Child Support

In the state of Wisconsin, parents have the responsibility of financially supporting their children. In divorce or paternity actions, child support is calculated based upon the amount of time a parent has with their children. In standard percentage cases, the following percentages of income are used: 17% of gross income for 1 child; 25% of gross income for 2 children; 29% of gross income for 3 children; 31% of gross income for 4 children and 34% of gross income for 5 or more children. Child support obligations are based on the parent’s gross income and the percentage of time a child spends with their parent. The statute also allows courts to take into consideration whether someone is supporting children from a prior relationship or is a high-income payor. The court can also deviate upward or downward from the statutory guidelines if the facts in the case justify such. Many people do not realize that the law defines gross income broadly; for example, over-time pay and bonus income are both considered income available for support.