Child Support

In the United States, there is a strong public policy interest in making sure that both parents support a child. This is why rigidly enforced child support laws are in place in all 50 states. Parents generally cannot waive a child’s right to child support, and parents who do not comply with a support order are subject to a host of enforcement actions and penalties. Support determinations are made by looking at factors such as the income of the parents, the responsibilities of the parents, the number of children and the needs of those children. Each state has slightly different laws and calculations. More information about child support models and about the various laws related to child support orders and enforcement can be found in this section.