Who pays child support if you have 50 50 custody in NC?

Asked by: Kurt Rodriguez  |  Last update: October 19, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (62 votes)

Even Parents With Joint Custody May Owe Child Support In North Carolina, all parents are responsible for supporting the reasonable needs of their children as long as they have parental rights.

Do you have to pay child support if you have 50/50 custody in North Carolina?

Parents can be obligated to pay child support even if they have joint custody of their children.

Do dads with 50/50 custody pay child support?

It seems logical that if your custody is shared, you each cover costs for the child when the child is with you. However, in California, custody and child support are two separate components, and one parent may be required to pay child support to the other even in a 50/50 arrangement.

What are the disadvantages of 50/50 custody?

Challenges of 50/50 Custody
  • Potential for Increased Conflict: If the parents have a contentious relationship, the frequent exchanges required in a 50/50 custody arrangement can lead to increased conflict. ...
  • Instability and Disruption: For some children, moving between two homes regularly can feel unstable and disruptive.

Who claims children with 50/50 custody?

Under these rules, the parent who has physical custody of the child for the greater part of the year – defined as more than 50% of the nights – typically has the right to claim the child as a dependent for tax purposes.

Does a Father Pay Child Support With 50/50 Custody?

23 related questions found

Do men pay child support with 50 50 custody?

Can a parent still receive California child support when there is joint custody? Yes. The State of California believes that both parents have a duty to provide financial support to a child.

Is it better not to claim a child as a dependent?

Cons of claiming your child as a dependent

If your child is a student, they probably have an income that's low enough for them to qualify for education credits, and it's very likely that those credits would amount to more savings for them than the Child Tax Credit would for you if you claimed them as a dependent.

Why would a judge deny 50 50 custody?

Differences in parents' style of attachment to children contribute to the inadequacy of 50/50 custody plans. Parental personality differences influence ability to give emotional nurturance to children. Courts often fail to alter 50/50 custody arrangements when circumstances beg for a change.

What type of custody is best for a child?

The recent trend has been to favor joint or shared physical custody—allowing children to spend significant amounts of time with both of their parents. Judges (and legislatures) have been swayed by consistent research findings that children fare better after divorce under shared parenting arrangements.

What are the chances of a father getting 50/50 custody?

While it is not possible to provide an exact probability for a father obtaining 50/50 custody due to variations in individual circumstances and jurisdictional differences, research suggests that fathers who actively participate in their children's lives have better chances at securing equal or significant custodial ...

Do you get more child support if you have full custody?

Generally, sole physical custody is awarded to allow a child to live in one home most of the time, and continue to attend their local school. Where joint legal custody and sole physical custody exist together, the amount of child support due will not change.

How much child support will I pay if I make $1000 a week?

Using a standard calculation, an individual earning $1,000 a week might pay around $250 per month for one child, though this figure can vary significantly based on specific circumstances and local county guidelines.

How can I pay child support with no income?

Child Support Modification on Imputed Income

You can request an adjustment to your child support order, but the court will base new child support amounts on your opportunity and ability to find similar-paying work using your previous employment as a benchmark for what you may be able to earn in the future.

Does 50/50 custody pay child support?

However, sharing 50/50 custody in California does not mean the parents are not responsible for child support. Each parent must pay a portion of the child support obligation.

What is the new child support law in North Carolina?

North Carolina Child Support Laws 2023

One modification is directly related to the current federal poverty level, $1150 per month. If a parent obligated to pay child support claims that he or she is too poor to pay, the court uses the base mark of $1150/monthly ($13,800/yearly) for 1 person.

How does 50/50 custody work in NC?

The 50/50 Custody Arrangement

When it comes to child custody in North Carolina, the default arrangement is 50/50 custody. This means that both parents start on equal footing, assuming that no issues are preventing either parent from having custody of the child, such as being in jail or having a history of child abuse.

What are the cons of 50/50 custody?

Cons of equal shared parenting:
  • Frequent exchanges mean that parents have regular in-person contact, which can create conflict that negatively impacts children.
  • Some children may struggle to adapt to frequently moving between homes.

What is the biggest mistake in custody battle?

The Most Common Mistakes Made in California Child Custody Cases. Failing to respond to a child custody case will not make the issue go away. Instead, it could lead to a default judgment. This means that whatever the other party is requesting will most likely be granted by the judge because you have not given any input.

What does a 70/30 split look like?

A 70/30 custody schedule essentially means that a child spends approximately 70% of their time with one parent and the remaining 30% with the other. This split aims at providing a stable and consistent routine for the child, while ensuring that both parents remain actively involved in their upbringing.

What to include in a 50/50 custody agreement?

Examples of 50/50 Visitation Schedule
  • 1 week on = 1 week off. 6:00 pm Exchange of the child on any day of the week. ...
  • 2,2,5,5, schedule. ...
  • 6:00 pm pickup 1st, 2nd, and 4th Friday – returns child to school on Monday. ...
  • 6:00 pm pickup 1st, 3rd, and 5th Friday – returns child to school on Monday. ...
  • Other Additional Options to include:

How do most custody battles end?

Some courts have mediation programs, and others require you to find an outside mediator. The court will choose your mediator if you and the other parent cannot agree. If you reach an agreement, you can file it with the court to end your case. If you don't agree, the court process will continue.

Why would a father not get joint custody?

If there is a history of abuse or neglect, the court may find that it is not in the child's best interests to be in a joint custody arrangement with that parent. Another factor that may be taken into account is the child's ability to maintain a relationship with both parents.

When you have 50/50 custody, who claims the child on taxes?

The one with 183 overnights is the parent who is entitled to federal and state tax deductions and exemptions. Under the IRS' regulations, there is no such thing as “dual-custodial parents” when you have equal or joint custody. Therefore, one or the other parent must claim the tax benefits, but not both.

What is the $3600 child tax credit?

Specifically, the Child Tax Credit was revised in the following ways for 2021: The credit amount was increased for 2021. The American Rescue Plan increased the amount of the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 to $3,600 for qualifying children under age 6, and $3,000 for other qualifying children under age 18.

What are the 5 tests for qualifying children?

Changes to Certain Benefits

The five dependency tests – relationship, gross income, support, joint return and citizenship/residency – continue to apply to a qualifying relative. A child who is not a qualifying child might still be a dependent as a qualifying relative.