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Child Support Guidelines
Theory, and Practice

Guideline Economics offers an alternative to the Income Shares and Percentage of Obligor Income methods of calculating child support, commonly used in U.S. and many countries. Our method is based upon the actual costs of children and sound economics.
     We also feature sophisticated calculations of deviations to the child support presumptive awards that are currently in use.
     This site provides a wide array of information, research, and products on the many methods of calculating child support and correctly calculating deviations.

GA Deviations Calculators
GA Deviations CLE Seminars

Five regular CLE hours for GA lawyers. Public also welcome.
   Develop and argue convincing numbers for Schedule E, and rebut others'.
   Seminar material independently available.
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News

Top Child Support Issue of 2009:
Prevent building up arrearage after income loss. Go to News and select Top 2009 Issue: Arrearage.

New Hampshire Study Recommends Sweeping Changes
The latest review of NH child support guidelines has recommended moving from the arbitrary, fixed Percentage of Obligor to the Income Shares model and a presumptive parenting time adjustment.

Georgia Changes from Percentage of Obligor to Income Shares
Georgia takes a small step forward January 1, 2007 when it replaces its child support guidelines based on percentage of obligor's income (which fails to take into account the custodial parent's income), with an Income Shares model. Many child support amounts will change. For FAQs on the new law, click here.

Features
Modify Your Child Support
Economic hard times can make it more important to modify child a support order. This helpful page is by the federal DHHS but also contains misinformation. It says parenting time is factored in when it is not. Also, look up your state's modification process.

A primer for child support guidelines

Prepared independently for Montana’s child support review panel. For more details and comments by R. Mark Rogers go to Montana.
Reservists
Many reservists have a sudden loss in income and need to modify child support obligations or face heavy arrearage.  For details go to News & Information and select “Reservists.”
The Economics of Child Support Determination
These presentation slides in PDF show the factors that need to go into child support guidelines and awards. Given by R. Mark Rogers to the Fathers and Families Conference in Detroit, June, 2005.
Law Professor Admits No Economic Basis for Child Support (PDF)
University of Texas law professor Jack Sampson, coauthor of The Sampson & Tindall Family Code Book, admitted to the July 12, 2006 hearing of the Texas House Juvenile Justice Committee that the state’s child support guidelines are totally arbitrary. No economic data was used to set the guidelines. He was forced to admit this after listening to this testimony.
Child Support Schedule and Parenting: Time Adjustment Issues (PDF)
Though a submission to the Georgia Child Support Commission, this paper's examination of allowances in child support awards for the division of parenting time is relevant and useful to any jurisdictions.
New Hampshire Commission Describes High Cost of Excessive Child Support Awards (PDF)
The New Hampshire Child Support Review Commission’s 2004 report. A state legislative committee describes the high public cost of excessive child support awards.
Why Would a Custodial Parent Hire a Child Costs Expert?
A PDF document.

High Income Families
Those who earn more than $60,000 a year, or where both parents' combined income is over $100,000, are at greatest risk for excessive child support awards.

Critique of PSI's Income Shares (PDF)
This thorough critique of Policy Studies Inc.’s Income Shares model for child support was presented on March 31, 2006 by R. Mark Rogers to the Alabama Administrative Office of the Courts and the Alabama Guideline Review Panel. Also available as a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation.
The Law And Economics Of Child Support Payments
This recent book is a collection of papers by R. M. Rogers, Sanford Braver, and others and provides important citation material. They find that child support guidelines currently in use in the U.S. typically generate awards three to four times what they would be if based on economically sound cost tables and a true equal duty of support for both parents. See the full description [MSWord.] Available at the publisher's web site and (least costly) Barnes and Noble.