MO SB877

Courts may order child support retroactively to the date of petition filing and must consider six factors including child's financial needs, parents' resources, custody arrangements, and work-related child care expenses.

Child support obligation abates for periods exceeding 30 consecutive days when the other parent voluntarily relinquishes physical custody, with the family support division determining abatement amounts in IV-D cases.

Support obligations continue for children age 18-21 if enrolled in secondary school or vocational/higher education and maintaining at least 12 credit hours per semester with passing grades, with exceptions for developmental or physical disabilities.

Missouri Supreme Court must establish child support guidelines with specific numeric criteria, require income documentation (wage stubs, W-2 forms, employer statements), and address calculations for joint physical custody with substantially equal time-sharing arrangements.

No child support awarded when both parents agree to joint physical custody with equal or substantially equal time-sharing and income difference is less than 25 percent; otherwise courts may award up to 50 percent reduction below guideline amounts for such custody arrangements.