Both parents have a duty to support their children. The duty is ordinarily enforced through an award of child support from one parent to the other. To calculate child support, the court will usually follow a process in the child support guidelines statute. The process requires the court to consider the gross earnings of each party, subject to certain specified deductions, then apply those net earnings to a chart. Ordinarily, childcare expenses and child health insurance premiums are added to that charted figure. Alimony paid is considered income to the receiving spouse and is a deduction from the income of the person who pays. Each parent’s percentage of support is then calculated and a support figure is generated. When it is reasonably available, payment of health insurance premiums will be required, and the cost of uncovered medical, dental and prescription needs will be allocated.
