DOES A CHILD'S HEALTH INSURANCE COST EFFECT SUPPORT PAYMENTS?

i, my name is Lauren Fields. I lead the Domestic Litigation team here at Roth Davies, LLC. Today I am going to be discussing children’s healthcare premiums and how it affects child support. The party who is paying the child’s healthcare will get a credit for that on a child support worksheet. That credit is determined by taking the amount that it costs to insure the employee plus their child, less the amount that it would cost to simply insure the employee and that is how you get the cost of what it costs for just the child. These numbers can typically be derived from your HR department or your insurance packet that has a breakdown of the costs for individuals, individuals plus children, and individuals plus family. The difference in those numbers is then imputed on the child support worksheet and the parent paying that amount will get a credit proportionate to the parties incomes for that monthly payment. For example, if you are the one receiving support and also pay the health insurance you get that credit on the worksheet, or if you are paying support and cover the child's premium then you would also get that credit on the worksheet. The parties can also choose to reimburse each other on the worksheet for those health insurance costs. But typically, it makes practical sense to just put the number on the worksheet and allow it to be incorporated into the monthly child support obligation of the other party. In the event the health insurance cost changes or the other parent starts carrying the child on their health insurance plan, you have a reason to modify the child support order.