THE COURTS
Title 231—RULES OF
CIVIL PROCEDURE
PART I. GENERAL
[ 231 PA. CODE CH. 1910 ]
Proposed Amendments to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-2, 1910.16-3, 1910.16-3.1 and 1910.16-6
[51 Pa.B. 265]
[Saturday, January 16, 2021]The Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Committee is planning to propose to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania amendments to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-2, 1910.16-3, 1910.16-3.1, and 1910.16-6 for the reasons set forth in the accompanying publication report. Pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. No 103(a)(1), the proposal is being published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin for comments, suggestions, or objections prior to submission to the Supreme Court.
Any reports, notes, or comments in the proposal have been inserted by the Committee for the convenience of those using the rules. They neither will constitute a part of the rules nor will be officially adopted by the Supreme Court.
Additions to the text of the proposal are bolded and underlined; deletions to the text are bolded and bracketed.
The Committee invites all interested persons to submit comments, suggestions, or objections in writing to:
Bruce J. Ferguson, Counsel
Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Committee
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Judicial Center
PO Box 62635
Harrisburg, PA 17106-2635
Fax: 717-231-9531
domesticrules@pacourts.usAll communications in reference to the proposal should be received by March 19, 2021. E-mail is the preferred method for submitting comments, suggestions, or objections; any e-mailed submission need not be reproduced and resubmitted via mail. The Committee will acknowledge receipt of all submissions.
By the Domestic Relations
Procedural Rules CommitteeHONORABLE DANIEL J. CLIFFORD,
Chair
Annex A
TITLE 231. RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
PART I. GENERAL
CHAPTER 1910. ACTIONS FOR SUPPORT Rule 1910.16-2. Support Guidelines. Calculation of Monthly Net Income.
* * * * * (d) Reduced or Fluctuating Income.
(1) Voluntary Income Reduction [of Income]. [When either party voluntarily assumes a lower paying job, quits a job, leaves employment, changes occupations or changes employment status to pursue an education, or is fired for cause, there generally will be no effect on the support obligation.] The trier-of-fact shall not adjust a party's net income if the trier-of-fact finds that:
(i) the party's employment earnings reduction resulted from the party willfully attempting to avoid or reduce the support obligation; and
(ii) the party voluntarily assumed a lower paying job, quit a job, left employment, changed occupations, changed employment status to pursue an education, or is fired for cause.
(2) [Involuntary Reduction of, and Fluctuations in, Income. No adjustments in support payments will be made for normal fluctuations in earnings. However, appropriate adjustments will be made for substantial continuing involuntary decreases in income, including but not limited to the result of illness, lay-off, termination, job elimination or some other employment situation over which the party has no control unless the trier of fact finds that such a reduction in income was willfully undertaken in an attempt to avoid or reduce the support obligation.] Involuntary Income Reduction. Incarceration. Fluctuations in Income.
(i) Involuntary Income Reduction. The trier-of-fact shall adjust a party's net income for substantial continuing involuntary decreases in income, including but not limited to illness, lay-off, termination, job elimination, or an employment situation over which the party has no control.
(ii) Incarceration. Except as set forth in subdivision (d)(2)(ii)(B):
(A) the trier-of-fact shall:
(I) consider an incarcerated party's employment earnings reduction as an involuntary income reduction as set forth in subdivision (d)(2)(i); and
(II) adjust the incarcerated party's net income accordingly.
(B) A party's incarceration for the following reasons shall not constitute an involuntary income reduction:
(I) support enforcement purposes; or
(II) a criminal offense in which the party's dependent child or the obligee was the victim.
(iii) Earnings Fluctuations. The trier-of-fact shall not adjust a party's net income due to normal or temporary earnings fluctuations.
(3) Seasonal Employees. [Support orders for seasonal employees, such as construction workers, shall ordinarily be based upon a yearly average] Generally, the trier-of-fact shall base a seasonal employee's monthly net income on a yearly average.
(4) Earning Capacity. [If the trier of fact determines that a party to a support action has willfully failed to obtain or maintain appropriate employment, the trier of fact may impute to that party an income equal to the party's earning capacity. Age, education, training, health, work experience, earnings history and child care responsibilities are factors which shall be considered in determining earning capacity. In order for an earning capacity to be assessed, the trier of fact must state the reasons for the assessment in writing or on the record. Generally, the trier of fact should not impute an earning capacity that is greater than the amount the party would earn from one full-time position. Determination of what constitutes a reasonable work regimen depends upon all relevant circumstances including the choice of jobs available within a particular occupation, working hours, working conditions and whether a party has exerted substantial good faith efforts to find employment.]
(i) When a party willfully fails to obtain or maintain appropriate employment, the trier-of-fact may impute to the party an income equal to the party's earning capacity.
(A) Earning Capacity Limitation. The trier-of-fact:
(I) shall not impute to the party an earning capacity that exceeds the amount the party could earn from one full-time position; and
(II) shall determine a reasonable work regimen based upon the party's relevant circumstances, including the jobs available within a particular occupation, working hours and conditions, and whether a party has exerted substantial good faith efforts to find employment.
(B) The trier-of-fact shall base the party's earning capacity on the subdivision (d)(4)(ii) factors.
(C) After assessing a party's earning capacity, the trier-of-fact shall state the reasons for the assessment in writing or on the record.
(D) When the trier-of-fact imputes an earning capacity to a party who would otherwise have childcare expenses if the party were employed, the trier-of-fact shall apportion a reasonable childcare amount between the parties consistent with Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-6(a) even though childcare expenses are not actually incurred.
(ii) Factors. In determining a party's earning capacity, the trier-of-fact shall consider the party's:
(A) assets;
(B) residence;
(C) employment and earnings history;
(D) job skills;
(E) educational attainment;
(F) literacy;
(G) age;
(H) health;
(I) criminal record and other employment barriers;
(J) record of seeking work;
(K) local job market, including the availability of employers who are willing to hire the party;
(L) local community prevailing earnings level;
(M) child care responsibilities; and
(N) other relevant factors.
(e) Net Income Affecting Application of the Support Guidelines.
[(1) Low-Income Cases.
(i) If the obligor's monthly net income and corresponding number of children fall into the shaded area of the schedule set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3, the basic child support obligation shall be calculated initially by using the obligor's monthly net income only. For example, if the obligor has monthly net income of $1,100, the presumptive support amount for three children is $110 per month. This amount is determined directly from the schedule in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3. Next, the obligor's child support obligation is calculated by using the parties' combined monthly net incomes and the appropriate formula in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4. The lower of the two calculated amounts shall be the obligor's basic child support obligation.
Example 1: The parties have two children. The obligor has monthly net income of $1,500, which falls into the shaded area of the schedule for two children. Using only the obligor's monthly net income, the amount of support for two children would be $472. Next, calculate support using the parties' combined monthly net incomes. The obligee has monthly net income of $2,500 so the combined monthly net income of the parties is $4,000. The basic child support amount at that income level for two children is $1,269. As the obligor's income is 38% of the combined monthly net income of the parties, the obligor's share of the basic support amount is $482. As the amount of support the obligor would pay using only the obligor's income is less than the amount calculated using the parties' combined monthly net incomes, the lower amount would be awarded, and the obligor's basic child support obligation would be $472.
(ii) In computing a basic spousal support or alimony pendente lite obligation, the presumptive support amount shall not reduce the obligor's monthly net income below the Self-Support Reserve of $981 per month.
Example 2: If the obligor earns $1,000 per month and the obligee earns $300 per month, the formula in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a)(1)(Part B) would result in a support obligation of $213 per month (($1,000 × 33%) or $333 minus ($300 × 40%) or $120 for a total of $213). Since this amount leaves the obligor with only $787 per month, it must be adjusted so that the obligor retains at least $981 per month. The presumptive minimum spousal support amount, therefore, is $19 per month in this case.
