What Does Child Support in Washington State Cover?

Overview: In Washington state, child support helps cover the everyday expenses of raising children in two households after divorce or separation. These expenses include housing, food, clothing, and basic medical care. Parents may also share additional costs, such as childcare, health insurance, and medical bills not covered by insurance. Whether your family lives in Seattle, elsewhere in King County, or in Snohomish County, each parent’s contribution will depend primarily on income, the number of children, and other factors under Washington’s Child Support Schedule.

Key Takeaways

• Child support covers ordinary expenses such as housing, food, clothing, personal care, and basic school supplies.
• Both parents are financially responsible for their children, with contributions based on their respective incomes.
• Childcare, health insurance, and uncovered medical expenses may be allocated in addition to basic support.
• Washington state courts use a statutory formula to calculate support but may approve adjustments when specific circumstances justify deviating from it.
• Unless otherwise arranged, child support continues until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever last occurs, although a court may extend it for a child who r has other extenuating needs. Courts may also award post-secondary support after the child completes high school. 

What Does Child Support Cover in Washington State?

In Washington state, child support helps pay for the everyday costs of raising a child. When you and your former spouse maintain separate households, the payment contributes to the other parent’s share of the child’s housing and utilities, groceries, clothing, shoes, toiletries, household supplies, basic school supplies, toys, books, and ordinary recreational activities. These expenses fall under the basic child support obligation. You generally don’t need to submit receipts or request reimbursement for routine purchases because the payment is intended to help cover the child’s overall living expenses.

Paying child support is not optional. If a court orders you to pay, you must do so or risk penalties, including wage garnishment or even jail time.  

Beyond the categories above, Washington state law gives certain costs additional consideration, particularly childcare, health insurance, and medical expenses that aren’t covered by health insurance. There may be others. These costs can increase each parent’s required contribution. 

How Does Washington Calculate Child Support?

Washington state uses the Washington State Child Support Schedule to determine each parent’s financial contribution. The calculation starts by taking both parents’ gross monthly incomes and subtracting certain statutory allowable deductions to arrive at their net monthly incomes.

Whether you file for divorce in Seattle, elsewhere in King County, in Snohomish County, or anywhere else throughout Washington state, the statewide child support guidelines apply. Local courts use the same statutory schedule, although each family’s unique financial circumstances ultimately inform the final support order.

Allowable deductions may include federal and state income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes,  certain pension or retirement contributions, qualifying union dues, and certain spousal maintenance payments. Self-employed parents may also deduct qualifying business expenses.

The court combines the parents’ net incomes and consults the state’s child support economic table, RCW 26.19.020, which establishes a basic support obligation that’s based on the parents’ combined income and the number of children. Each parent’s percentage of the combined net income generally dictates that parent’s share of the obligation.

For example, if you earn 60% of the combined net income and your former spouse earns 40%, your respective shares of the basic support obligation will generally follow these percentages. The court then considers any additional expenses a child may have. In limited circumstances, the residential schedule for the child may affect the final support payment.

What Expenses Are Shared Outside Basic Child Support?

As briefly mentioned in the previous section, Washington state law allows certain expenses to be allocated separately from the basic child support obligation. Under RCW 26.19.080, these costs are required to follow the parents’ proportionate shares of combined net income, unless the court finds a legal basis for deviating from that percentage relative to the spouses’ respective circumstances when making its order. Common additional expenses include:

• Childcare: Parents may share daycare, before-school care, after-school, and summer care programs.
• Health insurance: The court will allocate the cost of providing health insurance for a child based on the availability and cost of coverage.
• Uncovered medical expenses: Courts will order copayments, deductibles, prescriptions, dental treatment, vision care, and other expenses not paid by insurance to be shared by the parents according to their respective proportionate shares of income.
• Special child-rearing expenses: Depending on the child’s needs and your family’s circumstances, these expenses may include private school tuition, tutoring, extracurricular activities, and other educational or developmental costs.

When negotiating your divorce settlement, you should discuss with your family law attorney how you and your former spouse should handle these costs. Your child support order should address each person’s obligation, payment deadlines, and reimbursement procedures so you have a written agreement to follow when these additional expenses arise.

When Can a Washington State Court Deviate From the Standard Child Support Calculation?

Although Washington state courts begin with the standard calculation, a judge may order a higher or lower amount when circumstances support a deviation. RCW 26.19.075 identifies several factors the court may consider, including:

• A significant disparity in the living costs of the parents due to conditions

beyond their control

• Financial resources available from other household members if a deviation is requested for any other reason.
• Support obligations for children from other relationships.
• Extraordinary debt that a parent did not voluntarily incur.
• Special medical, educational, psychological, or disability related needs of a child.
• Income from nonrecurring sources, including certain bonuses or seasonal employment.
• In limited circumstances, significant residential time with the parent who would otherwise pay support.

Residential time deserves particular attention. A parent who spends substantial time with a child may request a downward deviation, but the court is prohibited from ordering a reduction that would leave the household without enough money to meet the child’s basic needs. As a side note, deviating down is also not permitted when the child’s household receives public assistance.

