A child support order in Arizona is a written order from the court that indicates:
Calculation of Support
Child Support in Arizona is determined pursuant to the Arizona Child Support Guidelines. A judge will calculate child support using a somewhat complicated mathematical formula.
The most significant factors are each parent's income, daycare expenses, the cost of medical insurance, any social security benefits the child may be receiving and the living arrangements of the children.
How to Request Child Support in Arizona
There are several ways a parent can receive child support. Parents can make an agreement and ask a judge to approve support order in a civil case such as a divorce or other family law proceedings. However, the majority of cases start by completing an "Application for Child Support Services" and submitting it to the local Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) office.
The DCSS can help a parent locate the noncustodial parent, establish paternity for children born outside of marriage, establishment of support obligations, collection and distribution of support, and enforcement of support obligations.
The following table highlights the main provisions of Arizona child support laws. See also Child Custody, Child Support Modifications, and Child Support Enforcement.
| Code Section | A.R.S. 25-403.09 et seq. |
| Who is Responsible? | Both Parents |
| How Support is Calculated? | Ariziona Child Support Guidelines |
| Factors | Both parents’ incomes are used to calculate the amount of child support that the noncustodial parent will pay to the other household to financially support the children. |
| What is included in a Support Order? | Monetary support (Food, clothing, & shelter), Health Insurance, Basic Education Expenses. Also might include Child Care Expenses, Extraordinary Medical Expenses, Visitation travel costs, and Extracurricular Activities. |
| When Do Child Support Payments End? | 18 years old, however, if the child is still in high school the parent’s obligation to pay child support terminates once the child graduates from school or turns 19 year of age. A child support order may be extending in the case of special needs children. |
Because Arizona child support laws can sometimes get complicated, it may also be a good idea to consult an experienced family law attorney if you have questions about your specific situation.
