How to Handle Child Support and Custody in San Bernardino County
Hi, I’m Tim Blankenship of Divorce661. If you’re going through a divorce in San Bernardino County and you have children, two of the most important matters you’ll need to resolve are custody (parenting time and decision-making) and child support. The good news: if you and your spouse can work together, both issues can usually be handled without stepping into a courtroom.
Overview: Custody and Support — What You Need to Know
When families are able to agree, San Bernardino County courts generally accept parenting plans and child support agreements that are fair and in the children’s best interest. That means you and your spouse can draft a plan that covers where the children will live, how holidays and vacations will be managed, how important decisions are made, and how support will be paid — and the court will typically approve it without a hearing.
Creating a Parenting Plan That Gets Approved
A parenting plan (sometimes called a custody agreement) is a written roadmap for how you and your co-parent will raise your children after separation. The county wants to see that the plan serves the children’s best interests.
What to include in your parenting plan
- Primary residence: where the children live on school nights and weekends.
- Time-sharing schedule: weekly routines, weekend rotations, and regular parenting time.
- Holiday and vacation schedules: how to split holidays, birthdays, school breaks, and summer time.
- Decision-making authority: who makes decisions about education, healthcare, religion, and extracurriculars.
- Communication expectations: how parents will exchange information and share updates about the children.
- Transportation and exchanges: pick-up/drop-off arrangements and responsibilities.
If you and your co-parent agree on these items and the plan is clearly written, San Bernardino County will typically approve it without a court hearing. That saves time, stress, and money for everyone involved.
How California Calculates Child Support
California uses a statewide formula to calculate child support. The guideline calculation considers several key factors so that support is tailored to each family’s situation.
Main factors used in the calculation
- Both parents’ incomes: Gross incomes from wages, self-employment, bonuses, and other sources.
- Time-sharing: How many nights the child spends with each parent — the more time with a parent, the lower that parent’s support obligation may be.
- Other factors: Taxes, mandatory retirement and health deductions, and certain childcare or healthcare expenses.
You can get a quick estimate using an online child support calculator, but those tools are only as accurate as the numbers you enter. For precise numbers — especially when there are irregular incomes, bonuses, or special expenses — it helps to have an experienced professional run the calculations.
Agreements Above or Below the Guideline
It’s common for parents to negotiate child support that differs slightly from the guideline amount. California allows that, provided the agreement is fair and reasonable and is in the children’s best interests.
For example, parents may agree to a higher payment to cover private school or special extracurricular costs, or to a lower payment in exchange for additional parenting time or other concessions. Courts in San Bernardino will generally approve these agreements if they are transparent and well-documented.
A Real Client Example
Recently we worked with a couple in San Bernardino who agreed that one parent would have primary custody and the other would pay child support slightly above the guideline to cover school costs. We did the following for them:
- Drafted a clear parenting plan covering residence, holidays, and decision-making.
- Calculated child support using accurate income and time-sharing inputs.
- Documented the agreement in a marital settlement and prepared the full judgment package for the court.
The result: the court approved the judgment quickly, and there were no court appearances or delays. That’s the benefit of a well-prepared, fair agreement.
How Divorce661 Can Help
At Divorce661 we specialize in flat-fee, full-service divorce solutions for amicable couples in California. If you want to handle custody and child support without conflict or confusion, here’s what we provide:
- Assistance drafting a parenting plan that the court will approve.
- Accurate child support calculations tailored to your financial and time-sharing situation.
- Preparation of settlement documents, disclosures, and the full judgment package.
- Filing and submission to the court so you can avoid unnecessary hearings.
Our goal is to guide you through each step so your family can move forward peacefully and predictably.
Practical Tips When Agreeing on Custody and Support
- Be specific. Vague language leads to confusion later — outline exact times, dates, and conditions for exchanges and holidays.
- Document special costs. If you request a higher support payment to cover school or medical expenses, list those costs and how they will be shared.
- Use accurate income numbers. Include all regular sources of income to avoid recalculations or disputes.
- Plan for changes. Include a process for modifying the agreement if circumstances change (e.g., job loss, relocation).
- Keep the kids’ best interests front and center. Agreements the court sees as child-focused are more likely to be approved quickly.
Conclusion and Next Steps
If you’re divorcing in San Bernardino County and want to resolve custody and child support efficiently and fairly, start by talking with your co-parent. If you can reach agreement, drafting a clear parenting plan and accurately calculating child support will usually get the court’s quick approval — no hearing required.
If you’d like professional help, visit Divorce661.com to schedule a free consultation. We’ll help you craft a parenting plan, run the support numbers, and prepare the paperwork so your family can move forward with confidence.
“We’ll guide you every step of the way so your family can move forward peacefully.” — Tim Blankenship, Divorce661
