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What is income for child support purposes in Arkansas

The state of Arkansas has an interest in making sure that children within the state have the financial resources they need. Therefore, when a child’s parents are not married, the family law court will generally order child support. Child support is a payment from one parent to the other in support of the child. Generally, the non-custodial parent is responsible for paying child support to the parent with custody over the child.

The exact amount of child support that is ordered depends on the situation. Therefore, this blog post cannot offer specific legal advice about any particular case. However, general guidelines are used within the state that may be helpful for garnering a general idea of how the system works. Arkansas residents should understand, however, that a specific amount of a parent’s income will be dedicated to child support.

Income in Arkansas is broadly defined for child support purposes. According to the Arkansas Judiciary Rules, income includes a variety of payments. Wages, commissions, salaries, and bonuses are all considered income for child support purposes. Additionally, workers’ compensation payments, pension and retirement payments, and disability payments are also considered income in Arkansas. In fact, even periodic payments are used to calculate income.

However, when child support is being considered, people are allowed certain deductions from their income. These deductions include child support that is being paid to another dependent and any payments made for medical insurance for dependent children. Additionally, income withholding taxes, state income taxes, and federal income taxes can also be deducted from income.

It is important for people to understand what types of payments will be considered income when determining child support. While income is only one portion of what factors into a child support payment, it can make a big difference in the amount of support a child receives. In many cases, an attorney can be helpful when seeking child support or modification of an existing order.

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