(iii) If the obligor's monthly net income is $981 or less, the trier-of-fact may award support only after consideration of the parties' actual financial resources and living expenses.
(2) High-Income Cases. If the parties' combined monthly net income exceeds $30,000 per month, child support, spousal support, and alimony pendente lite calculations shall be pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3.1.
Official Note: See Hanrahan v. Bakker, 186 A.3d 958 (Pa. 2018)]
(1) Low-Income Cases.
(i) Self-Support Reserve (SSR).
(A) The SSR is the minimum income reserved to the obligor to meet the obligor's basic needs.
(B) The SSR amount is $ 1,063 per month.
(ii) Actions for Child Support Only. When the obligor's monthly net income and the number of children in the action intersect in the Basic Child Support Schedule's shaded area as set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3, the trier-of-fact shall determine the obligor's basic child support obligation utilizing the lesser of the two calculated amounts from the following methodologies.
(A) The initial calculation is determined by using the obligor's monthly net income only, the schedule set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3, and the number of children.
(B) The second calculation is determined by using the parties' combined monthly net income and the basic child support formula in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a).
Example 1: The parties have two children. The obligee has monthly net income of $2,500. The obligor has monthly net income of $1,500, which falls into the shaded area of the schedule for two children. The initial calculation is made using only the obligor's monthly net income. The basic child support obligation for two children would be $472. The second calculation uses the parties' combined monthly net income. The parties' combined monthly net income is $4,000. The basic child support obligation for two children is $1,269. The obligor's proportionate share of the parties' combined monthly net income is 38% with a basic child support obligation of $482. The obligor's basic child support obligation using only the obligor's income is less than the amount calculated using the parties' combined monthly net income. As a result, the trier-of-fact should award the lower amount, and the obligor's basic child support obligation is $472.
(iii) Actions for Spousal Support/Alimony Pendente Lite Only.
(A) After calculating the spousal support or alimony pendente lite obligation as provided in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4, the spousal support obligation shall not reduce the obligor's monthly net income below the SSR.
(B) If the obligor's monthly net income after subtracting the spousal support or alimony pendente lite obligation is less than the SSR, the trier-of-fact shall adjust the support obligation downward by an amount sufficient for the obligor to retain the SSR amount.
Example 2: The obligor has $1,000 monthly net income, and the obligee has $300 monthly net income. The formula in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a)(1)(Part B) would result in a monthly spousal support obligation of $213 (($1,000 × 33%) or $333 minus ($300 × 40%) or $120 for a total of $213). Since this amount leaves the obligor with only $787 per month, the trier-of-fact should adjust the support obligation so the obligor retains at least $981 per month. Therefore, the presumptive minimum spousal support obligation is $19 per month ($1,000 - $981).
(iv) Actions with Child Support and Spousal Support or Alimony Pendente Lite.
(A) The trier-of-fact shall calculate the spousal support or alimony pendente lite obligation as provided in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4.
(B) The trier-of-fact shall subtract the calculated spousal support or alimony pendente lite obligation from the obligor's monthly net income to determine the obligor's adjusted monthly net income.
(C) When the obligor's adjusted monthly net income and the number of children in the action intersect in the Basic Child Support Schedule's shaded area as set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3, the trier-of-fact:
(I) shall not award spousal support or alimony pendente lite; and
(II) shall calculate child support as provided in subdivision (e)(1)(ii).
Example 3: Obligor and obligee have monthly net incomes of $2,000 and $165, respectively, and have two children. Calculating spousal support under (A) results in a spousal support obligation of $450 ($2,000 × 25% minus $165 × 30%). Obligor's adjusted monthly net income ($2,000 minus $450) is $1,550. Obligor's adjusted monthly net income of $1,550 with two children is in the shaded area of the Basic Child Support Schedule, and as a result, the trier-of-fact shall not award spousal support. Instead, the trier-of-fact should award child support only as provided in subdivision (e)(1)(ii).
(D) When the obligor's monthly net income and the number of children in the action do not intersect in the Basic Child Support Schedule's shaded area as set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3, the trier-of-fact shall calculate child support consistent with Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4.
(I) The combined spousal support or alimony pendente lite and basic child support obligations shall not reduce the obligor's remaining monthly net income below the SSR.
(II) If the obligor's monthly net income after subtracting the spousal support or alimony pendente lite and basic child support obligations is less than the SSR, the trier-of-fact shall adjust the support obligation downward by an amount sufficient for the obligor to retain the SSR amount.
(2) High-Income Cases. If the parties' combined monthly net income exceeds $30,000 per month, the trier-of-fact shall calculate child support, spousal support, and alimony pendente lite pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3.1.
Official Note: See Hanrahan v. Bakker, 186 A.3d 958 (Pa. 2018)
(f) Child Tax Credit. In order to maximize the total income available to the parties and children, the trier-of-fact may award, as appropriate, the federal child tax credit to the non-custodial parent, or to either parent in cases of equally shared custody, and order the other party to execute the waiver required by the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 152(e). The tax consequences associated with the federal child tax credit must be considered in calculating the party's monthly net income available for support.
* * * * *
Explanatory Comment—2015 The rule has been amended to provide that a party's support obligation will be reduced by the child's Social Security derivative benefit amount if that party's retirement or disability created the benefit and the benefit is being paid to the household in which the child primarily resides or the obligee in cases of equally shared custody. In most cases, payment of the benefit to the obligee's household will increase the resources available to the child and the parties. The rule is intended to encourage parties to direct that the child's benefits be paid to the obligee.
Comment—2021 The Self-Support Reserve is determined by the Federal Poverty Guideline for one person converted to a monthly amount—currently $1,063—for the year the Basic Child Support Schedule was derived.
Subdivision (e)(1) addresses low-income cases and has been completely rewritten and identifies the current Self-Support Reserve (SSR) amount as $1,063 per month. The SSR is the amount of the obligor's net income reserved to meet the obligor's basic needs. Subdivisions (e)(1)(ii)—(iv) adjust the methodology for calculating support when the obligor's net income is at or near the SSR amount.
Rule 1910.16-3. Support Guidelines. Basic Child Support Schedule.
The following schedule represents the amounts spent on children of intact families by combined monthly net income and number of children. Combined monthly net income is on the schedule's vertical axis and the number of children is on the schedule's horizontal axis. This schedule determines the basic child support obligation. Unless these rules provide otherwise, the obligor's share of the basic support obligation shall be computed using either the formula set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a)(1)(Part C) or (2)(Part I).
(Editor's Note: The following chart is proposed to be replaced it its entirety.)
