{"id":375396,"date":"2016-03-31T21:36:15","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/north-carolina-law\/north-carolina-child-support-guidelines.html"},"modified":"2025-05-05T14:52:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T19:52:09","slug":"north-carolina-child-support-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/north-carolina-law\/north-carolina-child-support-guidelines.html","title":{"rendered":"North Carolina Child Support Guidelines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n \n
\n

North Carolina Child Support Guidelines<\/h1>\n
\n
\n By Kit Yona, M.A.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Bridget Molitor, JD<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

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
\n

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

North Carolina has child support guidelines<\/a> in place to aid judges in determining who gets financial support and how much. The process and formulas involved in creating the basic child support obligation are complicated.<\/blockquote>\r\n

Child support consists of payments made from one birth parent to the other. This is done to ensure the child\/children have their basic needs provided for. If you’re making child support payments<\/a>, it’s normal to wonder how judges in North Carolina know what needs to go into a child support court order.<\/p>\r\n

In this article, we’ll take a look at the guidelines<\/a> judges use to determine child support rulings and explain when a judge can use different methods.<\/p>\r\n

North Carolina Child Support Guidelines – Requirements and Background<\/h2>\r\n

The child support guidelines were created by the Conference of Chief District Court Judges<\/a>. They must review and update the guidelines at least once every four years to ensure they’re still effective. Public hearings provide interested citizens an opportunity to comment on the guidelines. Written comments from agencies, attorneys, judges, and members of the public are also considered.<\/p>\r\n

Who Pays Child Support?<\/h3>\r\n

Regardless of their personal relationship, both birth parents are required to provide for their children.<\/p>\r\n

In most child custody situations<\/a>, the parent the children spends the most time living with is the custodial parent. This is determined by the number of overnights the child lives with each parent. If a child spends at least least 243 nights a year with one parent, that parent is considered to have primary custody.<\/p>\r\n

The other birth parent is the noncustodial parent<\/a>. It’s common for the noncustodial parent to make child support payments to the custodial parent.<\/p>\r\n

If both parents have the child for at least 123 overnights a year, then the parents have what is called shared custody<\/i>. Child support is often still paid in shared custody situations.<\/p>\r\n

Child support payments in North Carolina are processed through the NC Child Support Centralized Collection (NCCSCC)<\/a> operation. The state’s preferred method is direct deductions taken from the noncustodial parent’s paycheck by their employer. Other methods are available, as well as plans for the self-employed.<\/p>\r\n

What Does Child Support Cover?<\/h3>\r\n

North Carolina child support calculations are so complex that we’ve dedicated an entire article<\/a> to explain how they work. To help create child support agreements that are fair for the parents and consider the needs of the child\/children, North Carolina depends on a set of guidelines.<\/p>\r\n

Child support is intended to ensure that there’s adequate financial support from their birth parents for children<\/a> to have their needs met. Types of expenses considered by North Carolina child support guidelines include:<\/p>\r\n