Child support disputes touch something deeply personal: your children's financial security and your own. Whether you're trying to establish an order, enforce one that's being ignored, or modify an arrangement that no longer fits your circumstances, the stakes are real. At the Law Office of Charlie Shane, our family law attorneys represent parents throughout Kitsap County and Washington State at every stage of the child support process. Call us at 206-488-1336 to schedule a consultation.
How Washington State Calculates Child Support
Washington uses an "income shares" model, meaning courts look at both parents' incomes together and determine a proportional share each parent is expected to contribute to raising their children.
The calculation considers several factors:
- Each parent's gross monthly income: including wages, self-employment income, bonuses, and certain benefits. Courts can also impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.
- The residential schedule: how much time children spend with each parent directly affects the support calculation. The parenting plan is central to this analysis.
- Work-related childcare costs: if a parent pays for childcare to work or attend school, those costs are factored into the order.
- Health insurance premiums: the cost of covering the children is allocated between parents proportionally.
- Extraordinary expenses: education, special medical needs, and extracurricular activities may be included depending on the circumstances.
Washington's child support worksheets, governed by RCW Chapter 26.19, generate a presumptive support amount. A judge can deviate from that amount, but must explain the reasons in writing.
Establishing a Child Support Order in Kitsap County
Child support can be established through several paths in Washington State, depending on whether the parents are married, going through divorce, or were never married.
In a divorce or legal separation, child support is resolved as part of the overall family law proceeding in Kitsap County Superior Court. For unmarried parents, a support order may be established through a paternity action or a parentage proceeding once legal parentage is confirmed.
Once entered, a child support order is legally binding. A parent who fails to pay can face wage garnishment, license suspension, passport denial, and in some cases, contempt of court. The Division of Child Support (DCS) through the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services can also assist with enforcement, though many parents choose to work with a private family law attorney for more direct advocacy.
Modifying a Child Support Order
Life changes, and Washington law recognizes that a support order appropriate at the time of divorce or separation may not remain appropriate years later.
A child support order can be modified when there has been a substantial change in circumstances. Washington courts also allow an automatic adjustment review every two years without requiring proof of a substantial change, simply to account for cost-of-living shifts and income changes.
Common grounds for modification include:
- Significant income change: a parent loses a job, takes a pay cut, or receives a major promotion or inheritance.
- Changes to the parenting plan: if the residential schedule shifts meaningfully, the support calculation may need to follow.
- A child's changing needs: medical conditions, educational expenses, or aging out of certain costs can all justify revisiting the order.
- Military deployment: for military service members and military families stationed at installations like Naval Base Kitsap, deployment or reassignment can trigger temporary or permanent support modifications.
To modify an existing order, a parent files a motion in the court that issued the original order — typically Kitsap County Superior Court for families in this area. The court then recalculates support using current income information and the updated parenting plan.
Child Support and the Parenting Plan
Child support and the parenting plan are closely linked in Washington family law. They are often resolved together, and each affects the other.
The residential schedule set out in the parenting plan determines how overnight time is counted, which directly feeds into the support formula. A parent with significantly more residential time typically receives more support from the other parent. Conversely, if a modification to the parenting plan changes the residential split, support may need to be recalculated.
Courts in Kitsap County, including families from Port Orchard, Bremerton, and Bainbridge Island, base both the parenting plan and child support on the best interest of the children, not on what is easiest for either parent. Decisions about where children live, how expenses are shared, and how support is structured are all evaluated through that lens.
FAQ: Child Support in Kitsap County
Can child support be agreed upon without going to court?
Yes. Parents can negotiate a child support agreement on their own or through mediation and submit it to the court for approval. However, Washington law requires that any agreed amount be reviewed against the statutory worksheets. If the agreed amount deviates from the calculated amount, the court must approve the deviation and find it is in the best interest of the minor children. An uncontested divorce or agreed parenting plan can include a negotiated child support figure, but it still requires a judge's signature to become enforceable.
What happens if the other parent won't pay child support?
Non-payment of a court-ordered child support obligation has serious consequences under Washington law. Enforcement tools include wage garnishment, interception of tax refunds, suspension of driver's and professional licenses, and contempt proceedings. If you are owed back support (called "arrears"), those amounts do not disappear. They accumulate with interest. Our family law attorneys can help you pursue enforcement in Kitsap County court.
Does remarriage affect child support?
Remarriage itself does not automatically change a child support order. A new spouse's income is not counted as the parent's income for support calculation purposes under Washington's income shares model. However, if remarriage leads to other financial changes, or if the other parent remarries and their household expenses shift, those factors may be relevant in a modification proceeding.
Speak with Our Kitsap County Child Support Attorneys
Child support questions rarely have simple answers, and the calculations involved can be genuinely complex, especially when income fluctuates, military service is involved, or the parenting plan is contested. If you're dealing with a support dispute, establishing an initial order, or need to revisit an existing arrangement, we're here to help.
The Law Office of Charlie Shane serves families throughout Kitsap County, including Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, and beyond. Call us at 206-488-1336 or contact our office today to schedule a consultation with our family law attorneys. We'll walk through your situation clearly and help you understand your options.