Basic Child Support Schedule Combined Adjusted
Net IncomeOne
ChildTwo
ChildrenThree
ChildrenFour
ChildrenFive
ChildrenSix
Children1100 33 33 34 34 34 35 1150 78 79 80 81 81 82 1200 123 124 126 127 128 130 1250 168 170 172 174 175 177 1300 213 215 218 220 222 225 1350 258 261 264 267 269 272 1400 303 306 310 313 316 320 1450 334 352 356 360 363 367 1500 346 397 402 406 410 415 1550 357 443 448 453 457 462 1600 369 488 494 499 504 510 1650 380 534 540 546 551 557 1700 392 579 586 592 598 605 1750 403 614 632 639 645 652 1800 415 632 678 685 692 700 1850 426 649 724 732 739 747 1900 438 667 770 778 786 795 1950 449 684 816 825 833 842 2000 461 702 848 871 880 890 2050 472 719 869 918 927 937 2100 484 737 891 964 974 985 2150 495 754 912 1011 1021 1032 2200 507 772 933 1042 1068 1080 2250 518 789 954 1066 1115 1127 2300 530 807 976 1090 1162 1175 2350 541 825 997 1113 1209 1222 2400 553 842 1018 1137 1251 1270 2450 565 860 1039 1161 1277 1317 2500 576 877 1060 1184 1303 1365 2550 588 895 1082 1208 1329 1412 2600 599 912 1103 1232 1355 1460 2650 611 930 1124 1255 1381 1501 2700 622 947 1145 1279 1407 1530 2750 634 965 1166 1303 1433 1558 2800 645 980 1184 1322 1455 1581 2850 657 995 1201 1342 1476 1604 2900 668 1010 1219 1361 1497 1628 2950 680 1026 1236 1381 1519 1651 3000 691 1041 1253 1400 1540 1674 3050 703 1056 1271 1420 1562 1697 3100 714 1071 1288 1439 1583 1721 3150 726 1086 1306 1458 1604 1744 3200 737 1103 1325 1479 1627 1769 3250 747 1120 1345 1502 1652 1796 3300 758 1137 1365 1524 1677 1823 3350 768 1154 1385 1547 1702 1850 3400 778 1171 1405 1569 1726 1876 3450 789 1188 1425 1592 1751 1903 3500 799 1205 1445 1614 1776 1930 3550 810 1222 1465 1637 1800 1957 3600 820 1238 1485 1659 1825 1983 3650 828 1251 1500 1676 1843 2003 3700 837 1264 1515 1692 1862 2023 3750 845 1276 1530 1709 1880 2044 3800 854 1289 1545 1726 1898 2064 3850 862 1302 1560 1743 1917 2084 3900 871 1314 1575 1759 1935 2104 3950 879 1327 1590 1776 1954 2124 4000 888 1340 1605 1793 1972 2144 4050 894 1349 1616 1805 1986 2159 4100 900 1357 1625 1815 1996 2170 4150 905 1364 1633 1824 2007 2181 4200 910 1372 1642 1834 2017 2193 4250 915 1379 1650 1843 2028 2204 4300 920 1387 1659 1853 2038 2215 4350 926 1394 1667 1862 2048 2227 4400 931 1402 1676 1872 2059 2238 4450 936 1409 1684 1881 2069 2249 4500 941 1414 1688 1886 2074 2255 4550 945 1420 1692 1890 2079 2260 4600 950 1425 1697 1895 2085 2266 4650 955 1431 1701 1900 2090 2272 4700 960 1436 1706 1905 2096 2278 4750 964 1441 1710 1910 2101 2284 4800 969 1447 1714 1915 2107 2290 4850 974 1452 1719 1920 2112 2296 4900 980 1461 1730 1933 2126 2311 4950 986 1473 1745 1949 2144 2330 5000 993 1484 1759 1965 2162 2350 5050 999 1495 1774 1982 2180 2370 5100 1006 1506 1789 1998 2198 2389 5150 1012 1517 1803 2014 2216 2409 5200 1019 1528 1818 2031 2234 2428 5250 1026 1539 1833 2047 2252 2448 5300 1032 1549 1845 2061 2267 2464 5350 1036 1553 1849 2065 2272 2469 5400 1040 1558 1853 2069 2276 2474 5450 1044 1562 1856 2073 2281 2479 5500 1048 1567 1860 2078 2285 2484 5550 1052 1571 1864 2082 2290 2489 5600 1056 1576 1867 2086 2294 2494 5650 1060 1581 1871 2090 2299 2499 5700 1064 1585 1875 2094 2304 2504 5750 1069 1592 1881 2101 2312 2513 5800 1074 1599 1889 2110 2321 2523 5850 1080 1606 1896 2118 2330 2532 5900 1085 1614 1903 2126 2339 2542 5950 1091 1621 1911 2134 2348 2552 6000 1097 1628 1918 2143 2357 2562 6050 1102 1636 1926 2151 2366 2572 6100 1108 1643 1933 2159 2375 2582 6150 1114 1651 1942 2169 2386 2594 6200 1122 1663 1955 2184 2402 2611 6250 1131 1675 1968 2198 2418 2628 6300 1139 1686 1981 2212 2434 2645 6350 1147 1698 1993 2227 2449 2662 6400 1155 1709 2006 2241 2465 2680 6450 1164 1721 2019 2255 2481 2697 6500 1172 1733 2032 2270 2497 2714 6550 1180 1744 2045 2284 2512 2731 6600 1188 1756 2058 2298 2528 2748 6650 1197 1767 2070 2313 2544 2765 6700 1205 1779 2083 2327 2560 2783 6750 1213 1791 2096 2341 2576 2800 6800 1220 1801 2109 2356 2591 2817 6850 1226 1811 2122 2370 2607 2834 6900 1232 1821 2135 2385 2623 2851 6950 1238 1831 2148 2399 2639 2869 7000 1244 1841 2161 2414 2655 2886 7050 1250 1851 2174 2428 2671 2903 7100 1256 1861 2187 2443 2687 2921 7150 1262 1871 2200 2457 2703 2938 7200 1268 1881 2213 2472 2719 2955 7250 1274 1891 2226 2486 2735 2972 7300 1281 1901 2239 2500 2750 2990 7350 1287 1911 2251 2515 2766 3007 7400 1293 1921 2264 2529 2782 3024 7450 1297 1928 2272 2538 2792 3035 7500 1302 1934 2279 2546 2801 3044 7550 1307 1941 2287 2554 2809 3054 7600 1312 1947 2294 2562 2818 3064 7650 1316 1954 2301 2570 2827 3073 7700 1321 1960 2308 2578 2836 3083 7750 1326 1967 2315 2586 2845 3092 7800 1330 1973 2322 2594 2854 3102 7850 1335 1980 2330 2602 2862 3111 7900 1340 1987 2337 2610 2871 3121 7950 1345 1993 2344 2618 2880 3131 8000 1349 2000 2351 2626 2889 3140 8050 1354 2006 2359 2635 2898 3150 8100 1360 2015 2367 2644 2908 3161 8150 1366 2023 2375 2653 2918 3172 8200 1372 2031 2384 2662 2929 3183 8250 1379 2039 2392 2672 2939 3194 8300 1385 2047 2400 2681 2949 3206 8350 1391 2055 2408 2690 2959 3217 8400 1397 2063 2417 2699 2969 3228 8450 1403 2071 2425 2709 2980 3239 8500 1409 2079 2433 2718 2990 3250 8550 1415 2087 2442 2727 3000 3261 8600 1421 2095 2450 2737 3010 3272 8650 1427 2103 2458 2746 3020 3283 8700 1433 2111 2466 2755 3031 3294 8750 1439 2119 2475 2764 3041 3305 8800 1445 2127 2483 2774 3051 3316 8850 1451 2135 2491 2783 3061 3327 8900 1457 2143 2499 2791 3070 3337 8950 1461 2147 2503 2796 3076 3343 9000 1465 2152 2508 2801 3082 3350 9050 1468 2157 2513 2807 3087 3356 9100 1472 2162 2517 2812 3093 3362 9150 1476 2167 2522 2817 3099 3368 9200 1480 2172 2526 2822 3104 3374 9250 1484 2177 2531 2827 3110 3381 9300 1488 2181 