The short answer is, yes. Although you may have joint custody of your child, child support is an obligation that one parent will inevitably have to pay, specifically so, if one parent makes a higher income than the other or if the child is one with one parent more than with the other. This is because North Carolina’s child support guidelines calculate each parent’s income as well as the time spent with each parent to determine whether child support is applicable.
If I have joint custody, do I still have to pay child support?
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October 27, 2020
Dustin McCrary
Founder & Family Law Attorney, McCrary Pack
Dustin McCrary is a North Carolina divorce and family law attorney who has guided clients through divorce, child custody, and the financial complexities of separation since 2010. He is AV-Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, recognized by Super Lawyers Rising Stars and Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, and a published author. He earned his law degree with honors, alongside an MBA, from North Carolina Central University. Dustin writes about the practical side of family law in North Carolina: what the process actually looks like, where families get stuck, and how to move forward with clarity and confidence.
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