Paying child support is the responsibility of all non-custodial parents. This means that if a parent does not have custody of a child, he or she is directly responsible for making a monetary payment for the child's care. The amount of that payment is dependent on numerous things, including both of the parent's income. Once a child support agency or a court determines what the amount of child support should be, the non-custodial parent must make that payment according to the agreement. If they fail to do so, they may face costly fines and/or jail time.