Sometimes, parents may also agree to a child support amount different from the standard calculation. However, their agreement alone does not create a legal basis to deviate from the standard calculation. The court must have a statutory reason to approve the adjustment and explain the basis in the child support order. And absent unique circumstances, the court will not approve an agreement for no child support.

What Happens if a Parent Loses a Job or Earns Less Money?

A job loss or reduction in income may affect a parent’s ability to meet an existing child support obligation. That said, the current court order will stay in effect until a judge approves a modification. You cannot simply reduce or stop payments because your financial circumstances have changed.

Washington state courts may also consider a parent’s earning capacity, not just current income, when determining support. For example, if a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, a judge may decide to impute income based on factors such as work history, education, job skills, health, available employment opportunities, and local wages.

Consider the following scenario. If you voluntarily leave a well-paying position for a substantially lower-paying job without a reasonable explanation, the court may calculate support based on what it believes your potential earnings would be. An involuntary layoff, medical condition, or genuine inability to find comparable employment may lead to a different result. Regardless, if your income changes substantially, speak with a Washington state family law attorney as soon as possible to determine whether you can request a modification.

How Long Does Child Support Last in Washington State?

Generally, child support continues until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever last occurs. However, a court may extend support beyond this date in unique circumstances. 

Washington courts may also order postsecondary educational support under RCW 26.19.090; a court may award support for an adult child attending an accredited college, university, or vocational school, provided the child meets the statutory requirements. When deciding whether to make these deviations, the court will consider the age of the child, the child’s needs, the expectations of the parties for their children when the parents were together, the child’s prospects, desires, aptitudes, abilities, or disabilities; the nature of the postsecondary education sought, and the parents’ level of education, standard of living, and current and future resources. 

Also to be considered are the amount and type of support that the child would have been afforded if the parents had stayed together. The child generally must be actively pursuing an appropriate course of study and remain in good academic standing.

Postsecondary support typically cannot extend beyond the child’s 23rd birthday, except in certain circumstances involving special needs. The court may also require the adult child to contribute toward their own educational costs through work-study employment, scholarships, grants, or student loans. 

If you believe your child may qualify for postsecondary support, discuss the issue with your Seattle family law attorney before your existing child support obligation ends. Once the child support obligation expires, it is too late, and it can no longer be adjusted or modified. 

Speak to a Washington State Family Law Attorney About Child Support

Child support is an important part of planning for your family’s finances after divorce. Whether you expect to receive payments or make them, you should understand how Washington state calculates child support, which expenses may be shared separately, and whether your circumstances warrant a deviation from the standard formula. 

An experienced Washington state family law attorney can review your income, your child’s needs, and your proposed parenting arrangements to help you understand your financial obligations. At Elise Buie Family Law, we have helped thousands of clients in Seattle, King County, and Snohomish County address child support as part of their divorce and other family law matters, and we are here to guide you. 

We can help you understand the applicable guidelines, evaluate any additional expenses you or your child may have, and work with you toward a child support arrangement that addresses your family’s individual circumstances. Call us today or schedule a convenient time to speak.

FAQs About Child Support in Washington State

Does child support cover extracurricular activities?

Ordinary recreational expenses fall within basic child support. However, certain extracurricular activities may qualify as special child-rearing expenses and receive separate consideration based on the child’s needs and the parents’ financial circumstances.

Do both parents have to pay child support in Washington?

Both parents have a legal responsibility to support their children. The parent with whom the child primarily resides is considered to be paying their share through their monthly budget for housing, food, utilities, clothing, and the child’s other basic needs. The other parent pays their respective share with a monthly child  support payment to the primary residential parent. The amount is based on their respective incomes and the applicable calculation.

Can parents agree on their own child support amount?

Yes, sometimes. Subject to certain limitations, parents can agree to a support figure and decide how to divide any additional expenses that may arise. However, for an agreement to be enforceable, the court must approve the arrangement. Parents must also demonstrate a legal basis for why they are deviating from the standard calculation.  Generally speaking, the court will not approve an agreement to pay nothing. 

Does child support cover health insurance and medical bills?

Health insurance premiums and medical expenses are addressed either as a built-in amount in the child support payment or separately on top of the payment. The court will allocate these costs between parents according to their respective proportionate shares of income unless it finds there is a legal basis to deviate.

Can child support change if a parent’s income increases or decreases?

Yes. A substantial change in income may provide grounds for a modification. However, the existing order must remain in effect until the court approves any change. Also, child support may be modified every 24 months without having to show a substantial change of circumstances.

What happens if a parent refuses to pay child support?

Washington state can enforce unpaid child support through wage withholding, tax refund interception, liens, license suspension where applicable, passport confiscation, garnishment of bank accounts, and other collection remedies, including jail time.

Does child support automatically stop when a child reaches 18?

No. Child support continues at a minimum through age 18 or graduation from high school, whichever last occurs. Also, a court may extend child support beyond that in certain circumstances, as the statute does not specify any particular age but rather requires support for a child that is “dependent” upon one or both parties. A court may additionally award postsecondary educational support for an eligible adult child.  When a parent’s child support obligation expires will depend on the terms of their respective child support order.