[35 Pa.B. 5643]
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Explanatory Comment--2005 Subdivision (a) addresses gross income for purposes of calculating the support obligation by reference to the statutory definition at 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 4322. Subdivision (b) provides for the treatment of public assistance, SSI benefits and Social Security derivative benefits.
Subdivision (c) sets forth the exclusive list of the deductions that may be taken from gross income in arriving at a party's net income. When the cost of health insurance premiums is treated as an additional expense subject to allocation between the parties under Rule 1910.16-6, it is not deductible from gross income. However, part or all of the cost of health insurance premiums may be deducted from the obligor's gross income pursuant to Rule 1910.16-6(b) in cases in which the obligor is paying the premiums and the obligee has no income or minimal income. Subdivision (c) relates to awards of spousal support or alimony pendente lite when there are multiple families. In these cases, a party's net income must be reduced to account for his or her child support obligations, as well as any pre-existing spousal support, alimony pendente lite or alimony obligations being paid to former spouses who are not the subject of the support action.
Subdivision (d) has been amended to clarify the distinction between voluntary and involuntary changes in income. Since the payment of support is a priority, subsection (1) reflects current case law which, for example, holds that a party's decision to forego current employment in order to further his or her education should be treated no differently than a decision to change jobs or occupations which results in a lower income. Kersey v. Jefferson, 791 A.2d 419 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2002); Grimes v. Grimes, 596 A.2d 240 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1991).
Subdivision (e) has been amended to reflect the updated schedule in Rule 1910.16-3 and the increase in the Self-Support Reserve (''SSR''), formerly referred to as the Computed Allowance Minimum (''CAM''). The schedule now applies to all cases in which the parties' combined net monthly income is $20,000 or less. The upper income limit of the prior schedule was only $15,000. The amount of support at each income level of the schedule also has changed, so the examples in Rule 1910.16-2 were revised to be consistent with the new support amounts.
The SSR is intended to assure that obligors with low incomes retain sufficient income to meet their basic needs and to maintain the incentive to continue employment. When the obligor's net monthly income or earning capacity falls into the shaded area of the schedule, the basic child support obligation can be derived directly from the schedule in Rule 1910.16-3. There is no need to use the formula in Rule 1910.16-4 to calculate the obligor's support obligation because the SSR keeps the amount of the obligation the same regardless of the obligee's income. The obligee's income may be a relevant factor, however, in determining whether to deviate from the basic guideline obligation pursuant to Rule 1910.16-5 and in considering whether to require the obligor to contribute to any additional expenses under Rule 1910.16-6.
Since the schedule in Rule 1910.16-3 sets forth basic child support only, subdivision (e)(1)(B) is necessary to reflect the operation of the SSR in spousal support and alimony pendente lite cases. It adjusts the basic guideline obligation, which would otherwise be calculated under the formula in Rule 1910.16-4, so that the obligor's income does not fall below the SSR amount in these cases.
Previously, the CAM required that the obligor retain at least $550 per month. The SSR now requires that the obligor retain income of at least $748 per month, an amount equal to the 2003 federal poverty level for one person. When the obligor's monthly net income is less than $748, subsection (e)(1)(C) provides that the court must consider the parties' actual living expenses before awarding support. The guidelines assume that at this income level the obligor is barely able to meet basic personal needs. In these cases, therefore, entry of a minimal order may be appropriate. In some cases, it may not be appropriate to order support at all.
The schedule at Rule 1910.16-3 sets forth the presumptive amount of basic child support to be awarded. If the circumstances warrant, the court may deviate from that amount under Rule 1910.16-5 and may also consider a party's contribution to additional expenses, which are typically added to the basic amount of support under Rule 1910.16-6. If, for example, the obligor earns only $800 per month but is living with his or her parents, or has remarried and is living with a fully-employed spouse, the court may consider an upward deviation under Rule 1910.16-5(b)(3) and/or may order the party to contribute to the additional expenses under Rule 1910.16-6. Consistent with the goals of the SSR, however, the court should ensure that the overall support obligation leaves the obligor with sufficient income to meet basic personal needs and to maintain the incentive to continue working so that support can be paid.
Subdivision (e) also reflects the limited application of Melzer v. Witsberger, 505 Pa. 462, 480 A.2d 991 (1984), to cases in which the guidelines cannot be used to establish the child support obligation because the parties' combined income exceeds $20,000 per month. The court must establish a presumptive minimum amount of child support using the guidelines to arrive at that amount. The formula for calculating the presumptive minimum amount provides that the parties' percentage shares should be calculated using their actual combined income rather than the theoretical combined income of only $20,000. In considering whether to award an additional amount of child support, the court must apply the factors set forth in Melzer to all of the parties' combined income, not just the amount over $20,000 per month. It would be improper to apply the formula in Rule 1910.16-4 to the amount of the parties' combined income which exceeds $20,000 per month and award the obligor's percentage share as additional support. Additional support, if any, may be more or less than the percentage share and must be determined, therefore, in accordance with the factors set forth in Melzer. The presumptive minimum shall apply even if the Melzer analysis results in a lower amount.
