Portland, OR family law attorney Megan Gilmore talks about how child support is determined in Washington state. She shares that in Washington State, she explains that child support is determined primarily by the parties’ incomes, along with several related factors. Child support is required in every case and must be addressed on a final basis. The process begins with a review of each party’s pay stubs and gross income, followed by adjustments to account for allowable deductions. For example, there are limits on what may be deducted for voluntary retirement contributions. These adjustments ensure accuracy in calculating net income, but overall, the analysis is fairly straightforward.

Certain circumstances, however, can alter the basic support obligation through what are known as deviations. One example is a “whole family deviation,” which applies when a parent supports children outside of the relationship. Another potential deviation is a “residential credit.” If a parent has more than 91 overnights with the child in a year, the court has discretion to reduce the support obligation, though it is not required to do so.

Ultimately, her focus is on ensuring that the child or children receive adequate support, whether on a temporary or permanent basis, with the court carefully weighing income, deductions, and deviations in each case.