Question:
Do child support laws consider children from previous marriages when calculating child support?
I already pay child support for one child I had with my ex-wife. Now my current wife and I are getting divorced and I’m worried about having enough money to pay child support for our children as well.
Are previous child support payments from a prior marriage considered when issuing new child support orders?
Answer:
I am unable to give you legal advice on divorce. I can give general divorce help for men, though, my knowledge is based on Texas child support laws where I am licensed to practice.
The courts do take into account other children not in your current household for whom you have a duty to support.
Where I practice, the family code has a table of the percentage of net monthly resources which will be taken for child support, based on how many other children you are supporting.
For example, if you have a duty to support one other child and there is one child before the court in this matter, the guideline support will be 17.5% of your net monthly income.
If you have two other children to support and one child before the court in this matter, the guideline child support will be 16%, and for three other children, the guideline will be 14.75%.
How Much Should You Be Paying?
Remember, these are only child support guidelines for how Texas would handle your issue. I am unable to provide you with financial advice on divorce, so please consult with an attorney in your jurisdiction.
To arrange an initial consultation to discuss divorce rights for men with a Cordell & Cordell mens divorce attorney, including Jordan Haedicke, an associate attorney in the Austin, Texas, office, contact Cordell & Cordell Law Firm.