Rule 1910.16-3. Support Guidelines. Basic Child Support Schedule.
The following schedule sets forth the amounts spent on children in intact families by combined income and number of children. Combined income is on the vertical axis of the schedule and number of children is on the horizontal axis of the schedule. This schedule is used to find the basic child support obligation. Unless otherwise provided in these [Rules] rules, the obligor's share of the basic support obligation shall be computed using the formula set forth in Part I of Rule 1910.16-4.
COMBINED
NET
MONTHLY INCOMEONE
CHILDTWO CHILDREN THREE CHILDREN FOUR CHILDREN FIVE CHILDREN SIX CHILDREN [0-600 50 55 60 65 70 75 650 90 91 92 93 94 95 700 135 137 138 140 141 143 750 180 182 184 186 188 190 800 196 228 230 233 235 238 850 208 255 276 279 282 285 900 220 273 304 325 329 333 950 232 291 325 348 369 380 1000 244 308 346 371 394 414 1050 256 326 367 394 419 441 1100 268 391 463 511 54 593 1150 279 407 482 532 577 617 1200 291 423 501 553 600 642 1250 302 440 520 575 623 667 1300 313 456 539 596 646 691 1350 325 472 558 617 669 716 1400 336 489 578 638 692 740 1450 347 505 597 659 715 765 1500 359 521 616 681 738 789 1550 370 538 635 702 761 814 1600 381 554 654 723 784 839 1650 393 571 674 744 807 863 1700 404 587 693 766 830 888 1750 415 603 712 787 853 913 1800 427 620 731 808 876 937 1850 438 636 751 829 899 962 1900 449 652 770 851 922 987 1950 461 668 788 871 944 1010 2000 472 684 807 891 966 1034 2050 483 700 825 911 988 1057 2100 494 716 843 932 1010 1081 2150 505 732 862 952 1032 1104 2200 516 748 880 972 1054 1128 2250 528 763 898 993 1076 1151 2300 539 779 917 1013 1098 1175 2350 550 795 935 1033 1120 1198 2400 560 811 954 1054 1143 1223 2450 571 827 973 1075 1165 1247 2500 582 842 991 1095 1187 1271 2550 593 858 1010 1116 1210 1295 2600 603 874 1029 1137 1232 1319 2650 614 889 1048 1158 1255 1343 2700 625 905 1066 1178 1277 1367 2750 635 921 1085 1199 1300 1391 2800 641 929 1095 1209 1311 1403 2850 647 937 1104 1220 1322 1415 2900 653 945 1113 1230 1333 1427 2950 658 953 1122 1240 1345 1439 3000 664 961 1132 1251 1356 1451 3050 670 969 1141 1261 1367 1463 3100 676 977 1150 1271 1378 1474 3150 681 986 1160 1282 1389 1486 3200 686 993 1167 1289 1398 1496 3250 690 998 1172 1295 1404 1502 3300 693 1004 1177 1301 1410 1509 3350 697 1010 1182 1306 1416 1515 3400 700 1016 1187 1312 1422 1522 3450 704 1022 1192 1318 1428 1528 3500 708 1028 1197 1323 1434 1535 3550 711 1034 1203 1329 1440 1541 3600 715 1040 1208 1335 1447 1548 3650 724 1052 1223 1351 1465 1567 3700 733 1063 1238 1368 1483 1586 3750 742 1075 1252 1384 1500 1605 3800 750 1086 1267 1400 1518 1624 3850 759 1098 1282 1417 1536 1643 3900 768 1109 1297 1433 1553 1662 3950 777 1121 1311 1449 1571 1681 4000 786 1132 1326 1465 1588 1700 4050 794 1143 1339 1480 1604 1717 4100 801 1153 1351 1493 1619 1732 4150 808 1163 1363 1506 1633 1747 4200 815 1174 1375 1520 1647 1763 4250 822 1184 1387 1533 1662 1778 4300 829 1194 1399 1546 1676 1793 4350 836 1204 1411 1559 1690 1809 4400 843 1215 1423 1573 1705 1824 4450 850 1225 1435 1586 1719 1840 4500 857 1235 1447 1599 1734 1855 4550 864 1245 1459 1612 1748 1870 4600 872 1255 1471 1626 1762 1886 4650 879 1266 