North Carolina Child Support Laws 2025 Explained

Child support is the financial responsibility of a parent to reasonably provide for their child’s needs, including food, shelter, health, education, and other needs. North Carolina, much like other states, has its own laws that govern child support payments. This includes who pays, the amount to be paid, and the duration of making payments. Whether you are required to pay or receive support, you should familiarize yourself with North Carolina child support laws.

The general law in North Carolina is that both parents are obligated to financially support their child until they turn 18, but only one parent may be required to make court-ordered child support payments. In joint custody arrangements, one parent may still be required to pay court-ordered child support. Fathers are not always responsible for making child support payments. If the child primarily lives with the father, the mother may be culpable for paying child support.

North Carolina’s Most Recent Child Support Laws

In North Carolina, any parent can file for child support, and it can be arranged in four ways:

• Parents can agree to an amount and present it in a separation agreement to be signed by a judge.
• Parents can sign a Voluntary Support Agreement (VSA), which a judge also signs and makes enforceable.
• The Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSE) can arrange the child support order.
• One parent can file a civil complaint in order to receive child support.

Your lawyer can educate you on the most appropriate route for arranging child support in North Carolina.

What Are Determining Factors for Child Support Payments?

Child support is determined based on the parent’s combined annual gross income, existing support obligations, childcare costs, and daily living expenses. Though healthcare is a factor, uninsured annual healthcare costs exceeding $250 per year are excluded when determining child support payments.

Other expenses that may be considered when determining child support are educational needs, such as if the child attends private school and the transportation costs for transporting the child back and forth from visiting the non-custodial parent. These are both added to the basic child support obligations as expenses if they are deemed reasonable and necessary.

How Is Child Support Calculated in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, child support obligations are calculated based on a set schedule using the parent’s shared income. If the parent’s income exceeds $40,000 per month, the court will determine a reasonable amount of child support the parent must pay to meet the child’s needs. Additionally, the minimum monthly support payment is $50 per child and is applicable for parents living under the federal poverty line.

The shared income model is used in North Carolina so that the child receives the same proportion of financial support as they would receive if their parents were living together.

What if a Parent Refuses to Pay?

Child support is taken seriously in North Carolina. If a parent refuses to pay child support, the consequences can range from having work wages withheld to serving jail time. You can contact the CSE to help you if the other parent doesn’t pay child support, or you can file a motion for the court to hold the other parent in contempt. Your lawyer can educate you on your available options.

When Should I Contact a Lawyer?

You should contact a child support lawyer at any point in the child support process. Your lawyer can help you and the other parent negotiate agreed-upon child support payments, educate you on child support laws in North Carolina, or represent you in court if the other party refuses to pay child support. They can also fight for your rights and ensure your payments are fairly calculated if you are responsible for paying child support.

North Carolina Child Support Law FAQs

Q: What Is the New Child Support Law in North Carolina?

A: There have been several updates to the child support laws in North Carolina that remain in effect for 2025. Two of the most important are the changes to the income threshold. For parents living under the poverty line, the minimum child support payment is $50, while the maximum threshold increased from $30,000 to $40,000. Further, minimum wage is applied to the income for stay-at-home parents as well.

Q: How Is Child Support Determined in NC?

A: In North Carolina, child support is determined using a schedule and is based on several factors. One of the most important factors is the parent’s shared gross income, even though only one parent may be ordered to pay child support by a judge. Other factors that are used to determine child support include health care costs, existing support obligations, and other expenses, such as education and transportation costs.

Q: Can I Avoid Paying Child Support in NC?

A: No, you cannot avoid paying child support in North Carolina. Both parents are legally obligated to support their child or children until they are 18 years old unless the child is emancipated or the parents terminate their rights. Otherwise, one or both parents may be court-ordered to pay child support, depending on who the custodial parent is.

Q: Do You Have to Pay Child Support if You Have 50/50 Custody in NC?

A: Yes, parents who have 50-50 custody, or joint custody, of a child may still be required to pay child support. In this case, the parent’s basic child support obligation is increased by 50% and is allocated amongst both parents based on their income and time spent with the child. One parent may have a higher payment obligation than the other, and this is calculated by taking the difference of both parent’s presumptive child support obligations.

Contact Lancaster and St. Louis

Child support orders should be taken seriously, as they ensure the needs of the child are met. If you are responsible for paying child support or you receive child support payments, you should familiarize yourself with North Carolina’s child support laws. The lawyers at Lancaster and St. Louis, PLLC,  are here to help you navigate child support laws if there is any confusion. Contact us today to learn about your options and protect your rights.