Child support in Michigan is based on the Michigan Child Support formula and can only be deviated from if there is a particular reason or agreement of the parties, which the court must agree with, in entering a Judgment of Divorce. When a determination is made as to child support, five factors are reviewed in making that determination. The five factors reviewed by the Court or used for determination of child support are:
- The number of children
- The amount of overnights for father
- The amount of overnights for mother
- The income for mother
- The income for father
When these factors are used in the Michigan Child Support Formula Calculator, a determination of child support is made and is presumed to be valid, unless there are extraordinary circumstances to be reviewed by the Court.
Gross income is used as a beginning point, from which many types of deductions can be used in order to arrive at a net figure for child support calculation purposes. Child support is no longer collected by the Friend of the Court in each county, but is paid through the Michigan State Disbursement Unit in Lansing, generally by a payment from the employer directly to the Michigan State Disbursement Unit, at which time money is distributed to the person receiving child support by direct deposit or by placement on a debit card.
Merrill Gordon is an Oakland County attorney with more than 35 years’ experience in divorce and family court proceedings along with all manners of civil actions. He is also a court-appointed mediator in Oakland and Wayne counties and has received an AV peer review rating, the highest available.
He is a graduate of Michigan State University and the Thomas Cooley Law School. He was admitted to State Bar of Michigan and all Michigan State and Federal Courts in 1981, and the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1985. He is also a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Oakland Country Bar Association, American Bar Association and the Mediation Tribunal Association.
For a free initial consultation, contact Merrill Gordon at (248) 626-3000 or via email at mgordon@merrillgordon.com.
