New Child Support Guidelines – How High Is Up

The Connecticut Supreme and Appellate court have addressed the issue of households with the combined net weekly income over $4,000. The 2015 Child Support Guidelines have recognized this case law concerning high income earners and have incorporated it into the guidelines. In the event the Husband’s alimony obligation is terminated at a time during which the Husband is obliged to provide child support for either Child, in accordance with the then current Connecticut Child Support Guidelines in effect, the parties shall determine the amount of child support to be paid by the Husband to the Wife. If the parties are unable to agree, the amount of such child support shall be determined by a Court of competent jurisdiction. Such child support shall be paid retroactively to the date of the termination of alimony and shall continue pursuant to the Connecticut Child Support guidelines.

Pursuant to the current Connecticut Child Support Guidelines, the child support obligations for high income earners are as followed:

• Child support when parents’ net weekly income exceeds $4,000 shall be determined consistent with statutory criteria, including C.G.S. §46b-84(d). The minimum presumptive support amount shall be the support amount at the $4,000 net weekly income. The maximum presumptive support amount shall be determined by multiplying the parents’ net weekly income by the applicable percentage shown at the $4,000 net income level. The minimum and maximum presumptive amounts may be rebutted by application of the deviation criteria and/or statutory criteria including §46b-84(d).

By way of example, for parents earning $4,000 of net weekly income the applicable percentage for one child is 12.04% totaling to $481.60 per week. For parents earning $4,000 of net weekly income the applicable percentage for two children is 17.71% totaling $708.40 per week.

Source: http://jud.ct.gov/Publications/ChildSupport/CSguidelines.pdf