North Carolina child support is money paid by a parent to meet the reasonable needs of their minor child for health, education, and maintenance. Both biological and adoptive parents bear legal responsibility for supporting their children financially, regardless of their relationship status or living arrangements.
The fundamental principle behind Carolina child support is ensuring children receive the same proportion of parental income they would have received if their parents lived together. This means child support obligations reflect both parents' financial contributions based on their respective incomes and the child's needs.
Child support covers basic living expenses, including housing, food, clothing, transportation, and entertainment. Additional expenses such as health insurance premiums, childcare costs, and extraordinary expenses are calculated separately and added to the basic child support obligation.
Who Must Pay Child Support in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, biological or adoptive parents are almost always responsible for child support. Only in very limited circumstances might someone else, like a stepparent, be held responsible for supporting a child instead of the natural parent.
The Noncustodial Parent
Typically, the noncustodial parent pays child support to the custodial parent. The noncustodial parent is the parent with whom the child lives fewer than 243 nights per year. This arrangement assumes the custodial parent contributes their share of the child support obligation by paying directly for the child's day-to-day expenses while the child lives with them.
However, when parents share custody and each has the child for at least 123 nights annually, both parents' support obligations are calculated. The parent with the higher obligation pays the difference to the other parent, recognizing that both parents incur direct expenses when caring for the child.
Who Can Request Child Support
Any parent or person who provides care for a minor child living in their home can file for child support. You don't need a court order granting you custody before requesting child support if you're caring for a child who lives with you.
Whether you were married to your child's other parent, lived together without marriage, or never cohabited, child support obligations remain the same. All children living in the United States are entitled to child support, regardless of the citizenship or immigration status of the child or the parents.
North Carolina Child Support Services
North Carolina Child Support Services (CSS) is a division of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services that helps parents establish, enforce, and collect child support. The agency provides comprehensive services to ensure children receive the financial support they deserve.
Services Provided by CSS
- Establishing paternity
For children born to unmarried parents, CSS helps establish legal paternity, which is necessary before a child support order can be created. Establishing paternity gives children important rights including knowledge of the father's family medical history, Social Security benefits, death and insurance benefits, and military benefits.
- Locating noncustodial parents
CSS uses various tools to locate noncustodial parents who cannot be found. Providing information such as the other parent's date of birth, Social Security number, or last known address assists the agency in locating them.
- Establishing support obligations
CSS works with parents to establish legal orders specifying the amount of support to be paid. The NC child support guidelines determine these amounts based on the needs of the child and the ability of parents to pay.
- Collecting and distributing payments
All North Carolina child support payments are processed through NC Child Support Centralized Collections (NCCSCC), which collects and distributes payments to custodial parents.
- Enforcing support obligations
When noncustodial parents don't pay as ordered, CSS uses various enforcement tools including income withholding, tax refund interception, credit bureau reporting, and court action.
Contacting NC Child Support Services
Parents can reach CSS through multiple channels:
CSS Customer Service Center: Call 1-800-992-9457 to speak with representatives available 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. An Interactive Voice Response system is available 24/7 in English or Spanish.
Local CSS offices: Contact your county's CSS office for in-person assistance. Office locations are available through the CSS website.
Online portal: Create an account to view case status, payment information, and arrears online.
How North Carolina Child Support Is Calculated
North Carolina uses specific guidelines to calculate child support obligations, ensuring consistency across the state while accounting for individual family circumstances.
The North Carolina Child Support Guidelines
The North Carolina Conference of Chief District Court Judges prescribes uniform statewide child support guidelines based on the income shares model. This model assumes child support is a shared parental obligation and uses economic data representing average household spending on children.
The guidelines include a Schedule of Basic Support Obligations that provides baseline support amounts based on both parents' combined adjusted gross income and the number of children requiring support. These amounts cover ordinary expenses like housing, food, clothing, transportation, and entertainment.
Income Considerations
Child support calculations begin with each parent's gross monthly income from all sources including:
- Salaries, wages, and bonuses
- Self-employment income (after ordinary business expenses)
- Rental property income
- Retirement and pension income
- Social Security benefits
- Workers' compensation and disability benefits
- Unemployment benefits
- Investment income and capital gains
- Alimony received from previous relationships
Both parents' incomes are considered when calculating support, regardless of who files the case. Each parent's percentage share of the combined income determines their portion of the total child support obligation.
Additional Expenses
Beyond the basic support obligation, North Carolina child support orders may include:
- Health insurance premiums
The amount paid by either parent for health, dental, or vision insurance covering the children is added to the basic obligation and divided proportionally between parents.
- Work-related childcare costs
Reasonable childcare expenses that allow a parent to work or search for employment are added to the basic obligation. These include daycare, before and after-school care, summer camps, and babysitters.
