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ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
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Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2004 SESSION
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 20-60.3, 20-108.1 and 20-108.2 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 20-60.3. Contents of support orders.
All orders directing the payment of spousal support where there are minor children whom the parties have a mutual duty to support and all orders directing the payment of child support, including those orders confirming separation agreements, entered on or after October 1, 1985, whether they are original orders or modifications of existing orders, shall contain the following:
1. Notice that support payments may be withheld as they become due pursuant to § 20-79.1 or § 20-79.2, from income as defined in § 63.2-1900, without further amendments of this order or having to file an application for services with the Department of Social Services; however, absence of such notice in an order entered prior to July 1, 1988, shall not bar withholding of support payments pursuant to § 20-79.1;
2. Notice that support payments may be withheld pursuant to Chapter 19 (§ 63.2-1900 et seq.) of Title 63.2 without further amendments to the order upon application for services with the Department of Social Services; however, absence of such notice in an order entered prior to July 1, 1988, shall not bar withholding of support payments pursuant to Chapter 19 (§ 63.2-1900 et seq.) of Title 63.2;
3. The names and dates of birth of each child to whom a duty of support is then owed by the person responsible for support;
4. If known, the name, date of birth and social security number of each parent of the child and, if different and if known, the name, date of birth and social security number of the person responsible for support and, unless otherwise ordered, each parent or responsible person's residential and, if different, mailing address, residential and employer telephone number, driver's license number, and the name and address of his or her employer; however, when a protective order has been issued or the court otherwise finds reason to believe that a party is at risk of physical or emotional harm from the other party, information other than the name of the party at risk shall not be included in the order;
5. On and after July 1, 1994, notice that a petition may be filed for suspension of any license, certificate, registration or other authorization to engage in a profession, trade, business or occupation issued by the Commonwealth to a person responsible for support as provided in § 63.2-1937 upon a delinquency for a period of 90 days or more or in an amount of $5,000 or more. The order shall indicate whether either or both parents currently hold such an authorization and, if so, the type of authorization held;
6. The amount of periodic support expressed in fixed sums, together with the payment interval, the date payments are due, and the date the first payment is due;
7. a. An order for health care coverage, including the health insurance policy information, for dependent children pursuant to §§ 20-108.1 and 20-108.2 if available at reasonable cost as defined in § 63.2-1900 and a statement as to whether there is an order for health care coverage for a spouse or former spouse; and
b. A statement as to whether any extraordinary unreimbursed medical expenses
are to be paid by or reimbursed to a party pursuant to subsection subsections D
and subdivision G 3 of § 20-108.2, and if such expenses are ordered, then the
provisions as governing how such payment is to be made;
8. If support arrearages exist, (i) to whom an arrearage is owed and the amount of the arrearage, (ii) the period of time for which such arrearage is calculated, and (iii) a direction that all payments are to be credited to current support obligations first, with any payment in excess of the current obligation applied to arrearages;
9. If child support payments are ordered to be paid through the Department of Social Services or directly to the obligee, and unless the court for good cause shown orders otherwise, the parties shall give each other and the court and, when payments are to be made through the Department, the Department of Social Services at least 30 days' written notice, in advance, of any change of address and any change of telephone number within 30 days after the change;
10. If child support payments are ordered to be paid through the Department of Social Services, a provision requiring an obligor to keep the Department of Social Services informed of the name, address and telephone number of his current employer, or if payments are ordered to be paid directly to the obligee, a provision requiring an obligor to keep the court informed of the name, address and telephone number of his current employer;
11. The separate amounts due to each person under the order, unless the court specifically orders a unitary award of child and spousal support due or the order affirms a separation agreement containing provision for such unitary award;
12. Notice that in determination of a support obligation, the support obligation as it becomes due and unpaid creates a judgment by operation of law; and
13. Notice that on and after July 1, 1994, the Department of Social Services may, pursuant to Chapter 19 (§ 63.2-1900 et seq.) of Title 63.2 and in accordance with §§ 20-108.2 and 63.2-1921, initiate a review of the amount of support ordered by any court.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to divorce decrees where there are no minor children whom the parties have a mutual duty to support.
§ 20-108.1. Determination of child or spousal support.