1483 1639 1777 1901 4700 886 1276 1495 1652 1790 1916 4750 892 1285 1506 1664 1804 1930 4800 899 1295 1518 1677 1818 1945 4850 906 1305 1529 1690 1832 1960 4900 913 1315 1541 1702 1845 1975 4950 920 1325 1552 1715 1859 1989 5000 927 1335 1564 1728 1873 2004 5050 934 1344 1575 1740 1887 2019 5100 941 1354 1586 1753 1900 2033 5150 948 1364 1598 1766 1914 2048 5200 954 1374 1609 1778 1928 2063 5250 961 1384 1621 1791 1941 2077 5300 968 1394 1632 1804 1955 2092 5350 975 1404 1644 1816 1969 2107 5400 982 1413 1655 1829 1983 2121 5450 989 1423 1667 1842 1996 2136 5500 996 1433 1678 1854 2010 2151 5550 1003 1443 1690 1867 2024 2166 5600 1010 1453 1701 1880 2038 2180 5650 1016 1463 1713 1893 2052 2195 5700 1023 1473 1724 1905 2065 2210 5750 1030 1483 1736 1918 2079 2225 5800 1037 1492 1747 1931 2093 2240 5850 1044 1502 1759 1944 2107 2254 5900 1051 1512 1771 1956 2121 2269 5950 1058 1522 1782 1969 2135 2284 6000 1065 1532 1794 1982 2148 2299 6050 1071 1542 1805 1995 2162 2314 6100 1078 1552 1817 2008 2176 2328 6150 1085 1561 1828 2020 2190 2343 6200 1092 1571 1840 2033 2204 2358 6250 1099 1581 1851 2046 2218 2373 6300 1106 1591 1863 2059 2232 2388 6350 1113 1601 1875 2071 2245 2403 6400 1120 1611 1887 2085 2260 2418 6450 1126 1621 1899 2099 2275 2434 6500 1133 1632 1912 2112 2290 2450 6550 1140 1642 1924 2126 2305 2466 6600 1147 1652 1937 2140 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1865 2197 2428 2632 2816 8100 1296 1877 2211 2443 2648 2834 8150 1304 1888 2224 2458 2664 2851 8200 1312 1900 2238 2473 2680 2868 8250 1320 1911 2251 2487 2696 2885 8300 1328 1923 2265 2502 2712 2902 8350 1336 1934 2278 2517 2729 2920 8400 1344 1945 2291 2532 2745 2937 8450 1352 1957 2305 2547 2761 2954 8500 1360 1968 2318 2562 2777 2971 8550 1368 1980 2332 2576 2793 2988 8600 1376 1991 2345 2591 2809 3006 8650 1384 2003 2358 2606 2825 3023 8700 1392 2014 2372 2621 2841 3040 8750 1400 2026 2385 2636 2857 3057 8800 1408 2037 2399 2651 2873 3074 8850 1416 2049 2412 2665 2889 3092 8900 1424 2060 2426 2680 2905 3109 8950 1432 2072 2439 2695 2921 3126 9000 1440 2083 2452 2710 2937 3143 9050 1448 2095 2466 2725 2954 3160 9100 1456 2106 2479 2739 2970 3177 9150 1464 2117 2493 2754 2986 3195 9200 1472 2129 2506 2769 3002 3212 9250 1480 2140 2519 2784 3018 3229 9300 1488 2152 2533 2799 3034 3246 9350 1496 2163 2546 2814 3050 3263 9400 1504 2175 2560 2828 3066 3281 9450 1512 2186 2573 2843 3082 3298 9500 1520 2198 2586 2858 3098 3315 9550 1528 2209 2600 2873 3114 3332 9600 1536 2221 2613 2888 3130 3349 9650 1544 2232 2627 2903 3146 3367 9700 1552 2244 2640 2917 3162 3384 9750 1560 2255 2654 2932 3179 3401 9800 1568 2267 2667 2947 3195 3418 9850 1576 2278 2680 2962 3211 3435 9900 1584 2289 2694 2977 3227 3453 9950 1592 2301 2707 2991 3243 3470 10000 1600 2312 2721 3006 3259 3487 10050 1608 2324 2734 3021 3275 3504 10100 1616 2335 2747 3036 3291 3521 10150 1624 2347 2761 3051 3307 3539 10200 1632 2358 2774 3066 3323 3556 10250 1640 2370 2788 3080 3339 3573 10300 1648 2381 2801 3095 3355 3590 10350 1656 2393 2815 3110 3371 3607 10400 1664 2404 2828 3125 3387 3625 10450 1672 2416 2841 3140 3403 3642 10500 1680 2427 2855 3155 3420 3659 10550 1688 2439 2868 3169 3436 3676 10600 1695 2448 2879 3181 