Child Support in High Net Worth/High Income Divorce Cases

Child support is governed by the child support statute and the Child Support Guidelines. The Guidelines contain a formula based on the incomes of both parents and the number and ages of the children. The Guidelines max out at a combined net weekly income of $4,000. For families who exceed that amount, child support is determined on a case-by-case basis depending on many factors, including the income of the parents and the needs of the child.

In high net worth or high income cases involving three (3) children, where only the non-custodial parent is employed:

• The minimum presumptive support amount is approximately $43,000 per year.
• The maximum presumptive support will be determined by multiplying that parent’s net weekly income by 20.61%.
• These presumptive amounts may be rebutted based on deviation criteria, the most common one being “coordination of total family support,” which is essentially a global assessment of the financial circumstances.