A. In any proceeding on the issue of determining spousal support, the court shall consider all evidence presented relevant to any issues joined in that proceeding. The court's decision shall be rendered based upon the evidence relevant to each individual case.
B. In any proceeding on the issue of determining child support under this title or Title 16.1 or Title 63.2, the court shall consider all evidence presented relevant to any issues joined in that proceeding. The court's decision in any such proceeding shall be rendered upon the evidence relevant to each individual case. However, there shall be a rebuttable presumption in any judicial or administrative proceeding for child support, including cases involving split custody or shared custody, that the amount of the award which would result from the application of the guidelines set out in § 20-108.2 is the correct amount of child support to be awarded. Liability for support shall be determined retroactively for the period measured from the date that the proceeding was commenced by the filing of an action with the court provided the complainant exercised due diligence in the service of the respondent or, if earlier, the date an order of the Department of Social Services entered pursuant to Title 63.2 and directing payment of support was delivered to the sheriff or process server for service on the obligor.
In order to rebut the presumption, the court shall make written findings in the order, which findings may be incorporated by reference, that the application of such guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case. The finding that rebuts the guidelines shall state the amount of support that would have been required under the guidelines, shall give a justification of why the order varies from the guidelines, and shall be determined by relevant evidence pertaining to the following factors affecting the obligation, the ability of each party to provide child support, and the best interests of the child:
1. Actual monetary support for other family members or former family members;
2. Arrangements regarding custody of the children;
3. Imputed income to a party who is voluntarily unemployed or voluntarily under-employed; provided that income may not be imputed to the custodial parent when a child is not in school, child care services are not available and the cost of such child care services are not included in the computation;
4. Debts of either party arising during the marriage for the benefit of the child;
5. Debts incurred for production of income;
6. Direct payments ordered by the court for health care coverage, maintaining life insurance coverage pursuant to subsection D, education expenses, or other court-ordered direct payments for the benefit of the child and costs related to the provision of health care coverage pursuant to subdivision 7 of § 20-60.3;
7. Extraordinary capital gains such as capital gains resulting from the sale of the marital abode;
8. Age, physical and mental condition of the child or children, including
extraordinary unreimbursed medical or dental expenses, and child-care
expenses;
9. Independent financial resources, if any, of the child or children;
10. Standard of living for the family established during the marriage;
11. Earning capacity, obligations and needs, and financial resources of each parent;
12. Education and training of the parties and the ability and opportunity of the parties to secure such education and training;
13. Contributions, monetary and nonmonetary, of each party to the well-being of the family;
14. Provisions made with regard to the marital property under § 20-107.3;
15. Tax consequences to the parties regarding claims for dependent children and child care expenses;
16. A written agreement between the parties which includes the amount of child support;
17. A pendente lite decree, which includes the amount of child support, agreed to by both parties or by counsel for the parties; and
18. Such other factors, including tax consequences to each party, as are necessary to consider the equities for the parents and children.
C. In any proceeding under this title or Title 16.1 or Title 63.2 on the issue of determining child support, the court shall have the authority to order a party to provide health care coverage, as defined in § 63.2-1900, for dependent children if reasonable under all the circumstances and health care coverage for a spouse or former spouse.
D. In any proceeding under this title, Title 16.1 or Title 63.2 on the issue of determining child support, the court shall have the authority to order a party to (i) maintain any existing life insurance policy on the life of either party provided the party so ordered has the right to designate a beneficiary and (ii) designate a child or children of the parties as the beneficiary of all or a portion of such life insurance for so long as the party so ordered has a statutory obligation to pay child support for the child or children.
E. Except when the parties have otherwise agreed, in any proceeding under this title, Title 16.1 or Title 63.2 on the issue of determining child support, the court shall have the authority to and may, in its discretion, order one party to execute all appropriate tax forms or waivers to grant to the other party the right to take the income tax dependency exemption for any tax year or future years, for any child or children of the parties for federal and state income tax purposes.
§ 20-108.2. Guideline for determination of child support; quadrennial review by Child Support Guidelines Review Panel; executive summary.
