3.02(A)To even out support amounts for children of the same parents, whether ordered in one case or multiple cases, calculate base support using the total number of children-in-common.
(1) If less than all of the children-in-common are included, then the present case’s base support and the parental time offset (§3.03) is its children’s per capita share of what the amount would be if all of the children-in-common were included on one case.
(2) When some of the children-in-common are in a nonparent’s custody, calculate the base support for the children in a parent’s custody separately from the base support for those who live with a nonparent-custodian. §2.08(A) and §4.01.
(1) Determine the monthly family income by combining the parents’ net incomes. Only include a parent’s net income if it exceeds the Low Income Threshold (§2.09).
(2) Solve the following equation using the General Care Support Table (found in the supplement) for the appropriate number of children that the parents have in common and its amounts and percentages from the highest monthly income level that does not exceed the family’s net monthly income.
{A + [B x (C - D)]} x E = G
A = Base Support (General Care Support table, column 3)
B = Marginal Percentage (General Care Support table, column 4)
C = Monthly Net Family Income (§3.02(B)(1))
D = Monthly Income Level (General Care Support table, first column)
E = Parent’s Percentage Share of Family Income (§3.02(B)(1))
G = Base Support obligation using the General Care Equation (round to the nearest whole dollar)
(3) Subject to §3.02(D), when a parent’s net income exceeds the Low Income Threshold (§2.09(A)), that parent’s base support obligation is the amount determined using the General Care Equation.
(4) In most instances when a family’s net monthly income exceeds the highest income level in the current supplement’s General Care Support Tables, the parents’ base support obligations will be determined using the General Care Equation. However when a family’s net income greatly exceeds the highest income level, the court may exercise discretion as provided in §3.02(E).
When a parent’s monthly net income does not exceed the Low Income Threshold, the parent’s base support obligation is 10 percent of that parent’s income. The Low Income Equation is designed to retain funds for the parent’s subsistence.
F x 10% = L
F = Parent’s Monthly Net Income, when below the Low Income Threshold (§2.09(A))
10% = Percentage for Income below the threshold
L = Base Support (round to the nearest whole dollar)
3.02(D)Low Income Transition Equation
When a parent’s net income exceeds the Low Income Threshold, that parent’s base support obligation will generally be determined using the General Care Equation. However, if the following equation’s result is lower than the amount calculated using the General Care Equation, a parent’s base support obligation is the amount determined by applying this equation. The Low Income Transition Equation is designed to balance a parent’s subsistence needs with the costs of raising children in another household.
(H x 10%) + [(I - H) x P] = T
H = Low Income Threshold (§2.09(A))
10% = Percentage for Income below the threshold (§3.02(C))
I = Parent’s Monthly Net Income
P = Percentage Multiplier for the appropriate number of children from the Transition Adjustment table
T = Base Support obligation using the Low Income Transition Equation
|
Transition Adjustment |
|
|---|---|
|
Number of Children-in-Common |
Percentage Multiplier |
|
1 |
50% |
|
2 |
55% |
|
3 |
60% |
|
4 |
65% |
|
5 or more |
70% |
3.02(E)Extremely High Family Incomes
(1) The court should exercise discretion when a family’s income used to calculate support greatly exceeds the highest “Income Amount” in the General Care Support Tables found in the current supplement to this manual.
(2) When exercising discretion and trying to arrive at an appropriate result in an extremely high-income case, provided the result meets each child’s needs, the court may calculate the child support amounts by using the “Base Support” from the appropriate General Care Support Table and other marginal percentages, or choose to fashion another outcome that financially benefits the children and protects each child’s interests in the inherent obligation each parent owes to the child. See 2021 MCSF-S 2.03(B).)