Conference quokka::non_custodial_parents

    Here are the numbers for Child Support Guidelines in Mass. 
    This is the same form any judge uses and it's all pretty much
    cut and dry. (Depends on who's doing the cutting - plug your
    numbers in below.......
    
    Child Support Formulas
    
    A.	Gross Weekly Income	Number of Kids
    				1		2		3
    	$0 - 200 	Discretion of court BUT not less than $50 /month
    
    	201- 500		25% (+2%)	28% (+2%)	31% (+2%)
    
	501- max		27%  (+2%)	30% (+2%)	33% (+2%)
    
                        The 2% is at the discretion of the judge
    			BTW: Judges usually round UP.
    
    B. Age Differential
    
    	The above are to be increased to reflect the costs of raising
    	older children.
    
    	Age of oldest child			Percentage Increase
    		0 - 6				Basic Order Applies
    		7 - 12				Basic Order + 10% of BO
    	       13 - 18				Basic Order + 15% of BO
    
    These guidelines apply (absent a prior agreement acceptable to both
    parties) in cases where the combined gross income of both parties
    does not exceed $100,000 and where the income of the non-custodial
    parent does not exceed $75,000.
    
    1. Basic Order  (BO)
    	a) Non-custodial gross weekly income        __________
    
    	b) % of gross per # of kids from above         _______%
    
    	c) Basic Order (BO) (a)x(b)                           A.________
    
    2. Adjustment for Age of Children
    	a) Age of oldest child                      __________
    
    	b) % increase for age from B above               _____%
    
    	c) Age add on (2b)x(A)                      __________
    
    	d) Adjusted order (A) + 2c                            B._________
    
    3. Custodial Parent Income Adjustment
    	a) Custodial parent gross income            __________
    
    	b) Less $ 15,000			    - 15,000
    
    	c) Less annual day care cost                -_________
    
    	d) Custodial adjusted income                 _________
    
    	e) Non-custodial annual gross income 1ax52   _________
    
    	f) Total available gross (d + e)             _________
    
    	g) Line 3d ____________  Line 3f__________
    
    	h) 3d divided by 3f ________ per cent
    
    	i) Adjustment for custodial income
    	   Line (3h %) x (B)                                  C.________
    
    4. Calculation of FINAL ORDER
    	a) Adjusted order (Line Big B above)    _______
    
    	b) Less adjustment for income (Big C) - _______
    
    	c) Less weekly cost of family group
    	   health insurance                   - _______
    
    	WEEKLY SUPPORT ORDER (B)-(C)-4c                   $$$$$$_________
    

    
    
    	Thanks!!  That should help ALOT in determining what I want
    	to do about this...
    
    	kim

Hi,

	I hope this is the appropriate place to enter this for 
	discussion.  If not, moderator, please notify me.

	I know someone who is paying child support for his child,
	which was born out of wedlock and the parents never married.
	This person since got married, had a child and is now paying
	child support payments to welfare cause they are separated
	and will be divorcing soon.  At any rate, he truly believes
	he's getting screwed by the state because since he's paying
	for two children, he's paying much higher than the guidelines
	state.  Now, his concern is this:  Just because there are two
	children involved, and two mothers as well, does this make the
	guidelines change ???  Bottom line is this, he's paying 42% of
	his gross pay for child support.  He wants to know what gives 
	with the system !!!  1 mother is getting 17% cause she's got a
	good job and the judge probably took that into consideration,
	and the other is getting 25% (welfare).  Any help/answers that
	I can relay to this person will be appreciated.

	thanx

	

    I know this sounds like a cop-out, but it depends on what state 
    he's in.  In Colorado, in cases like this, the gross income is
    only reduced by the amount of child support paid.  It is not figured
    on the same as if the children were both by the same mother.  
    Therefore he may well end up in this situation.    

    I agree is it is  a screw job, but unless the laws get changed....
    But it seems that men just will band together into a strong enough
    political force to have any clout.

    fred();

    Sounds like this person needs to get a clairifation of the local
    statues. As in, if he has just had this servered (sp) he has a couple
    of days to apeal the courts decisions. Ask for the court to clairify
    the ruling based upon his case. He has to be able to pay for a roof
    over his own head and has to be able to put food on his own table, etc.
    The courts usually have a bottom line base line that they are not to
    take in wadges. Suposingly in NH $400.00 is his living expences per
    month after all said and done. 
    
    George