Kentucky requires both you and the other parent to support your child financially, regardless of where the child lives most of the time. State child support guidelines review detailed financial information and other factors to determine a fair monthly payment amount.
If you have not married your child’s other parent or if you are in the process of ending your marriage, get a sense of how much child support you can expect to pay or receive.
Elements in Child Support Determination
You can start by using the state’s child support calculator to estimate the amount the court will likely order for the noncustodial parent. This number depends on the amount of custodial time allotted to each parent, the cost of health insurance, the cost of child care, court-ordered spousal support payment amounts, child support amounts for children from other relationships, how many children are in the family, and each parent’s financial situation and income. The court will adjust the final amount when both parents spend a significant amount of time with the child.
Applying for child support services
If you are the custodial parent, you can request services through the Kentucky Child Support Program. The application requires details about the factors above so the court can determine your case fairly. When you or the other parent has doubts about paternity, the court may order a DNA test.
When Kentucky establishes a child support order, the custodial parent receives monthly payments via direct debit card. The noncustodial parent pays the state directly through payroll deduction. If you do not pay child support, you may be subject to passport suspension, driver’s license revocation, income lien, and tax return seizure.
In Kentucky, child support continues until the child reaches age 18, unless your child remains in high school at that time, upon which support payments continue until age 19. If you have more than one child, payments remain the same until the youngest turns 18.