When you are required to participate in any Tennessee family court procedure, you will probably hear many confusing words and phrases. Instead of ignoring a term you do not understand, it is vital to find out what it means. Doing so ensures that you always know what is happening throughout your child support proceedings.
Legal representatives, judges and courtroom personnel are accustomed to speaking in legal terms. To help you understand what we are saying, we decided to explain a few of these terms and tell you how to find out more.
Financial terms you may hear
Most child support discussions in a court or with a representative often reference financial matters. Some of the terms you may hear include the following:
- Adjusted gross income: This phrase refers to one parent’s income after subtracting or adding credits and deductions.
- Combined adjusted gross income: This term means the total adjusted gross income of both parents.
- Basic child support obligation: This phrase refers to the basic child support amount determined after adjusting each parent’s gross income.
- Adjusted support obligation: This term means the amount of support awarded after adjusting the total to account for parenting time, certain expenses and health insurance.
- Child support schedule: This phrase refers to a chart that outlines the dollar amount of support owed to each child.
- Final Child Support Order: As you might expect, this means the total child support after that court makes necessary adjustments and deviations.
We know you probably need additional information to develop a complete understanding of these and other child support terms. You can get this information by learning more about how child support works in Tennessee. It is also wise to reach out for personalized guidance with your case.
