Experienced Attorneys Providing Guidance In Pennsylvania Child Support
Last updated on June 16, 2025
It’s unfortunate, but it happens every day – sometimes the person you had a child with doesn’t turn out to be who you thought they would, and the relationship ends. But a parent and child relationship should be lifelong, and children are entitled to receive financial support from both of their parents.
The attorneys at Ruppert Law Firm LLC can assist you with all aspects of your family law case, whether you need an initial child support award as part of divorce and custody proceedings or whether you need to enforce or modify an existing custody order. Our top priority is to ensure that your children have the resources that they need, while also protecting your financial health and overall well-being.
Balancing Competing Interests And Ensuring Fairness
In most cases, child support is paid to the parent who has primary custody of the child by the parent who has partial custody. The purpose of the payments is to help cover the costs of raising a child. Both parents have a strong interest in making sure the amount of support is appropriate. The parent that receives the support needs to be confident that the payments are enough to cover their child’s expenses. The parent that pays the support needs to know that they can sustainably afford payments and that the money is being used to care for their child or children.
Regardless of which side you are on, we are here to help you find a solution that works for everyone. Child support can be in the form of a monthly payment, or you can create a child support agreement between the two biological parents that suits your unique situation. If either parent experiences a significant change in income or the children experience a significant change in financial need, we can help you petition the court to modify the existing child support order (or seek to prevent a change, depending on your position).
How Pennsylvania Determines Child Support
When seeking child support, it is important to understand how courts calculate these obligations. Pennsylvania uses a specific formula based on the monthly net incomes of both parents and the number of children requiring support. This formula follows state guidelines established to create consistency across cases. The primary factors considered include:
- Both parents’ monthly net incomes after taxes and certain deductions
- The number of children requiring support
- The custody arrangement (primary physical custody vs. shared custody)
- Additional expenses such as health insurance, child care and educational costs
The more overnights a child spends with a parent, the more that parent is directly supporting the child, which may reduce their formal child support payments. Pennsylvania courts recognize that both parents have financial responsibilities toward their children, regardless of where the children primarily reside.
When filing for child support, parents must provide comprehensive documentation of their financial situation, including income verification, tax returns and expense records. The court uses this information to apply the guidelines accurately. However, judges can deviate from standard calculations when unique circumstances warrant special consideration.
Our attorneys can help ensure all relevant financial information is presented correctly when filing for child support and that any exceptional circumstances affecting your family’s situation are appropriately considered.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Support
Parents often have questions about how child support works in Pennsylvania. Here are answers to some common questions for those navigating the child support system.
Are child care expenses included in child support calculations?
Child care expenses are not automatically included in basic child support payments in Pennsylvania. However, they are considered “additional expenses” typically allocated between parents in proportion to their incomes.
When parents require child care to maintain employment or pursue education, these costs are generally split based on each parent’s percentage of the combined income. When filing for child support, it is important to document all child care expenses with receipts and provider information to ensure fair allocation of these costs.
How does having other children affect child support obligations?
When a parent paying support has children from other relationships, Pennsylvania courts may consider these additional dependents when determining support amounts. The guidelines include adjustments for parents supporting multiple children across different households. This does not automatically reduce obligations, but provides a framework for considering all of a parent’s financial responsibilities.
Our attorneys can help explain how your specific family situation might influence child support payments and ensure that all relevant factors are presented to the court.
How long must child support be paid in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, child support obligations typically continue until a child reaches 18 years of age or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later. However, support may extend beyond this time frame in special circumstances, such as when a child has disabilities requiring ongoing care. Child support does not automatically terminate, and the paying parent must file a petition to end child support payments when the appropriate time comes. Continuing support beyond the legal requirement is sometimes negotiated between parents, particularly for college expenses.
What happens if my income changes while paying child support?
If either parent experiences a significant change in income – typically 20% or more – they may petition the court for a modification of the existing child support order. This applies to both increases and decreases in income. When filing for child support modification, you must provide documentation substantiating your changed financial circumstances. Common situations include job loss, significant promotion, disability or substantial change in custody arrangements. Modifications are not retroactive to the date of income change but to the date of filing the petition, so it is advisable to act promptly when circumstances change.
What remedies are available if the other parent does not pay child support?
Pennsylvania offers several enforcement mechanisms when a parent fails to make child support payments. These include:
- Wage garnishment directly from the paying parent’s paycheck
- Interception of tax refunds
- Suspension of driver’s license, professional licenses or recreational licenses
- Reporting to credit bureaus
- Contempt of court proceedings which may result in fines or jail time
- Placement of liens on property
The Pennsylvania Child Support Enforcement System actively tracks payments, and enforcement actions can be initiated through your county’s Domestic Relations Section. Our attorneys can help you navigate these enforcement options if you are not receiving the child support payments you are entitled to.
Talk To Attorneys Who Listen And Care
Whether you need help figuring out how to calculate or pay child support, or you need an advocate to start receiving child support payments, contact us at Ruppert Law Firm LLC today. We can help ensure your child gets the financial security they deserve. To schedule your initial consultation, contact one of our two office locations in Mt. Lebanon and Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Just call 412-730-2187 or reach out online.