California has adopted statutory child support guidelines. This means that the amount of child support parents must pay is based on a formula set by California’s legislature. These formulas take into account several factors, including the income of each parent, the timeshare each parent has with the child, and the number of children involved.  In general, the less custodial time a parent has with the child, the more child support that parent must pay.

     The duty to support children extends to both parents and normally continues until the child reaches the age of 18, but may be extended in some cases.