Hi everyone. I've been busy reading all your
posts. I understand that child support is based on the net income of both parties and that each is given a percentage. Then comes childcare. Is there any max on child care? In other words if the OW wanted to pay $400 per week for a babysitter vs. $200 per week so she could get more money, is there some guideline on the maximum amount allowed for the child care?
And what if the child had to be taken care of 24 hours straight? How does one put a price on that as compared to a reg. 9-5 daycare cost? Childcare has to have somekind of cap, does anyone know? Live in Florida.

This is a good question I wish I could answer. All I know is that one of the reason's I divorce my UH was to make sure that CS for my son was filed first before OW did for the OC. He could claim her CS to decrease my amount, he would NOT have done that to me anyway. I have told him that when he get CS legal with the OW that I want him to make sure she doesn't find out how much he pays me for CS. The OW's Mom is watching her kids and does not get paid for it. I don't want the OW to all of the sudden say that she NEEDS to pay her mom to watch her kids b/c then she can get more money out of UH. I personally think there SHOULD be limits on daycare but they should allow for the BEST possible daycare available. Meaning I don't care if you pay 500 or 1000, get the best possible care for all the children for the money. Childcare is split 50% I believe, so if you choose to send your child to a 1000 daycare half will be paid by each parent? I think thats right and then they take 20% of your income and add it to the amount. I could be wrong but that seems to be what happened in my case. good luck
Live in Colorado

I found a lot of child support info in my research, and most states do have guidlines for child care expenses. The custodial parent may be required to show three estimates for child care cost, and often the most resonable one is what is approved, so in answer to your question, no, a person can't choose an unreasonably expensive day care program. In some states the non-custodial parents portion of child care cost is paid directly to the care facility, not to the custodial parent, to avoid the parent "pocketing" the money.

In most states the child care formula is this:
Both parties income is added together. Lets say NCP makes 100,000 and CP makes 50,000 (just using easy numbers for this example). The total amount is 150,000. The NCP's portion of the total is 2/3 and the CP is 1/3, therefore the NCP is responsible for 2/3 of daycare cost, and CP 1/3.
Not all states do it this way, but it is a basic formula used by many.
Your state should have a child support handbook which includes these formulas that you can either download or send away for.

edited to add: I also believe a family member caring for a child can only be paid by the NCP if they will be paying taxes on the income.

<small>[ April 11, 2003, 08:59 AM: Message edited by: respectfullycurious ]</small>

From Florida Statues:
61.30 Child Support Guidelines
http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/in...ing=&URL=Ch0061/SEC30.HTM&Title=

The child care part-
"Child care costs incurred on behalf of the children due to employment, job search, or education calculated to result in employment or to enhance income of current employment of either parent shall be reduced by 25 percent and then shall be added to the basic obligation. After the adjusted child care costs are added to the basic obligation, any moneys prepaid by the noncustodial parent for child care costs for the child or children of this action shall be deducted from that noncustodial parent's child support obligation for that child or those children. Child care costs shall not exceed the level required to provide quality care from a licensed source for the children."