Dodd & Dodd Attorneys, PLLC

Dodd & Dodd Attorneys, PLLC Louisville Kentucky

(502) 584-1108

Does Child Support Have to Follow Kentucky Guidelines in a Louisville Divorce

child support have to follow Kentucky Guidelines

As experienced Louisville and Jefferson County divorce and family law attorneys who have appeared before local courts for decades, we are often asked “Does child support have to follow Kentucky Guidelines in a Louisville divorce?”

The answer to the Court’s flexibility to allow a deviation in guideline child support calculations can be both “yes” and “no.” It actually depends upon your unique circumstances, as well as the legal skill and experience of your divorce and family law attorney at Dodd & Dodd.

Yes, the first calculation is always based upon Kentucky’s Child Support Guidelines and these must be provided to the Court as a starting point.

The Judge in your case will almost always begin with a question regarding the guideline numbers in your case. However, the guideline calculator does not go high enough for many Kentucky households. What happens in these high wage earner cases?

Does child support have to follow Kentucky Guidelines in a Louisville divorce? In some cases the answer is “no.” It is possible to deviate from Kentucky child support guidelines when it is justified by other factors in your case.

For example, if the income of each parent is roughly equal and the child custody and parenting time duties are divided equally one could argue there is no basis for child support at all. In some cases involving substantial assets there may be tax reasons as the basis for implementing a solution which does not follow Kentucky guidelines for child support.

In another example one party may choose to offer the other a greater share of the home’s equity or other marital property in order to offset part or all of the child support determined by Kentucky’s guideline calculator. The Judge will have the final word when it comes to any agreement which involves child support that deviates from Kentucky guidelines.

Will the calculations for child support have to follow Kentucky Guidelines in a Louisville divorce? The experienced child support attorneys at Dodd & Dodd provide sound counsel informed by decades of trial and practical experience in Louisville and Jefferson County family law courts.

We invite you to review the strong recommendations of our former clients and contact us or call 502-584-1108 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced divorce and family law attorneys.