Tennessee Child Support Guidelines
Tennessee’s child support guidelines ensure financial support for children when parents live separately. The state uses an "income shares model” for child support worksheets, which considers both parents’ incomes, parenting time, and additional expenses like childcare, health care, and whether the child has health insurance. The state allows retroactive support payments and enforces owed child support through measures like property liens and license revocations. Parents can seek modification if circumstances change significantly, impacting support amounts by 15% or more.
This article breaks down Tennessee’s child support guidelines, which help parents navigate their rights and responsibilities.
What Are Child Support Guidelines in Tennessee?
Tennessee law refers to the parent who spends less time with the child as the Alternate Residential Parent (ARP). The ARP provides the child support payment to the parent who spends most of the time with the child, the Primary Residential Parent (PRP). This arrangement ensures that the basic child support obligation is met regardless of the parent’s living situation.
How Tennessee Determines Child Support
Tennessee uses an income shares model to calculate child support. This approach assumes that the child would receive the same amount of support from their parents’ income if they had lived together. The following factors can influence the amount of child support orders:
Income Considerations
The court considers both parents’ financial resources when calculating child support obligations. It is important to remember that Tennessee considers various sources of income when computing the amount of child support, such as wages and salaries, self-employment earnings, commissions, bonuses, government benefits, and investment returns. Tennessee also considers parents’ potential earning capacity or imputed income. This means an income level can be assigned to parents even if they are not currently employed.
Parenting Time Adjustments
The amount of time each parent spends with the child also affects the calculations for child support. When a child spends more time with one parent as shown by a parenting plan, that parent already pays for direct expenses. These direct expenses could potentially reduce their child support payments.
Other Factors
The child support formula also takes into consideration the following:
- The number of children in need of support
- Childcare expenses or work-related childcare expenses
- Health insurance premiums
- Uninsured medical expenses
- Special expenses
Parents in Tennessee can also use the online child support calculator available on the Tennessee Department of Human Services website. This calculator can provide an estimated child support payment. The court will still make the final determination based on each family’s unique circumstances.
Tennessee Child Support Enforcement
If a parent fails to pay their child support obligation, the payment becomes past due. The Child Support Services Division uses various mechanisms to enforce payment from the parent who refuses to pay. These methods include:
- Placing a lien on their property
- Revoking their driver’s license
- Seizing their bank accounts
- Denying them a passport
- Intercepting their federal or state income tax refunds
- Reporting the amount owed to the credit bureau
Parents unable to make child support payments because of changes in their circumstances beyond their control can try to modify their child support.
Tennessee Child Support Guidelines at a Glance
In the following table, you’ll find an overview of child support guidelines in Tennessee and links to applicable statutes.
Tennessee Child Support Guideline Statute |
Tennessee Code Title 36, Chapter 5: Alimony and Child Support |
|---|---|
How Is Support Calculated? |
The state law determines the child support based on various factors. They often look at the parents’ incomes, how often each parent has the child(ren), and the number of children supported. Income in Tennessee includes:
|
What Expenses Can the Judge Order? |
A judge orders child support to cover the basic expenses your child needs, such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, and health insurance. The Tennessee court can also order the ARP to pay for additional needs of the child, including:
|
How Long Must a Parent Pay Child Support? |
|
Can a Parent Modify a Child Support Order? |
Yes. A parent can seek to modify a child support order when a significant variance in circumstances occurs. The Tennessee law allows modification when:
For a parent to qualify for a child support modification, the changes should create at least a 15% difference in the present amount. Parents seeking modification should also file a petition with the Tennessee court that issued the original child support order or work with the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS). |
Note: Laws are subject to change through various means, including higher court decisions and newly passed legislation. Consider conducting your legal research or contacting an attorney near you to verify the laws of your state.
Tennessee Child Support Guidelines: Related Resources
- Child Support Payments in Tennessee
- Tennessee Child Custody Laws
- Tennessee Child Support Modification
- Tennessee Family Laws
- Child Support
Seek Legal Advice From a Child Support Lawyer
Enforcing the appropriate amount of child support is crucial to ensure the best interests of the child. If you are a parent seeking child support, consider getting legal advice from a family law attorney specializing in child support.
A lawyer can help you understand how the guidelines apply to your child support case. They can also address enforcement issues and modify existing orders in case there are changes in circumstances. Contact a child support lawyer to learn more about Tennessee child support guidelines.
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