3449 3690 10650 1698 2453 2886 3188 3456 3698 10700 1702 2459 2892 3196 3464 3707 10750 1706 2464 2899 3203 3472 3715 10800 1710 2470 2905 3210 3480 3723 10850 1713 2475 2912 3217 3487 3732 10900 1717 2481 2918 3224 3495 3740 10950 1721 2486 2925 3232 3503 3748 11000 1725 2492 2931 3239 3511 3757 11050 1728 2497 2938 3246 3519 3765 11100 1732 2503 2944 3253 3526 3773 11150 1736 2508 2951 3260 3534 3782 11200 1740 2513 2957 3268 3542 3790 11250 1743 2519 2964 3275 3550 3798 11300 1747 2524 2970 3282 3558 3807 11350 1751 2530 2977 3289 3565 3815 11400 1755 2535 2983 3296 3573 3823 11450 1758 2541 2990 3303 3581 3832 11500 1762 2546 2996 3311 3589 3840 11550 1766 2552 3003 3318 3597 3848 11600 1770 2557 3009 3325 3604 3857 11650 1773 2563 3016 3332 3612 3865 11700 1777 2568 3022 3339 3620 3873 11750 1781 2574 3029 3347 3628 3882 11800 1785 2579 3035 3354 3635 3890 11850 1788 2585 3042 3361 3643 3898 11900 1792 2590 3048 3368 3651 3907 11950 1796 2596 3055 3375 3659 3915 12000 1800 2601 3061 3382 3667 3923 12050 1803 2607 3068 3390 3674 3932 12100 1807 2612 3074 3397 3682 3940 12150 1811 2618 3081 3404 3690 3948 12200 1815 2623 3087 3411 3698 3957 12250 1818 2628 3094 3418 3706 3965 12300 1822 2634 3100 3426 3713 3973 12350 1826 2639 3107 3433 3721 3982 12400 1830 2645 3113 3440 3729 3990 12450 1833 2650 3120 3447 3737 3998 12500 1837 2656 3126 3454 3745 4007 12550 1841 2661 3133 3462 3752 4015 12600 1845 2667 3139 3469 3760 4023 12650 1848 2672 3145 3475 3767 4031 12700 1852 2678 3152 3483 3776 4040 12750 1856 2684 3159 3491 3784 4049 12800 1860 2689 3166 3499 3793 4058 12850 1864 2695 3174 3507 3801 4067 12900 1868 2701 181 3515 3810 4077 12950 1872 2707 3188 3523 3818 4086 13000 1876 2713 3195 3530 3827 4095 13050 1880 2718 3202 3538 3835 4104 13100 1884 2724 3209 3546 3844 4113 13150 1888 2730 3216 3554 3853 4122 13200 1892 2736 3223 3562 3861 4131 13250 1896 2742 3231 3570 3870 4141 13300 1900 2747 3238 3578 3878 4150 13350 1904 2753 3245 3586 3887 4159 13400 1908 2759 3252 3593 3895 4168 13450 1912 2765 3259 3601 3904 4177 13500 1916 2771 3266 3609 3912 4186 13550 1920 2776 3273 3617 3921 4195 13600 1924 2782 3280 3625 3929 4205 13650 1928 2788 3288 3633 3938 214 13700 1932 2794 3295 3641 3947 4223 13750 1936 2800 3302 3649 3955 4232 13800 1940 2805 3309 3656 3964 4241 13850 1944 2811 3316 3664 3972 4250 13900 1948 2817 3323 3672 3981 4259 13950 1952 2823 3330 3680 3989 4268 14000 1956 2829 3338 3688 3998 4278 14050 1960 2834 3345 3696 4006 4287 14100 1964 2840 3352 3704 4015 4296 14150 1968 2846 3359 3712 4023 4305 14200 1972 2852 3366 3719 4032 4314 14250 1976 2858 3373 3727 040 4323 14300 1980 2863 3380 3735 4049 4332 14350 1984 2869 3387 3743 4058 4342 14400 1988 2875 3395 3751 4066 4351 14450 1992 2881 3402 3759 4075 4360 14500 1996 2887 3409 3767 4083 4369 14550 2000 2892 3416 3775 4092 4378 14600 2004 2898 3423 3783 4100 4387 14650 2008 2904 3430 3790 4109 4396 14700 2012 2910 3437 3798 4117 4406 14750 2016 2916 3444 3806 4126 4415 14800 2020 2921 3452 3814 4134 4424 14850 2024 2927 3459 3822 4143 4433 14900 2028 2933 3466 3830 4152 4442 14950 2032 2939 3473 3838 4160 4451 15000 2036 2945 3480 3846 4169 4460]
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