Statutory guidelines for child support orders

In Nevada, there are established guidelines with regard to how family courts determine the amount of child support to order in a particular divorce case. These guidelines, set forth by the Nevada Revised Statutes, call for non-custodial parents to pay a percentage of their gross monthly income based on the number of children requiring support. For one child, the law calls for 18 percent of the income of the parent bearing the obligation for support; for two children, 25 percent; for three, 29 percent; and for four, 31 percent. The called-for amount increases by two percent for each child beyond four.

The statute also includes presumptive maximums per child, so parents who earn substantial incomes may have their payments capped at a certain level. A court may deviate from the guidelines in the event that a parent demonstrates one or more circumstances prohibiting the needs of the child from being met in accordance with the schedule set forth by NRS 125B.070.

Among the factors that may persuade the court to deviate from the guidelines are the child’s age, the relative gross income of each parent and the expected costs of health care, daycare and education. In example, if a non-custodial parent were to take on new employment with a significant increase in salary, that change in income may be sufficient to justify an order for child support modification.

Although many of the issues concerning child support are articulated in the Nevada Revised Statutes, they can still be difficult to understand, especially as child support payment calculations apply to specific cases. That is why it is critical for divorcing parents to retain the counsel and representation of a family law attorney. The attorney may help individual parents prepare the documentation necessary to pursue support or to motion the court to modify an existing support order.

Source: Divorce Support, “Nevada child support factors”, September 11, 2014