The state of Utah does not set a single, fixed dollar amount for the "minimum child support" that applies to all cases. Instead, the final support obligation is determined on a case-by-case basis using the official Utah Child Support Guidelines, which involve a calculation based on several factors.

The court uses a comprehensive calculation to determine support, but there are provisions that address the lowest income levels:

How Minimum Income is Addressed

  1. Low-Income Adjustments: The state guidelines include a separate schedule (or table) for low-income payers to ensure that support orders do not impoverish the non-custodial parent.
  2. Imputed Income: If a parent is unemployed or underemployed, a court may assign ("impute") an income for the purpose of calculation.
    • If a parent has no recent work history or their occupation is unknown, the court will typically impute an income based on the federal minimum wage for a 40-hour workweek. This figure is then used in the official calculator to determine their minimum obligation.
    • A parent's income will not be imputed if they are physically or mentally unable to work, are engaged in full-time career training, or if the cost of child care equals or exceeds the amount of income they could earn.

Factors that Determine the Child Support Amount

The final support amount is calculated using three main components and is determined by the following:

  • Parental Income (Adjusted Gross Income - AGI): This includes wages, commissions, bonuses, and other sources of income for both parents. The amount of child support is generally shared by the parents in proportion to their incomes.
  • Custody Arrangement (Overnights): The calculation varies based on the number of nights the child spends with each parent over a year:
    • Sole Physical Custody: The child spends over 225 nights a year with one parent.
    • Joint Physical Custody: The child spends at least 111 nights a year in the home of each parent.
    • Split Custody: Applicable when there are multiple children, and some live with each parent.
  • Three Components of Support: The final order includes:
    1. Base Child Support (from the tables in the Utah Code).
    2. Medical Care (cost of insurance and out-of-pocket expenses).
    3. Child Care Expenses (work-related costs).

This video explains the factors used when calculating child support in Utah, which should be helpful in understanding the guidelines:

How to Calculate Child Support in Utah

Share this post