Paying Child Support
by: Wyoming Legal Services - Lander Office
Do I have to pay child support?
Child support money is paid by the parent who moves out of the house or does not have custody of the child.
If you are unmarried and have a child, you may have to pay.
Child support must be used for the care of the child.
How does the judge know how much I should pay?
The state of Wyoming uses a chart to see how much money should go to child support. If you want to see this chart, click here, then scroll to and click on Wyoming Statutes, then scroll to WS 20-2-304.
The judge will look at these things to find how much you will pay:
- Income of each parent,
- Income of both parents put together,
- Number of children.
What counts as income?
- Money earned from your job
- Disability benefits
- Worker's compensation
- Unemployment compensation
- Pensions and Social Security
- Income tax refunds
What doesn't count as income?
- Pell grants
- Food stamps
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Choosing not to work won't get you out of paying child support. If you are able to work you will be required to pay.
How the child support chart works
To use the chart you have to know the number of kids you have.
You also have to know how much money you and your spouse make.
If you want to see this chart, click here, then scroll to and click on Wyoming Statutes, then scroll to WS 20-2-304.
This chart is confusing? Is there another way to guess what I will have to pay?
If you want to estimate what your child support payment might be, click here, then scroll to and click on Child Support Calculator.
- The Child Support Calculator can only provide you with a guess of how much you will pay.
- Only the judge can say for sure how much you will pay.
Paying child support
You must pay Child Support Enforcement unless the judge says not to.
- If you pay your ex-spouse instead you may not get credit for your payments.
- This means you could be required to make double payments.
- If you don't pay Child Support Enforcement you will have to go back to court and you could get in a lot of trouble.
What happens if I don't pay child support?
What often happens is that:
- Your ex sees a child support caseworker
- The child support workers starts a legal action against you.
- You receive a notice letting you know that you must start paying
- If you don't begin paying your child support, then the court can take action against you.
What kind action can the court take?
The judge can do a lot of things:
- Take money from your paycheck
- Force you to get a job
- Stop you from getting loans
- Take your bank accounts
- Take your driver's license
- Take away your professional license such as a teaching and nursing licenses
- Take away your hunting or fishing license
- Send you to prison
You can't stop paying support until:
- Your child becomes an adult (in most cases this is when the child turns 18).
- Your child is emancipated (becomes a legal adult before turning 18)
- Your child dies
You still have to pay support even if your ex refuses to let you see your children. You still have to pay support even if your ex breaks other rules.
Where is the Wyoming Law that talks about child support?
If you want to read the law, click here, then scroll to Wyoming Statutes, then scroll to WS 20-2-301.
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