Child Support

How is Paternity of a Child Established in Wisconsin?

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A paternity case is when the parents of a child were never married.  The purpose of a paternity case is to establish parental rights over a child and to set custody, placement and child support orders.

What rights does an alleged father have during the pregnancy of the mother?

Until paternity can be established either by a DNA test or an acknowledgment of paternity, an alleged father has no rights to the child.

What does “adjudication” mean and how does an alleged father become adjudicated?

Adjudication is the formal recognition of an alleged father as the legal father of a child born to unmarried parents.  Prior to an adjudication, an alleged father has no rights to a child.

Adjudication can occur one of two ways:

  1. If both the mother and alleged father are certain of the paternity of the child, then a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity may be signed. This document is presented at the hospital after the birth of the child.  If the alleged father is not present at the birth, the document can be obtained by contacting Wisconsin Vital Records. http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/bcs/path.htm
  2. If one or both of the parties are unsure of the paternity of the child, then a DNA test should be conducted to confirm or exclude the alleged father as the legal father of the child.

How does an alleged father obtain placement and custody rights to a child?

Once a man is adjudicated as the legal father of a child, the Court will order “terms” relating to the custody, placement and support of the child.  Simply being adjudicated does not give a father any rights to custody or placement, nor does adjudication mandate the payment of child support. The process of establishing custody, placement and support can be resolved by the agreement of the parties or a paternity action having been filed with the Court.  A judgment of paternity must be entered and approved by the court before a father has enforceable rights for custody and placement.

What factors will the court consider when ordering custody?

There is a presumption in Wisconsin statutes that parties should share joint legal custody of a child.  Legal Custody is the right to make legal decisions regarding a child.  The Court may order sole legal custody to one parent in cases of domestic abuse or if the Court determines that joint legal custody is not in a child’s best interest.

What factors will the court consider in determining placement?

There are a number of factors that the Court will consider when determining placement.  The age of the child, distance the parents live from each other, work schedules, parents’ ability to communicate, and best interest of the child are only some examples of what the Court will consider when determining placement.  A Court will not automatically award primary placement to the mother simply because she is the mother.  The statute requires that the Court maximize the amount of meaningful time each parent has with the child.  This provision does not necessarily, however, require that the court order equal time.   Please see our Custody and Placement FAQ’s for additional information.

What if I disagree with the placement schedule ordered by the court?

At the first hearing, if the parents cannot agree on a placement schedule, they will be ordered to participate in mediation.  If mediation is unsuccessful, either a custody study and/or a guardian ad litem will be appointed.  The Guardian ad Litem will complete an investigation and make a recommendation to the Court as to what he/she believes to be in the best interest of the child.

Will child support be ordered?

Yes.   Once a father is adjudicated, the obligation to support the child will be addressed by the court.

How much child support will I have to pay?

Please see our Blog Post on Child Support or visit us at our website by clicking here.

How is Child Support Calculated in Wisconsin?

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Below are the answers to the most common questions about how child support is determined and calculated in Wisconsin.

How much child support will I have to pay?

The amount of child support ordered by the court will depend on the amount of placement that you have with your child(ren).  If you have less than 25% placement with your child(ren) (based on number of overnights over the course of a year)  then your child support will be based on the following percentages of your gross income:

17% for one child

25% for 2 children

29% for 3 children

31% for 4 children

34% for 5 or more children.

If you have more than 25% placement with your child(ren) (based on number of overnights over the course of a year) then the court will order support based on both parents’ incomes and the amount of placement that each parent has with the child(ren).  While this formula reduces the amount of actual child support paid, it obligates both parties to share variable expenses proportionate to their percent of placement.

The exact formula used to calculate child support for a shared placement schedule is complicated and can be found at http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/bcs/order/guidelines_tools.htm

or you can use the following spreadsheet/calculator:

Will the court order child support on my overtime and or second job?

Child support is based upon your gross income from all sources.  This would include part time jobs, overtime and bonuses.

Are there any exceptions to the percentages listed above?

