How is child support determined in the State of Connecticut and what is considered Income for purpuses of Child Support. The child-support guideline is just that. A guideline. First, we need to look carefully at the parties income. What is mom’s gross income per year? What is dad’s gross income per year? We look at most recent income statements, last year’s tax returns, and my absolute favorite, social security statements. If mom or dad works overtime, for purposes of child support guidelines we include income obtained at 45 hours per week. If the additional 5 hours per week are not consistent, we can not include the additional overtime. We can include the overtime if a parent consistently works five additional overtime hours per week, or averaged per year. For example, if a parent works every other week, five hours in overtime, and they get paid biweekly, 26 pay periods per year, the overtime is 2.5 hours per week, which is below the requirement to include this income in the Child Support. Again this is a Child Support Guideline only. Some parents choose to leave overtime out, meaning not include this income in the calculation of child support. Some parents, either, mother or father receives commissions, bonuses, or any other form of additional income, stock options, company car, or other perks, if such additional income is taxable income, it should all be included as income. All such other income are best addressed on a percentage basis at the time it will be received. If in 2014 mom receives ten thousand dollars as a bonus, however in 2016 she received $50,000, and we don’t know what the future, consequently will bring, we cannot correctly ascertain what the child support will be based in the years to come.
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