2536 2832 3116 3387 9350 1492 2186 2540 2838 3121 3393 9400 1495 2191 2545 2843 3127 3399 9450 1499 2196 2550 2848 3133 3405 9500 1503 2201 2554 2853 3138 3412 9550 1507 2206 2559 2858 3144 3418 9600 1511 2210 2564 2864 3150 3424 9650 1515 2215 2568 2869 3156 3430 9700 1519 2220 2573 2874 3161 3436 9750 1524 2227 2580 2882 3170 3446 9800 1531 2238 2593 2896 3186 3463 9850 1538 2248 2605 2910 3201 3479 9900 1545 2259 2618 2924 3216 3496 9950 1552 2269 2630 2938 3231 3513 10000 1559 2280 2642 2952 3247 3529 10050 1566 2290 2655 2966 3262 3546 10100 1573 2301 2667 2979 3277 3562 10150 1581 2312 2680 2993 3293 3579 10200 1588 2322 2692 3007 3308 3596 10250 1595 2333 2705 3021 3323 3612 10300 1602 2343 2717 3035 3339 3629 10350 1609 2354 2730 3049 3354 3646 10400 1616 2365 2742 3063 3369 3662 10450 1623 2375 2754 3077 3384 3679 10500 1631 2386 2767 3091 3400 3695 10550 1638 2396 2779 3105 3415 3712 10600 1645 2407 2792 3118 3430 3729 10650 1652 2417 2804 3132 3446 3745 10700 1659 2428 2817 3146 3461 3762 10750 1666 2439 2829 3160 3476 3779 10800 1673 2449 2842 3174 3491 3795 10850 1680 2460 2854 3188 3507 3812 10900 1688 2470 2867 3202 3522 3828 10950 1695 2481 2879 3216 3537 3845 11000 1702 2491 2891 3230 3553 3862 11050 1708 2499 2899 3239 3562 3872 11100 1713 2507 2907 3247 3572 3883 11150 1719 2514 2915 3256 3581 3893 11200 1725 2522 2922 3264 3591 3903 11250 1730 2529 2930 3273 3600 3913 11300 1736 2537 2938 3282 3610 3924 11350 1742 2544 2946 3290 3619 3934 11400 1747 2552 2953 3299 3629 3944 11450 1753 2559 2961 3307 3638 3955 11500 1759 2567 2969 3316 3648 3965 11550 1764 2574 2976 3325 3657 3975 11600 1770 2582 2984 3333 3667 3986 11650 1776 2589 2992 3342 3676 3996 11700 1782 2597 3000 3350 3686 4006 11750 1787 2604 3007 3359 3695 4016 11800 1793 2612 3015 3368 3704 4027 11850 1799 2619 3023 3376 3714 4037 11900 1804 2627 3030 3385 3723 4047 11950 1810 2634 3038 3394 3733 4058 12000 1816 2642 3046 3402 3742 4068 12050 1821 2649 3053 3411 3752 4078 12100 1827 2657 3061 3419 3761 4089 12150 1833 2664 3069 3428 3771 4099 12200 1838 2672 3077 3437 3780 4109 12250 1844 2679 3084 3445 3790 4119 12300 1850 2687 3092 3454 3799 4130 12350 1855 2695 3100 3462 3809 4140 12400 1861 2702 3107 3471 3818 4150 12450 1867 2710 3115 3480 3828 4161 12500 1873 2717 3123 3488 3837 4171 12550 1878 2725 3131 3497 3847 4181 12600 1884 2732 3138 3505 3856 4191 12650 1890 2740 3146 3514 3865 4202 12700 1895 2747 3154 3523 3875 4213 12750 1900 2756 3166 3536 3890 4228 12800 1905 2764 3177 3549 3904 4244 12850 1910 2773 3189 3562 3918 4259 12900 1915 2782 3200 3575 3932 4274 12950 1920 2790 3212 3588 3947 4290 13000 1925 2799 3224 3601 3961 4305 13050 1930 2807 3235 3614 3975 4321 13100 1935 2816 3247 3627 3989 4336 13150 1940 2825 3258 3640 4004 4352 13200 1945 2833 3270 3652 4018 4367 13250 1950 2842 3281 3665 4032 4383 13300 1955 2850 3293 3678 4046 4398 13350 1960 2859 3305 3691 4060 4414 13400 1965 2868 3316 3704 4075 4429 13450 1970 2876 3328 3717 4089 4445 13500 1975 2885 3339 3730 4103 4460 13550 1980 2893 3351 3743 4117 4476 13600 1985 2902 3363 3756 4132 4491 13650 1990 2910 3374 3769 4146 4506 13700 1995 2919 3386 3782 4160 4522 13750 2000 2928 3397 3795 4174 4537 13800 2005 2936 3409 3808 4188 4553 13850 2010 2945 3420 3821 4203 4568 13900 2015 2953 3432 3834 4217 4584 13950 2020 2962 3444 3847 4231 4599 14000 2025 2971 3455 3859 4245 4615 14050 2030 2979 3467 3872 4260 4630 14100 2035 2988 3478 3885 4274 4646 14150 2040 2996 3490 3898 4288 4661 14200 2045 3005 3502 3911 4302 4677 14250 2050 3014 3513 3924 4317 4692 14300 2055 3022 3525 3937 4331 4708 14350 2060 3031 3536 3950 4345 4723 14400 2065 3039 3548 3963 4359 4738 14450 2070 3048 3559 3976 4373 4754 14500 2075 3056 3571 3989 4388 4769 14550 2080 3065 3583 4002 4402 4785 14600 2085 3074 3594 4015 4416 4800 14650 2090 3082 3606 4028 4430 4816 14700 2095 3091 3617 4041 4445 4831 14750 2100 3099 3629 4053 4459 4847 14800 2105 3108 3640 4066 4473 4862 14850 2110 3117 3652 4079 4487 4878 14900 2115 3125 3664 4092 4502 4893 14950 2120 3134 3675 4105 4516 4909 15000 2125 3142 3687 4118 4530 4924 15050 2130 3151 3698 4131 4544 4940 15100 2135 3160 3710 4144 4558 4955 15150 2140 3168 3722 4157 4573 4970 15200 2145 3177 3733 4170 4587 4986 15250 2150 3185 3744 4182 4600 5000 15300 2155 3192 3752 4191 4610 5011 15350 2161 3200 3760 4200 4620 5022 15400 2166 3207 3769 4210 4631 5034 15450 2171 3215 3777 4219 4641 5045 15500 2176 3222 3786 4229 4651 5056 15550 2181 3229 3794 4238 4662 5067 15600 2186 3237 3802 4247 4672 5078 15650 2192 3244 3811 4257 4682 5090 15700 2197 3252 3819 4266 4693 5101 15750 2202 3259 3828 4275 4703 5112 15800 2207 3266 3836 4285 4713 5123 15850 2212 3274 3844 4294 4724 5135 15900 2218 3281 3853 4304 4734 5146 15950 2223 3289 3861 4313 4744 5157 16000 2228 3296 3870 4322 4754 5168 16050 2233 3304 3878 4332 4765 5179 16100 2238 3311 3886 4341 4775 5191 16150 2244 3318 3895 4350 4785 5202 16200 2249 3326 3903 4360 4796 5213 16250 2254 3333 3911 4369 4806 5224 16300 2259 3341 3920 4378 4816 5235 16350 2264 3348 3928 4388 4827 5247 16400 2269 3355 3937 4397 4837 5258 16450 2275 3363 3945 4407 4847 5269 16500 2280 3370 3953 4416 4858 5280 16550 2285 3378 3962 4425 4868 5291 16600 2290 3385 3970 4435 4878 5303 16650 2295 3393 3979 4444 4888 5314 16700 2301 3400 3987 4453 4899 5325 16750 2306 3407 3995 4463 4909 5336 16800 2311 3415 4004 4472 4919 5347 16850 2316 3422 4012 4482 4930 5359 16900 2321 3430 4021 4491 4940 5370 16950 2327 3437 4029 4500 4950 5381 17000 2332 3445 4037 4510 4961 5392 17050 2337 3452 4046 4519 4971 5403 17100 2342 3459 4054 4528 4981 5415 17150 2347 3467 4062 4538 4992 5426 17200 2352 