A. There shall be a rebuttable presumption in any judicial or administrative proceeding for child support under this title or Title 16.1 or 63.2, including cases involving split custody or shared custody, that the amount of the award which would result from the application of the guidelines set forth in this section is the correct amount of child support to be awarded. In order to rebut the presumption, the court shall make written findings in the order as set out in § 20-108.1, which findings may be incorporated by reference, that the application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case as determined by relevant evidence pertaining to the factors set out in §§ 20-107.2 and 20-108.1. The Department of Social Services shall set child support at the amount resulting from computations using the guidelines set out in this section pursuant to the authority granted to it in Chapter 19 (§ 63.2-1900 et seq.) of Title 63.2 and subject to the provisions of § 63.2-1918.
B. For purposes of application of the guideline, a basic child support obligation shall be computed using the schedule set out below. For combined monthly gross income amounts falling between amounts shown in the schedule, basic child support obligation amounts shall be extrapolated. However, unless one of the following exemptions applies where the sole custody child support obligation as computed pursuant to subdivision G. 1. is less than $65 per month, there shall be a presumptive minimum child support obligation of $65 per month payable by the payor parent. Exemptions from this presumptive minimum monthly child support obligation shall include: parents unable to pay child support because they lack sufficient assets from which to pay child support and who, in addition, are institutionalized in a psychiatric facility; are imprisoned with no chance of parole; are medically verified to be totally and permanently disabled with no evidence of potential for paying child support, including recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI); or are otherwise involuntarily unable to produce income. "Number of children" means the number of children for whom the parents share joint legal responsibility and for whom support is being sought.
SCHEDULE OF MONTHLY BASIC CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS
COMBINED MONTHLY GROSS ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX INCOME CHILD CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN 0-599 65 65 65 65 65 65 600 110 111 113 114 115 116 650 138 140 142 143 145 146 700 153 169 170 172 174 176 750 160 197 199 202 204 206 800 168 226 228 231 233 236 850 175 254 257 260 263 266 900 182 281 286 289 292 295 950 189 292 315 318 322 325 1000 196 304 344 348 351 355 1050 203 315 373 377 381 385 1100 210 326 402 406 410 415 1150 217 337 422 435 440 445 1200 225 348 436 465 470 475 1250 232 360 451 497 502 507 1300 241 373 467 526 536 542 1350 249 386 483 545 570 576 1400 257 398 499 563 605 611 1450 265 411 515 581 633 645 1500 274 426 533 602 656 680 1550 282 436 547 617 672 714 1600 289 447 560 632 689 737 1650 295 458 573 647 705 754 1700 302 468 587 662 721 772 1750 309 479 600 676 738 789 1800 315 488 612 690 752 805 1850 321 497 623 702 766 819 1900 326 506 634 714 779 834 1950 332 514 645 727 793 848 2000 338 523 655 739 806 862 2050 343 532 666 751 819 877 2100 349 540 677 763 833 891 2150 355 549 688 776 846 905 2200 360 558 699 788 860 920 2250 366 567 710 800 873 934 2300 371 575 721 812 886 948 2350 377 584 732 825 900 963 2400 383 593 743 837 913 977 2450 388 601 754 849 927 991 2500 394 610 765 862 940 1006 2550 399 619 776 874 954 1020 2600 405 627 787 886 967 1034 2650 410 635 797 897 979 1048 2700 415 