{"id":374870,"date":"2016-04-11T01:23:25","date_gmt":"2016-04-11T06:23:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/new-hampshire-law\/new-hampshire-child-support-guidelines.html"},"modified":"2025-06-09T15:18:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T20:18:07","slug":"new-hampshire-child-support-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/new-hampshire-law\/new-hampshire-child-support-guidelines.html","title":{"rendered":"New Hampshire Child Support Guidelines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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New Hampshire Child Support Guidelines<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Most parents are willing to pay a fair amount of child support. There are even instances where parents can agree on the child support<\/a> amount. However, in many child support cases, parents need the court to intervene to determine child support.<\/p>\r\n

New Hampshire family courts rely on the state\u2019s child support guidelines<\/a> to calculate a parent\u2019s child support obligation. Family law judges apply the child support guidelines in all child support cases, including temporary orders and modifications to a support order<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

The more you know about how New Hampshire child support works, the better equipped you’ll be to deal with issues that may arise. Read on to learn more about the New Hampshire child support guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Responsibilities of the Parents<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Child custody is one of the more complex issues to resolve in a divorce or separation. All parents are responsible for the welfare of their children, regardless of whether they were married or not. Most cases involve joint physical custody<\/a>, which means they both spend time with their children. Even in joint custody situations, one parent typically has a child support obligation.<\/p>\r\n

Whether or not a parent must pay child support depends on much more than parenting time<\/a>. The number of overnights each parent has with their kids plays a role, but other factors also affect the amount of child support a parent must pay.<\/p>\r\n

How Do the Child Support Guidelines Work?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Regardless of your custody arrangement, there\u2019s a chance you\u2019ll either pay or receive child support. If you\u2019re a non-custodial parent (NCP), you\u2019ll likely have to pay child support. Chances are you’ll receive support if you\u2019re the parent with primary physical custody, but every case is different.<\/p>\r\n

The New Hampshire child support guidelines are the primary determinant of whether a parent pays child support. Federal law requires that each state have clear guidelines<\/a> to help calculate child support, which lawmakers must update at least once every four years.<\/p>\r\n

The family courts<\/a> defer to the amount of child support the guidelines recommend. The child support amount in the guidelines is presumptive, and if the court doesn’t believe the guidelines amount is fair, it can deviate from them.<\/p>\r\n

The parents can also challenge the presumptive amount of child support. For example, if the guidelines specify that the obligor should pay $2,000 per month in child support and cannot afford it, they can request that the judge reduce their child support obligation. Likewise, the obligee can argue that they deserve more than the child support guidelines calculation<\/a> has come up with.<\/p>\r\n

Factors That Impact Child Support<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

While the family law judges rely heavily on the child support guidelines, New Hampshire law dictates that other factors can impact court-ordered child support payments.<\/p>\r\n

Some of the factors affecting the amount of support include:<\/p>\r\n