Kayla Owens of the Schwartz Law Firm in Mt Pleasant called me the other day with a child support question. Kayla wanted to know where to put child support received by her client from a separate court order (involving a child not included in the current computation) on the Settlyd Child Support Worksheet.

Here is what the 2024 Guidelines say:

8. OTHER MONTHLY ALIMONY OR CHILD SUPPORT PAID Any previous or existing court orders requiring the payment of child support, alimony, or both, should be protected by any subsequent child support order. Alimony actually paid as a result of another marriage or child support actually paid for the benefit of children other than those considered in this computation, to the extent such payment or payments are required by a previous or existing court order, should be deducted from gross income.

A child support award from a prior court order, not involving the children in the current computation, will not be included in gross income to the payor or payee.

For example, if Mom and Dad have children A and B, and Mom is receiving child support from Joe for her child X, Mom does not include child support from Joe in her gross income when computing child support for her case with Dad.

By the same token, Joe, if he has other kids that for which he is financially responsible, will get to deduct child support he is paying for X from his gross income.

Because child support is not income- it is child support!

Guy Vitetta

Charleston SC