Summer jobs are a major rite of passage for a lot of teenagers. That first job helps them learn how to handle themselves in a working environment, teaches responsibility, helps with time management and – above all – gives them a little financial independence.
But does that financial independence mean so much that it will reduce or eliminate the paying parent’s support obligation? If you’re concerned that your co-parent will go back to the court to ask for a modification or termination of support when your teen gets a summer job, here’s what you need to know:
A summer job does not equal the end of child support
In Kentucky, child support will generally continue until a child turns 18 years of age, unless they remain in high school. If they are, the child support will continue either until they graduate or through the end of the school year in which they turn 19. In rare situations, support may continue even longer, but it will only end earlier if the child is emancipated through marriage, enlistment in the military or a judge’s proclamation.
A teen’s summer job does not equate to financial self-sufficiency. In general, the income from a summer job is seen as temporary and supplemental. The spending money a teen earns over the summer is simply not a replacement for the support they are owed from their parents.
It is also unlikely to make a difference in the amount
Kentucky uses an “income shares” method when it comes time to calculate child support. The idea behind this system is that children should receive the same benefit of parental income they would have received if the parents were still living together. As such, the parents’ combined income, parenting time schedule and additional expenses are all factors used to determine base support amounts.
The child’s personal wages, however, are not factored into support calculations. While it is true that judges can deviate from the child support guidelines when extraordinary circumstances make the standard calculation unjust or inappropriate, a summer job is unlikely to meet that criterion.
Modifications of support can only be accomplished under very specific circumstances in Kentucky. If you’re concerned about the potential for complications, legal guidance can help.