3474 4071 4547 5002 5437 17250 2358 3482 4079 4557 5012 5448 17300 2363 3489 4088 4566 5023 5459 17350 2368 3496 4096 4575 5033 5471 17400 2373 3504 4104 4585 5043 5482 17450 2378 3511 4113 4594 5053 5493 17500 2384 3519 4121 4603 5064 5504 17550 2389 3526 4130 4613 5074 5515 17600 2394 3534 4138 4622 5084 5527 17650 2399 3541 4146 4632 5095 5538 17700 2404 3548 4155 4641 5105 5549 17750 2410 3556 4163 4650 5115 5560 17800 2415 3563 4172 4660 5126 5572 17850 2420 3571 4180 4669 5136 5583 17900 2425 3578 4188 4678 5146 5594 17950 2430 3585 4197 4688 5157 5605 18000 2435 3593 4205 4697 5167 5616 18050 2441 3600 4214 4706 5177 5628 18100 2446 3608 4222 4716 5187 5639 18150 2451 3615 4230 4725 5198 5650 18200 2456 3623 4239 4735 5208 5661 18250 2461 3630 4247 4744 5218 5672 18300 2467 3637 4255 4753 5229 5684 18350 2472 3645 4264 4763 5239 5695 18400 2477 3652 4272 4772 5249 5706 18450 2482 3660 4281 4781 5260 5717 18500 2487 3667 4289 4791 5270 5728 18550 2493 3674 4297 4800 5280 5740 18600 2498 3682 4306 4810 5291 5751 18650 2503 3689 4314 4819 5301 5762 18700 2508 3697 4323 4828 5311 5773 18750 2513 3704 4331 4838 5321 5784 18800 2519 3712 4339 4847 5332 5796 18850 2524 3719 4348 4856 5342 5807 18900 2529 3726 4356 4866 5352 5818 18950 2534 3734 4365 4875 5363 5829 19000 2539 3741 4373 4885 5373 5840 19050 2544 3749 4381 4894 5383 5852 19100 2550 3756 4390 4903 5394 5863 19150 2555 3763 4398 4913 5404 5874 19200 2560 3771 4406 4922 5414 5885 19250 2565 3778 4415 4931 5425 5896 19300 2570 3786 4423 4941 5435 5908 19350 2576 3793 4432 4950 5445 5919 19400 2581 3801 4440 4960 5455 5930 19450 2586 3808 4448 4969 5466 5941 19500 2591 3815 4457 4978 5476 5953 19550 2596 3823 4465 4988 5486 5964 19600 2602 3830 4474 4997 5497 5975 19650 2607 3838 4482 5006 5507 5986 19700 2612 3845 4490 5016 5517 5997 19750 2617 3852 4499 5025 5528 6009 19800 2622 3860 4507 5034 5538 6020 19850 2627 3867 4516 5044 5548 6031 19900 2633 3875 4524 5053 5559 6042 19950 2638 3882 4532 5063 5569 6053 20000 2643 3890 4541 5072 5579 6065 20050 2648 3897 4549 5081 5589 6076 20100 2653 3904 4557 5091 5600 6087 20150 2659 3912 4566 5100 5610 6098 20200 2664 3919 4574 5109 5620 6109 20250 2669 3927 4583 5119 5631 6121 20300 2674 3934 4591 5128 5641 6132 20350 2679 3941 4599 5138 5651 6143 20400 2685 3949 4608 5147 5662 6154 20450 2690 3956 4616 5156 5672 6165 20500 2695 3964 4625 5166 5682 6177 20550 2700 3971 4633 5175 5693 6188 20600 2705 3979 4641 5184 5703 6199 20650 2710 3986 4650 5194 5713 6210 20700 2716 3993 4658 5203 5723 6221 20750 2721 4001 4667 5213 5734 6233 20800 2726 4008 4675 5222 5744 6244 20850 2731 4016 4683 5231 5754 6255 20900 2736 4023 4692 5241 5765 6266 20950 2742 4030 4700 5250 5775 6277 21000 2747 4038 4709 5259 5785 6289 21050 2752 4045 4717 5269 5796 6300 21100 2757 4053 4725 5278 5806 6311 21150 2762 4060 4734 5288 5816 6322 21200 2768 4068 4742 5297 5827 6333 21250 2773 4075 4750 5306 5837 6345 21300 2778 4082 4759 5316 5847 6356 21350 2783 4090 4767 5325 5858 6367 21400 2788 4097 4776 5334 5868 6378 21450 2793 4105 4784 5344 5878 6390 21500 2799 4112 4792 5353 5888 6401 21550 2804 4119 4801 5362 5899 6412 21600 2809 4127 4809 5372 5909 6423 21650 2814 4134 4818 5381 5919 6434 21700 2819 4142 4826 5391 5930 6446 21750 2825 4149 4834 5400 5940 6457 21800 2830 4157 4843 5409 5950 6468 21850 2835 4164 4851 5419 5961 6479 21900 2840 4171 4860 5428 5971 6490 21950 2845 4173 4862 5430 5974 6493 22000 2850 4174 4862 5431 5974 6494 22050 2854 4174 4863 5432 5975 6495 22100 2859 4175 4863 5432 5976 6495 22150 2864 4175 4864 5433 5976 6496 22200 2869 4176 4864 5434 5977 6497 22250 2873 4176 4865 5434 5978 6498 22300 2878 4177 4866 5435 5978 6498 22350 2883 4177 4866 5435 5979 6499 22400 2888 4178 4867 5436 5980 6500 22450 2892 4178 4867 5437 5980 6501 22500 2897 4179 4868 5437 5981 6501 22550 2902 4179 4868 5438 5982 6502 22600 2907 4179 4869 5439 5982 6503 22650 2911 4180 4869 5439 5983 6504 22700 2916 4180 4870 5440 5984 6504 22750 2921 4181 4871 5440 5984 6505 22800 2926 4181 4871 5441 5985 6506 22850 2930 4182 4872 5442 5986 6507 22900 2935 4182 4872 5442 5986 6507 22950 2940 4183 4873 5443 5987 6508 23000 2945 4183 4873 5443 5988 6509 23050 2949 4184 4874 5444 5989 6510 23100 2954 4184 4874 5445 5989 6510 23150 2959 4185 4875 5445 5990 6511 23200 2963 4185 4876 5446 5991 6512 23250 2968 4186 4876 5447 5991 6513 23300 2973 4186 4877 5447 5992 6513 23350 2978 4187 4877 5448 5993 6514 23400 2982 4187 4878 5448 5993 6515 23450 2987 4188 4878 5449 5994 6515 23500 2992 4188 4879 5450 5995 6516 23550 2997 4189 4879 5450 5995 6517 23600 3001 4189 4880 5451 5996 6518 23650 3006 4189 4881 5452 5997 6518 23700 3011 4190 4881 5452 5997 6519 23750 3016 4190 4882 5453 5998 6520 23800 3020 4191 4882 5453 5999 6521 23850 3025 4191 4883 5454 5999 6521 23900 3030 4192 4883 5455 6000 6522 23950 3035 4192 4884 5455 6001 6523 24000 3039 4193 4884 5456 6002 6524 24050 3044 4193 4885 5457 6002 6524 24100 3049 4194 4886 5457 6003 6525 24150 3054 4194 4886 5458 6004 6526 24200 3058 4195 4887 5458 6004 6527 24250 3063 4195 4887 5459 6005 6527 24300 3068 4196 4888 5460 6006 6528 24350 3072 4196 4888 5460 6006 6529 24400 3077 4197 4889 5461 6007 6530 24450 3082 4197 4889 5462 6008 6530 24500 3087 4198 4890 5462 6008 6531 24550 3091 4198 4891 5463 6009 6532 24600 3096 4199 4891 5463 6010 6533 24650 3101 4199 4892 5464 6010 6533 24700 3106 4200 4892 5465 6011 6534 24750 3110 4200 4893 5465 6012 6535 24800 3115 4200 4893 5466 6012 6536 24850 3120 4201 4894 5466 6013 6536 24900 3125 4201 4894 5467 6014 6537 24950 3129 4202 4895 5468 6014 6538 25000 3134 4202 4896 5468 6015 6538 25000 3139 4203 4896 5469 6016 