- Extraordinary expenses
Special costs that may be added include private school tuition, special education expenses, counseling or therapy, and transportation costs for visitation between parents' homes.
Child Support Worksheets
North Carolina provides three different worksheets for calculating child support based on custody arrangements:
Worksheet A (Primary Custody)
Used when one parent has the child 243 or more nights per year. The noncustodial parent pays support to the custodial parent.
Worksheet B (Shared Custody)
Applied when each parent has the child at least 123 nights annually. The basic obligation is increased by 50% and adjusted for parenting time.
Worksheet C (Split Custody)
Used when parents have multiple children and each has primary custody of at least one child.
Establishing Child Support in North Carolina
Parents can establish child support through several methods, each offering different advantages depending on circumstances.
Through Child Support Enforcement Agency
Parents can apply for services from NC Child Support Services by contacting their local CSS office. The agency assists with establishing paternity if needed, calculating support amounts under the guidelines, creating legal support orders, and enforcing payment.
Through Court Filing
Parents can file a civil complaint for child support in district court in the county where the child lives or where a parent resides. After filing, the other parent must be served with the complaint and has 30 days to respond. A judge will then hold a hearing to determine the appropriate support amount.
Through Separation Agreements
Parents can agree on child support amounts in a separation agreement, a private contract addressing issues related to separation including property division, spousal support, and child support. While judges don't have to approve separation agreements, they can incorporate them into final divorce orders.
Voluntary Support Agreements
Parents may sign a Voluntary Support Agreement (VSA), which becomes a court order once a judge signs it. This makes the agreement enforceable through the court system.
Enforcing North Carolina Child Support Orders
When noncustodial parents fail to pay child support as ordered, various enforcement tools ensure compliance and protect children's financial interests.
Enforcement Methods
Income withholding: Employers must deduct specified amounts from noncustodial parents' income and send payments to NCCSCC. This applies to various income sources including wages, unemployment benefits, and worker's compensation.
Tax refund interception: State and federal tax refunds can be intercepted to satisfy child support arrears.
Credit bureau reporting: All child support obligations handled by CSS are reported to credit bureaus, affecting the noncustodial parent's credit rating.
Property liens: Claims can be placed on real or personal property owned by noncustodial parents who fail to pay support.
Court action: CSS can file contempt proceedings against noncustodial parents who violate court orders, potentially resulting in fines or jail time.
License suspension: Driver's licenses, professional licenses, and recreational licenses can be suspended for non-payment of child support.
Viewing Case Status
Parents whose cases are filed through CSS can create online accounts to view case status, payment history, and any arrears. This provides real-time information about support obligations and compliance.
Duration of Child Support Obligations
Understanding when child support ends helps parents plan financially and ensures children receive support for the appropriate period.
Standard Termination
Child support typically continues until the child:
- Turns 18 years old
- Graduates from high school (if still attending and making satisfactory progress)
- Reaches age 20 (child support cannot continue beyond this age regardless of high school attendance)
Earlier Termination
Child support may end before the standard termination age if the child becomes legally emancipated through:
- Joining the military
- Getting married
- Moving away from home and becoming self-supporting
Past-Due Support
Even when the duty to pay ongoing child support ends, parents remain obligated to pay any past-due amounts (arrears). These obligations don't disappear when the child reaches majority.
Modifying North Carolina Child Support Orders
Life circumstances change, and NC child support orders can be modified when appropriate to reflect new realities.
When Modification Is Appropriate
Either parent may request modification when there has been a substantial change in circumstances since the existing order was issued. Changes that might warrant modification include:
- Significant changes in either parent's income
- Changes in the child's needs or expenses
- Changes in custody arrangements
- Changes in childcare costs or health insurance premiums
- Unemployment or job loss
Presumption of Substantial Change
If at least three years have passed since the existing order was issued, and there's at least a 15% difference between the current order amount and a new calculation based on current circumstances, North Carolina law presumes a substantial change has occurred.
Modification Process
Parents can request modification through CSS if the agency is handling their case, or by filing a motion with the court that issued the original order. The requesting parent must prove that circumstances have changed substantially enough to justify modification.
North Carolina child support ensures children receive financial support from both parents regardless of the parents' relationship status or living arrangements. By understanding how the system works, from establishing paternity and calculating support obligations to making payments and enforcing orders, parents can better navigate this essential aspect of co-parenting. Whether working with NC Child Support Services or managing support through private agreements, the goal remains the same: providing children with the financial resources they need to thrive. When questions arise or circumstances change, CSS stands ready to assist parents in fulfilling their support obligations and ensuring children receive the care they deserve.