Determining a parent's obligation under a state's child support system can be a convoluted process. Fortunately, every state provides child support guidelines to ensure that support awards are fairly calculated throughout their state. These guidelines allow parents that rely on child support to travel from county to county without worrying about how their child support will be effective. This is a quick summary of the child support guidelines in Vermont.
Calculate Custody Awards With Vermont Child Support Guidelines
Under Vermont domestic relations laws, the type of child custody will determine the amount of child support that either spouse may receive. Whether it is sole, split, or shared custody, Vermont child support guidelines provide specific tables to help parents calculate their available income, family expenditures, parental support obligation, and ability to pay. From these tables, a parent can then estimate how much he or she may owe or receive from the other parent in child support expenses.
The following table outlines the specifics of Vermont child support guidelines.
| Code Sections | 15 V.S.A. §§650-670: Child Custody and Support |
| Sole Custody | Under Vermont domestic relation laws, sole custody exists when one parent has physical custody of the children for over 75% of the time. Physical custody is determined by the number of nights the child spends with the parent. |
| Split Custody | If each parent has physical custody of at least one of the children, it is considered split custody. In this case, a theoretical support payment must be determined for each parent for the children in the custody of the other. |
| Available Income | Converting each parent's gross income to "available income" is the first step in calculating child support. The standard tax calculations to convert gross to available income for each income level are contained in a tax conversion table. |
| Income Share Model | This model presumes that since both parents contribute to the financial support of the child, both parents’ incomes are used in determining the child support amount. It is Vermont's public policy that parents have the responsibility to provide child support and that child support orders should reflect the true costs of raising children and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the marriage not been dissolved. |
Fully understanding your responsibility for child support can seem like a strenuous chore. However, Vermont Department of Children and Families provides a child support calculator plus in-depth guidelines for child support to help estimate your obligations under these laws. If you are dealing with child support issues and would like legal assistance, you can contact a Vermont child support lawyer through FindLaw. Visit FindLaw's sections on child support and family law for more articles and information on this topic.