6539 25050 3144 4203 4897 5470 6017 6540 25100 3148 4204 4897 5470 6017 6541 25150 3153 4204 4898 5471 6018 6541 25200 3158 4205 4898 5471 6019 6542 25250 3162 4205 4899 5472 6019 6543 25300 3167 4206 4899 5473 6020 6544 25350 3172 4206 4900 5473 6021 6544 25400 3177 4207 4901 5474 6021 6545 25450 3181 4207 4901 5475 6022 6546 25500 3186 4208 4902 5475 6023 6547 25550 3191 4208 4902 5476 6023 6547 25600 3196 4209 4903 5476 6024 6548 25650 3200 4209 4903 5477 6025 6549 25700 3205 4210 4904 5478 6025 6550 25750 3210 4210 4904 5478 6026 6550 25800 3215 4210 4905 5479 6027 6551 25850 3219 4211 4906 5480 6027 6552 25900 3224 4211 4906 5480 6028 6553 25950 3229 4212 4907 5481 6029 6553 26000 3234 4212 4907 5481 6030 6554 26050 3238 4213 4908 5482 6030 6555 26100 3243 4213 4908 5483 6031 6556 26150 3248 4214 4909 5483 6032 6556 26200 3253 4214 4909 5484 6032 6557 26250 3257 4215 4910 5484 6033 6558 26300 3262 4215 4911 5485 6034 6559 26350 3267 4216 4911 5486 6034 6559 26400 3271 4216 4912 5486 6035 6560 26450 3276 4217 4912 5487 6036 6561 26500 3281 4217 4913 5488 6036 6562 26550 3286 4218 4913 5488 6037 6562 26600 3290 4218 4914 5489 6038 6563 26650 3295 4219 4914 5489 6038 6564 26700 3300 4219 4915 5490 6039 6564 26750 3305 4220 4916 5491 6040 6565 26800 3309 4220 4916 5491 6040 6566 26850 3314 4221 4917 5492 6041 6567 26900 3319 4221 4917 5493 6042 6567 26950 3324 4221 4918 5493 6042 6568 27000 3328 4222 4918 5494 6043 6569 27050 3333 4222 4919 5494 6044 6570 27100 3338 4223 4919 5495 6045 6570 27150 3343 4223 4920 5496 6045 6571 27200 3347 4224 4921 5496 6046 6572 27250 3352 4224 4921 5497 6047 6573 27300 3357 4225 4922 5498 6047 6573 27350 3362 4225 4922 5498 6048 6574 27400 3366 4226 4923 5499 6049 6575 27450 3371 4226 4923 5499 6049 6576 27500 3376 4227 4924 5500 6050 6576 27550 3380 4227 4924 5501 6051 6577 27600 3385 4228 4925 5501 6051 6578 27650 3390 4228 4926 5502 6052 6579 27700 3395 4229 4926 5502 6053 6579 27750 3399 4229 4927 5503 6053 6580 27800 3404 4230 4927 5504 6054 6581 27850 3409 4230 4928 5504 6055 6582 27900 3414 4231 4928 5505 6055 6582 27950 3418 4231 4929 5506 6056 6583 28000 3423 4231 4929 5506 6057 6584 28050 3428 4232 4930 5507 6058 6585 28100 3433 4232 4931 5507 6058 6585 28150 3437 4233 4931 5508 6059 6586 28200 3442 4233 4932 5509 6060 6587 28250 3447 4234 4932 5509 6060 6587 28300 3452 4234 4933 5510 6061 6588 28350 3456 4235 4933 5511 6062 6589 28400 3461 4235 4934 5511 6062 6590 28450 3466 4236 4934 5512 6063 6590 28500 3471 4236 4935 5512 6064 6591 28550 3475 4237 4936 5513 6064 6592 28600 3480 4237 4936 5514 6065 6593 28650 3485 4238 4937 5514 6066 6593 28700 3489 4238 4937 5515 6066 6594 28750 3494 4239 4938 5516 6067 6595 28800 3499 4239 4938 5516 6068 6596 28850 3504 4240 4939 5517 6068 6596 28900 3508 4240 4939 5517 6069 6597 28950 3513 4241 4940 5518 6070 6598 29000 3518 4241 4941 5519 6070 6599 29050 3523 4242 4941 5519 6071 6599 29100 3527 4242 4942 5520 6072 6600 29150 3532 4242 4942 5520 6073 6601 29200 3537 4243 4943 5521 6073 6602 29250 3542 4243 4943 5522 6074 6602 29300 3546 4244 4944 5522 6075 6603 29350 3551 4244 4944 5523 6075 6604 29400 3556 4245 4945 5524 6076 6605 29450 3561 4245 4946 5524 6077 6605 29500 3565 4246 4946 5525 6077 6606 29550 3570 4246 4947 5525 6078 6607 29600 3575 4247 4947 5526 6079 6608 29650 3580 4247 4948 5527 6079 6608 29700 3584 4248 4948 5527 6080 6609 29750 3589 4248 4949 5528 6081 6610 29800 3594 4249 4949 5529 6081 6611 29850 3598 4249 4950 5529 6082 6611 29900 3603 4250 4951 5530 6083 6612 29950 3608 4250 4951 5530 6083 6613 30000 3608 4250 4951 5530 6083 6613
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Explanatory Comment—2013 The basic child support schedule has been amended to reflect updated economic data. It also reflects an increase in the Self-Support Reserve to $931, the 2012 poverty level for one person, which has been incorporated into the schedule.
Comment—2021 Previously, the Basic Child Support Schedule incorporated a 30% child custody presumption, which created approximately a 5% decrease in the child support obligation across all income levels regardless of the actual custody schedule. The new Basic Child Support Schedule reflects the actual expenses of an intact family living in a single household at the various income levels and the number of children with no shared custody adjustment.
To the extent the parties share physical custody with the obligor having 40% or more of the annual overnights as set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(c), the formula in Pa.R.C.P. 1910.1604(a)(1)(Part D) or (a)(2)(Part II) should be used to calculate the appropriate shared custody adjustment.
Rule 1910.16-3.1. Support Guidelines. High-Income Cases.
(a) Child Support Formula. If the parties' combined monthly net income exceeds $30,000, the trier-of-fact shall apply the following three-step process [shall be applied] to calculate the parties' respective basic child support obligations. The support amount calculated pursuant to this three-step process shall not be less than the support amount that would have been awarded if the parties' combined monthly net income was $30,000. The calculated amount is the presumptive minimum basic child support [amount] obligation.
[(1) The following formula shall be applied as a preliminary analysis in calculating the basic child support amount apportioned between the parties according to their respective monthly net incomes:]
(1) Preliminary Analysis. Using the following formula, the trier-of-fact shall calculate the basic child support obligation and apportion the obligation based on the parties' respective monthly net income.
