factors?
Not only does the amount of your child support payments depend on your income and family size, but it also depends on the unique details of your life. If you’re wondering, “how much child support do I pay in Las Vegas” there are several life circumstances that can increase or decrease the amount of your child support payment from the amounts we listed above.
Factors that can make your payment responsibilities deviate from the norms addressed above include:
- The cost to transport your child from one parent to the other,
- Any public assistance your child receives,
- Your ability to pay,
- The relative amount of income that each parent’s household receives,
- Any special education needs your child has,
- The value of the services each parent provides,
- Your child’s other needs and expenses,
- Any benefits your child receives under federal law, and
- Any legal responsibilities a parent has to support others.
Our experienced child support attorneys at Mills & Anderson can identify every applicable adjustment that could reduce your child support obligation, and we can make sure the court properly reviews the evidence in your favor.
Get the Advocacy You Deserve at Mills & Anderson
Few things are more personal than family, and at Mills & Anderson, we know how much your family means to you. Therefore, we listen to you and discuss the case until we understand your needs and desires, and then we work to achieve as many of your goals as are allowed under the law. We have several decades of top-rated experience that we use to protect our clients’ rights. We also provide affordable legal advice for the people of Las Vegas, Nevada. You do not have to worry about getting the runaround when you talk to us. You can contact us for help today by calling or reaching out to us online.