How Your Custody Split Changes What You Pay in California (Child + Spousal Support)

Mark Reel Jr. kicks off the episode by announcing the firm’s expansion into the Bay Area, with a new San Jose office now serving San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and surrounding counties.   He then breaks down how California calculates child support using the income shares model, focusing on both parents’ gross incomes, custody splits, and key examples where higher-earning or lower-earning parents end up paying support. From there, he explains how spousal support (alimony) works in a no-fault divorce state, including the importance of the marital standard of living and the difference between short-term and long-term marriages.   The episode wraps with practical strategies to reduce or end spousal support through remarriage, cohabitation, time served in long-term marriages, and retirement, highlighting how planning and timing can dramatically change a father’s financial future.