Arkansas Child Support Guidelines

What is the definition of an unfit parent? While there is no specific definition under Arkansas law, an unfit parent is one who has failed to have regular contact with a children for a prolonged time without justifiable cause or has failed to contribute to their support for a prolonged time without justifiable cause.

Arkansas calculates basic support as a percentage of a noncustodial parent's net income after certain allowable deductions. Courts interpret income broadly to cover the widest range of resources available to benefit children.10 defines income to include any form of payment, regardless of source.

The court estimates that the cost of raising one child is $1,000 a month. The non-custodial parent's income is 66.6% of the parent's total combined income. Therefore, the non-custodial parent pays $666 per month in child support, or 66.6% of the total child support obligation.

The court orders a flat percentage of 25% of the non-custodial parent's income to be paid in child support to the custodial parent. Therefore, the non-custodial parent pays $500 per month in child support.

In Arkansas, when a child is born to an unwed woman, the mother is automatically granted sole physical and legal custody. An unmarried father has no automatic rights, even if he and the mother live together or are in a committed relationship.

Under the new act, courts allow either parent to file a modification for child support. Because the child support recipient's income is now considered, it is likely that the non-custodial, paying parent will have a reduction or increase in his or her child support payment.

Arkansas law prefers to give parents joint physical custody. However, in cases where one parent has sole physical custody (also called the primary custodial parent), that parent has a real advantage in relocation cases.

The answer is usually no, a parent cannot stop a child from seeing the other parent unless a court order states otherwise.The parents have an existing court order, and a parent is violating the court order by interfering with the other parent's parenting time.

Arkansas law considers both parents equally when deciding who will get custody. The judge cannot favor the mother for custody just because she is the mother.