Child support pays for the basics your child needs: housing, food, clothing, health care and child care. In North Carolina, the amount comes from a statewide formula, but the numbers you put into that formula make all the difference. Sawyer & Associates helps parents get support set correctly, changed when life changes, and paid when it isn’t.
How child support is calculated in NC
North Carolina uses the NC Child Support Guidelines, which follow an “income shares” model. The court adds both parents’ gross incomes, finds the basic support amount for that combined income, and splits it based on each parent’s share. Health insurance premiums for the child, work-related child care and extraordinary expenses are then added in. Judges must follow the Guidelines unless the result would be unjust or wouldn’t meet the child’s reasonable needs (N.C.G.S. 50-13.4).
Which worksheet applies?
- Worksheet A: one parent has the child for 243 or more overnights a year.
- Worksheet B: each parent has at least 123 overnights a year (shared custody).
- Worksheet C: split custody, where each parent has primary custody of at least one child.
What counts as income?
Wages, self-employment income, bonuses, commissions and most other regular income all count. If a parent is deliberately unemployed or underemployed in bad faith, the court can assign income based on what they could earn.
How long does child support last in North Carolina?
Support usually lasts until the child turns 18. If the child is still in high school at 18, support can continue until graduation, until the child stops attending regularly, or until age 20, whichever comes first.
Changing a child support order
You can ask the court to modify support when there’s a substantial change in circumstances. A large drop or rise in income, a change in custody, or new medical needs can qualify. Under the Guidelines, if an order is at least three years old and a new calculation would change support by 15% or more, a change is presumed.
When support isn’t paid
North Carolina has strong enforcement tools: income withholding, interception of tax refunds, suspension of driver’s and professional licenses, and contempt of court. We help parents pursue unpaid support and help paying parents who’ve fallen behind address it before it gets worse.
Related North Carolina family law services
Child support FAQs
Is there a child support calculator for North Carolina?
Yes. The NC courts publish the Guidelines worksheets, and the result depends on income, overnights, insurance and child care costs.
Does 50/50 custody mean no child support in NC?
Not necessarily. With shared custody, the parent with higher income often still pays some support.
Can child support be ordered past 18?
Only if the child is still in primary or secondary school, and never past age 20.
Can I get back child support?
In some cases, yes. A court can award support for the period before the case was filed, based on what you actually spent.
What if my ex is hiding income?
We use financial records, discovery and, when needed, imputed income to get an accurate number.
Get child support right the first time. Talk with Nick Wilson about your situation. Call 800-355-1504 or book a consultation.
The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.