One child: [$2,839 + 8.6%] $3,608 + 4.0% of combined monthly net income above $30,000. Two children: [$3,902 + 11.8%] $4,250 + 4.0% of combined monthly net income above $30,000. Three children: [$4,365 + 12.9%] $4,951 + 4.7% of combined monthly net income above $30,000. Four children: [$4,824 + 14.6%] $5,530 + 5.3% of combined monthly net income above $30,000. Five children: [$5,306 + 16.1%] $6,083 + 5.8% of combined monthly net income above $30,000. Six children: [$5.768 + 17.5%] $6,613 + 6.3% of combined monthly net income above $30,000[;]. [(2) The trier-of-fact shall apply the formulas in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a)(1)(Part D) and (Part E) or (2)(Part II) and (Part III), adjusting for substantial or shared custody pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(c) and allocating additional expenses pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-6, as appropriate;]
(2) Adjustments. The trier-of-fact shall adjust the basic child support obligation as appropriate for:
(i) substantial or equally shared custody pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(c) by applying the formula in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a)(1)(Part D) or (a)(2)(Part II); and
(ii) allocating additional expenses pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-6 by applying the formula in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a)(1)(Part E) or (a)(2)(Part III).
(3) Deviation.
(i) The trier-of-fact shall consider the factors in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-5 in making a final child support award and shall make findings of fact on the record or in writing.
(ii) After considering the factors in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-5, the trier-of-fact may adjust the [amount] the basic child support obligation calculated pursuant to subdivisions [(1) and (2)] (a)(1) and (a)(2), subject to the presumptive minimum.
(b) Spousal Support [and] or Alimony Pendente Lite.
(1) In cases in which the parties' combined monthly net income exceeds $30,000, the trier-of-fact shall apply the formula in either Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(a)(1)(Part B) or [(2)(Part IV)] (a)(2)(Part IV) as a preliminary analysis in calculating spousal support or alimony pendente lite.
(2) In determining the final spousal support or alimony pendente lite [amount] obligation and duration, the trier-of-fact shall consider the factors in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-5 and shall make findings of fact on the record or in writing.
* * * * * Rule 1910.16-6. Support Guidelines. Basic Support Obligation Adjustments. Additional Expenses Allocation.
* * * * * (a) Child care expenses.
(1) The trier-of-fact shall allocate reasonable child care expenses:
(i) paid by the parties, if necessary to maintain employment or appropriate education in pursuit of income; or
(ii) when the trier-of-fact imputes an earning capacity to a party as provided in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-2(d)(4)(i)(C).
(2) The trier-of-fact may order that the obligor's share is added to [his or her] the basic child support obligation, paid directly to the service provider, or paid directly to the obligee.
(3) When a party is receiving a child care subsidy through the Department of Human Services, the expense allocated between the parties is the amount actually paid by the party receiving the subsidy.
[Example. Mother has primary custody of the parties' two children and Father has partial custody. Mother's monthly net income is $2,000 and Father's is $3,500. At their combined income level of $5,500, the basic monthly child support from the schedule in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-3 is $1,463 for two children. As Father's income is 64% of the parties' combined monthly net income, his share is $936. Mother incurs child care expenses of $400 per month and Father incurs $100 of such expenses per month. The total child care expenses, $500, will be apportioned between the parties, with Father paying 64%, or $320. As Father is already paying $100 for child care while the children are in his partial custody, he would pay the remaining $220 to Mother for a total child support obligation of $1,156 ($936 + $220 = $1,156).]
[(1)] (4) Documentation of the child care expenses shall be provided to the other party within a reasonable period of time after receipt unless the service provider invoices the parties separately for [their] the party's proportionate share of the expense. Allocation of expenses for which documentation is not timely provided to the other party shall be within the discretion of the [court] trier-of-fact.
[(2)] (5) Except as provided in subdivision [(3)] (a)(6), the total child care expenses shall be reduced to reflect [the amount of] the federal child care tax credit available to the eligible party, whether or not the credit is actually claimed by that party, up to the maximum annual cost allowable under the Internal Revenue Code.
[(3)] (6) The federal child care tax credit shall not be used to reduce the child care expenses subject to allocation between the parties if the eligible party is not qualified to receive the credit.
Example. Mother has primary custody of the parties' two children and Father has partial custody. The parties' respective monthly net incomes are $2,000 and $3,500, respectively. At the combined monthly net income level of $5,500 for two children, the basic child support obligation is $1,567. As Father's income represents 64% of the parties' combined monthly net income, Father's basic child support obligation is $1,003. Mother incurs child care expenses of $400 per month, and Father incurs $100 per month. The total child care expenses, $500, will be apportioned between the parties, with Father paying 64%, or $320. As Father is paying $100 for child care while the children are in his partial custody, he would pay the remaining $220 to Mother for a child support obligation of $1,223 ($1,003 + $220).
(b) Health Insurance Premiums.
(1) The trier-of-fact shall allocate the health insurance premiums paid by the parties, including the premium attributable to the party paying the premium, provided that a statutory duty of support is owed to the party or child covered by the health insurance.
* * * * * Official Note: If the trier of fact determines that the obligee acted reasonably in obtaining services which were not specifically set forth in the order of support, payment for such services may be ordered retroactively.
[(d) Private School Tuition. Summer Camp. Other Needs. Expenditures for needs outside the scope of typical child-rearing expenses, e.g., private school tuition, summer camps, have not been factored into the Basic Child Support Schedule.
(1) If a party incurs an expense for a need not factored into the Basic Child Support Schedule and the trier-of-fact determines the need and expense are reasonable, the trier-of-fact shall allocate the expense. The trier-of-fact may order that the obligor's expense share is added to his or her basic support obligation, paid directly to the service provider, or paid directly to the obligee.
(2) Documentation of the expenses allocated under (d)(1) shall be provided to the other party not later than March 31 of the year following the calendar year in which the invoice was received unless the service provider invoices the parties separately for their proportionate share of the expense. For purposes of subsequent enforcement, these expenses need not be submitted to the domestic relations section prior to March 31. Allocation of expenses for which documentation is not timely provided to the other party shall be within the discretion of the court.]
(d) Private School Tuition or Summer Camp. Additional Expenses. Expenses outside the scope of typical child-rearing expenses, including, but not limited to, private school tuition, summer camps, and other expenses as set forth in subdivision (d)(2), have not been factored into the Basic Child Support Schedule.
(1) Private School Tuition or Summer Camp. If the trier-of-fact determines that private school or summer camp and the associated costs are reasonable, the trier-of-fact shall apportion the expense to the parties.
(2) Additional Expenses.
(i) The trier-of-fact shall apportion to the parties additional expenses in the child's best interest, including those related to the child's educational, extra-curricular, and developmental activities, if the trier-of-fact determines that the:
(A) expense is reasonable under the parties' circumstances; and
(B) its annual cost exceeds 7% of the annual basic child support obligation.
(ii) The trier-of-fact shall only apportion the amount that exceeds 7% of the annual basic child support obligation.
(3) The trier-of-fact may order that a party's proportionate share of the expense is either:
(i) included in or excluded from the basic child support obligation;
(ii) paid directly to the service provider; or
(iii) paid directly to the other party.
(4) Documentation.
(i) Unless the service provider invoices the parties separately, the party incurring the expense shall provide the other party with the expense's documentation, such as a receipt or an invoice, promptly upon receipt, but not later than March 31st of the year following the calendar year in which the party incurred the expense.
(ii) For subsequent enforcement purposes, a party does not need to submit the expense's documentation to the domestic relations section before March 31.
(iii) The trier-of-fact shall have the discretion not to apportion an expense for which a party failed to provide documentation timely to the other party.