Yes.  If you make $84,000 per year or more, there is a separate “high income payor” formula used by the court.   The first link above will take you to the calculator for that formula or the above spreadsheet also takes into account that formula when calculating child support for shared placement.

If you have more than one child support order, you are considered a “serial payor” and are entitled to credit for any prior orders.

Additionally the court may deviate upward or downward from the percentage guidelines based on a number of factors such as contribution toward health cost premiums, travel expenses or extraordinary expenses.  Each case can present unique circumstances which may warrant a deviation.  The court has wide discretion on whether to deviate.

I pay my child support, do I have to pay extra for activities, daycare and medical expenses?

Regardless of whether you are paying child support according to the shared placement formula or the primary placement formula, both parties are obligated to share equally in any unreimbursed medical expenses.  The court can also allocate the responsibility, and cost, for carrying health insurance for the child(ren).

Variable expenses such as school activities and day care only require a contribution if it is separately ordered by the court or if you are paying support under the shared placement formula.  If you are under a shared placement formula then you are responsible for variable expenses in proportion to the amount of placement time you have.  For instance, if you have your child(ren) 35% of the time, then you are obligated to pay 35% of the variable expenses under the child support guidelines.  The court, however, can also order a party to contribute to variable expenses even if they do not have shared placement after considering certain factors which are set forth in the statutes.

Do I have to provide my spouse or ex-spouse copies of my W-2 and/or paycheck?

If you are paying or receiving support, then yes, you must provide documentation of your current income or risk being found in contempt of Court.

Modification or Enforcement of a Court Order in a Wisconsin Divorce

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Can you change a court order in a divorce in Wisconsin?  If so, how is this done?  What if someone isn’t following court orders?  How can you enforce an order?

Orders regarding property division are permanent and generally cannot be changed unless you file a Motion to Reopen.  A waiver of maintenance at the time of the divorce judgment is also a final order and cannot be changed except upon extreme or unusual circumstances.

However, spousal support, child support, custody and placement (visitation) arrangements do not have to be permanent. They can be outdated, changed or violated. When this happens, individuals must ask the court to grant a modification or to enforce the decree.  You must do those by filing a Motion with the court.

The court will entertain a request for a modification of an order if, after a required period of time, there has been a substantial change in your life or the life of the other party that justifies altering the decree. Any of the following may qualify as a significant change:

-A substantial change in either spouse’s income or employment status

-A new health problem which impacts the ability to work

-Moving to a new location

-Substance abuse problems or criminal activity

The exception to this rule is for a period of two (2) years after an original custody or placement order, you must show that the current custody or placement arrangement is harmful to the child(ren).

If one party asks for a modification and the other party doesn’t agree, this dispute can be resolved through negotiation or through the courts.  At Nelson, Krueger & Millenbach, LLC, we always try to minimize conflict and are local leaders in using collaborative and cooperative techniques to resolve disputes.  However, we will also vigorously represent you in court whenever necessary.

If one party fails to pay child or spousal support or refuses to honor the custody and placement (visitation) order, the law provides a remedy through a finding of contempt.  Again, a Motion must be filed with the court. If the violation involves child or spousal support, the court can garnish wages or force the violator to pay in other ways.  Sometimes, the violator is sentenced to a jail term as well. The court also has broad discretion to come up with other, more creative solutions to force the violator to comply with the terms of the decree.

If a placement order is not being followed, you can file a Petition to Enforce Placement to force the other party to comply with the court order.  The court again has broad discretion to enforce a placement schedule, including awarding make-up time, changing the schedule or awarding attorneys fees and costs.

Returning to court is not an ideal option for anyone. However, there are remedies available to you in the event you need to modify or enforce a court order.  The attorneys at Nelson, Krueger & Millenbach, LLC can assist you with any of these options and advise you as to the likely or possible results so you can make an informed decision as to whether you want to return to court through a post-judgment action.  At Nelson, Krueger & Millenbach, LLC, we handle modifications, disputes and enforcement cases with compassion and diligence. Our lawyers are prompt, detail-oriented and persistent. For a free initial office consultation, contact us at (414) 258-1644.