Alabama courts look to the well being of a child or children of a marriage when calculating child support amounts. To calculate the amount, a court will consider all relevant income.

If the parent being ordered to pay support is not currently employed, a court may impute income, which means, in short, that the court considers that parent’s potential earnings, past earnings, and probable future earnings, as well as his or her education and job qualifications.

As well, a court can deviate from the standard rules to consider any factors that affect the well being of the child or children. For example, a court can consider the amount of time spent with one or both parents, expenses for education, and any unearned income that the child receives.

Alabama child support rules can be found in the Child Support Guidelines Rule 32.