(e) Mortgage Payment. The guidelines assume that the spouse occupying the marital residence will be solely responsible for the mortgage payment, real estate taxes, and homeowners' insurance. Similarly, the trier-of-fact will assume that the party occupying the marital residence will be paying the items listed unless the recommendation specifically provides otherwise.
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PUBLICATION REPORT
RULE PROPOSAL 180 The Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Committee (Committee) is proposing amendments to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-2, 1910.16-3, 1910.16-3.1, and 1910.16-6 as part of the Committee's quadrennial support guideline review, which is required by federal law, 42 U.S.C. § 667, state law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322, and the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, Pa.R.C.P. No 1910.16-1(e). The published rule amendments represent the substantive changes to the support guidelines. In addition, the Committee will be proposing grammatical and stylistic changes, as well, but due to the rule proposal's length, the Committee has omitted the non-substantive changes from the published rule proposal.
As a result of the Committee's deliberations and economic data review, the Committee is proposing five significant changes to the support guidelines: (1) changing the underlying economic model to Betson-Rothbarth 5 (BR5); (2) eliminating the 30% child custody presumption, which has been factored into the child support schedule since 2010; (3) amendments resulting from federal regulation changes; (4) an amendment to the low-income support calculation; (5) an amendment for apportioning additional expenses in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-6(d).
As in past support guideline reviews, the Committee has had the assistance of Jane Venohr, Ph.D., Center for Policy Research, the economist contracted by the Department of Human Services to advise the Committee during the guideline review and to provide economic and data analysis. Dr. Venohr outlined for the Committee several issues relevant to the guideline review, including new federal regulations that became effective after the 2015 guideline review and a new child-rearing expenditures economic study. Dr. Venohr advised the Committee that the new study more accurately assesses the costs associated with raising a child. The current Pennsylvania Child Support Schedule is based on the third Betson-Rothbarth (BR3) study developed by David M. Betson, Ph.D., in 2006 and updated for 2016 price levels using the Consumer Price Index. BR5 uses more recent economic data from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys, which are compiled by the federal government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, and utilizes improved income measures than previous economic studies.
Foundationally, the current child support schedule has had a built-in 30% child custody presumption since 2010. In other words, the child support guideline presumes that the child-support obligor (i.e., the non-custodial parent) has custody of the child 30% of the annual overnights, and as a result, a corresponding downward support obligation adjustment is factored into the basic child support schedule. The presumption is one of two operations in the current support guidelines addressing shared parenting. The second operation is the guideline's current shared-parenting formula in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(c). The Committee is not contemplating an amendment to the rule-based formula. These two operations recognize that the obligor assumes additional direct expenditures for the child during the obligor's custodial time and, as a result, the obligee's expenditures are reduced.
The presumed 30% shared custody results in approximately 5% of the child-rearing expenditures, typically paid by the obligee, being transferred to and paid by the obligor in the underlying data assumptions, which correlates to a similar percentage reduction in the obligor's child support obligation. Although the presumption assumes 30% shared physical custody, the resulting child support decrease is approximately 5% across the child support schedule's spectrum. The smaller percentage decrease (5% vs. 30%) in support results from only a portion of the child's expenses being transferred to the obligor from the obligee. The only expenses transferred to the obligor are those associated with the child's food consumed away from home and entertainment expenses such as admissions and fees, which are categories in the Consumer Expenditure Survey and used in the child support schedule's underlying economic study.
The Committee's rationale for eliminating this presumption is that the presumption decreases the basic child support obligation paid to all obligees regardless of the parties' actual physical custodial schedule and the actual expenditures transferred from obligee to obligor. As a matter of policy, the Committee supports the premise of reducing an obligor's child support obligation when a significant portion of the child's expenses are actually transferred to and paid by the obligor during the shared custodial time. Unfortunately, the 30% custody presumption creates situations, specifically when the obligor has little to no custody, in which an obligor receives the reduced child support benefit without regard to the actual additional direct child expenditures incurred by the obligor. Conversely, other obligors with shared custody greater than 30% but less than 40% do not receive any additional reduction in the child support obligation despite paying more direct child expenditures than created by the presumption since the rule-based shared parenting adjustment does not reduce support until 40% shared parenting.
Moreover, after last guideline review, the Committee received several rulemaking requests related to the guideline's 30% child custody presumption, specifically when the obligor has significantly less than 30% custody. The rulemaking requests are directed at the perceived unfairness that the child custody presumption creates as it relates to when the obligor has little or no shared custody. As noted in the current Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4's Explanatory Comment—2010, ''[u]pward deviation should be considered in cases in which the obligor has little or no contact with the children.'' The support guideline does not otherwise direct how the trier-of-fact should calculate this upward deviation or specifically under what custodial terms. Instead, the trier-of-fact has discretion on whether to upwardly deviate and by how much, which leads to inconsistency in application and amount across the Commonwealth and, perhaps, within the same judicial district.
On the overall, the Committee is concerned that the current rule's exceptions, i.e., child custody adjustments upward and downward, could overtake the rule with more levels of child custody (less than 30% and greater than 40%) having possible deviations. Instead, the Committee believes eliminating the 30% child custody presumption would resolve the need for an upward adjustment when there is little or no shared custody. Conversely, substantial shared parenting is still addressed in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-4(c), and in those appropriate circumstances, the trier-of-fact can calculate the appropriate downward deviation based on the formula. Otherwise, the child support schedule would reflect the presumed correct support amount irrespective of the parties' shared custody arrangement.
As to the other substantive proposed amendments, after the last guideline review, several federal regulations amendments to 45 C.F.R. § 302.56 affecting child support became effective, which impact the current guideline review. First, an amendment to § 302.56(c)(1)(iii) expanded the factors the trier-of-fact must consider when imputing income to a party. Although the current guidelines have most of the amended federal regulation's factors, the rule proposal essentially copies the federal regulation factors to ensure compliance.
Also, 45 C.F.R. § 302.56(c)(3) now provides that a state's guidelines cannot treat incarceration as voluntary unemployment in establishing or modifying support orders. The proposed Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-2(d) addresses this federal regulation by noting that incarceration with two limited exceptions is involuntary unemployment, and the trier-of-fact should adjust the incarcerated party's net income, accordingly. The two limited exceptions are that adjusting the incarcerated party's income is not appropriate if the incarceration is as a result of a criminal offense in which the party's dependent child or the obligee was the victim or is due to support enforcement. The two exceptions are also currently being proposed as exceptions to § 302.56(c)(3).
Next, the Committee is proposing an amendment to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-2(e) regarding the low-income calculation. This rule had been amended as part of the rule amendments related to the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, which were effective January 1, 2019. The rule as proposed addresses the low-income calculation in three ways: child support only, spousal support only, and combined child and spousal support cases.
Finally, the Committee proposes a significant amendment and rewriting of Pa.R.C.P. No. 1910.16-6(d) that addresses private school tuition, summer camp, and other child-related expenditures. The Committee received numerous inquiries regarding this rule and what was factored into the child support schedules. To further define the expenditures that the trier-of-fact should consider, the rule is subdivided with a subdivision directed at the other expenditures. Under the proposed rule, additional reasonable expenses in the child's best interest, including those related to the child's educational, extra-curricular, and developmental activities, are subject to apportionment if the trier-of-fact determines that the annual expense exceeds 7% of the annual support obligation. The amount exceeding 7% is subject to apportionment.
For additional information on the support guideline review, the Committee is posting Dr. Venohr's prelim- inary report on the Committee's website at: http://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/committees/rules-committees/domestic-relations-procedural-rules-committee
All comments, concerns, and suggestions concerning this proposal are welcome.
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 21-74. Filed for public inspection January 15, 2021, 9:00 a.m.]
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