643 806 908 991 1060 2750 420 651 816 919 1003 1073 2800 425 658 826 930 1015 1085 2850 430 667 836 941 1027 1098 2900 435 675 846 953 1039 1112 2950 440 683 856 964 1052 1125 3000 445 691 866 975 1064 1138 3050 450 699 876 987 1076 1152 3100 456 707 886 998 1089 1165 3150 461 715 896 1010 1101 1178 3200 466 723 906 1021 1114 1191 3250 471 732 917 1032 1126 1205 3300 476 740 927 1044 1139 1218 3350 481 748 937 1055 1151 1231 3400 486 756 947 1067 1164 1245 3450 492 764 957 1078 1176 1258 3500 497 772 967 1089 1189 1271 3550 502 780 977 1101 1201 1285 3600 507 788 987 1112 1213 1298 3650 512 797 997 1124 1226 1311 3700 518 806 1009 1137 1240 1326 3750 524 815 1020 1150 1254 1342 3800 530 824 1032 1163 1268 1357 3850 536 834 1043 1176 1283 1372 3900 542 843 1055 1189 1297 1387 3950 547 852 1066 1202 1311 1402 4000 553 861 1078 1214 1325 1417 4050 559 871 1089 1227 1339 1432 4100 565 880 1101 1240 1353 1448 4150 571 889 1112 1253 1367 1463 4200 577 898 1124 1266 1382 1478 4250 583 907 1135 1279 1396 1493 4300 589 917 1147 1292 1410 1508 4350 594 926 1158 1305 1424 1523 4400 600 935 1170 1318 1438 1538 4450 606 944 1181 1331 1452 1553 4500 612 954 1193 1344 1467 1569 4550 618 963 1204 1357 1481 1584 4600 624 972 1216 1370 1495 1599 4650 630 981 1227 1383 1509 1614 4700 635 989 1237 1395 1522 1627 4750 641 997 1247 1406 1534 1641 4800 646 1005 1257 1417 1546 1654 4850 651 1013 1267 1428 1558 1667 4900 656 1021 1277 1439 1570 1679 4950 661 1028 1286 1450 1582 1692 5000 666 1036 1295 1460 1593 1704 5050 671 1043 1305 1471 1605 1716 5100 675 1051 1314 1481 1616 1728 5150 680 1058 1323 1492 1628 1741 5200 685 1066 1333 1502 1640 1753 5250 690 1073 1342 1513 1651 1765 5300 695 1081 1351 1524 1663 1778 5350 700 1088 1361 1534 1674 1790 5400 705 1096 1370 1545 1686 1802 5450 710 1103 1379 1555 1697 1815 5500 714 1111 1389 1566 1709 1827 5550 719 1118 1398 1576 1720 1839 5600 724 1126 1407 1587 1732 1851 5650 729 1133 1417 1598 1743 1864 5700 734 1141 1426 1608 1755 1876 5750 739 1148 1435 1619 1766 1888 5800 744 1156 1445 1629 1778 1901 5850 749 1163 1454 1640 1790 1913 5900 753 1171 1463 1650 1801 1925 5950 758 1178 1473 1661 1813 1937 6000 763 1186 1482 1672 1824 1950 6050 768 1193 1491 1682 1836 1962 6100 773 1201 1501 1693 1847 1974 6150 778 1208 1510 1703 1859 1987 6200 783 1216 1519 1714 1870 1999 6250 788 1223 1529 1724 1882 2011 6300 792 1231 1538 1735 1893 2023 6350 797 1238 1547 1745 1905 2036 6400 802 1246 1557 1756 1916 2048 6450 807 1253 1566 1767 1928 2060 6500 812 1261 1575 1777 1940 2073 6550 816 1267 1583 1786 1949 2083 6600 820 1272 1590 1794 1957 2092 6650 823 1277 1597 1801 1965 2100 6700 827 1283 1604 1809 1974 2109 6750 830 1288 1610 1817 1982 2118 6800 834 1293 1617 1824 1990 2127 6850 837 1299 1624 1832 1999 2136 6900 841 1304 1631 1839 2007 2145 6950 845 1309 1637 1847 2016 2154 7000 848 1315 1644 1855 2024 2163 7050 852 1320 1651 1862 2032 2172 7100 855 1325 1658 1870 2041 2181 7150 859 1331 1665 1878 2049 2190 7200 862 1336 1671 1885 2057 2199 7250 866 1341 1678 1893 2066 2207 7300 870 1347 1685 1900 2074 2216 7350 873 1352 1692 1908 2082 2225 7400 877 1358 1698 1916 2091 2234 7450 880 1363 1705 1923 2099 2243 7500 884 1368 1712 1931 2108 2252 7550 887 1374 1719 1938 2116 2261 7600 891 1379 1725 1946 2124 2270 7650 895 1384 1732 1954 2133 2279 7700 898 1390 1739 1961 2141 2288 7750 902 1395 1746 1969 2149 2297 7800 905 1400 1753 1977 2158 2305 7850 908 1405 1758 1983 2164 2313 7900 910 1409 1764 1989 2171 2320 7950 913 1414 1770 1995 2178 2328 8000 916 1418 1776 2001 2185 2335 8050 918 1423 1781 2007 2192 2343 8100 921 1428 1787 2014 2198 2350 8150 924 1432 1793 2020 2205 2357 8200 927 1437 1799 2026 2212 2365 8250 929 1441 1804 2032 2219 2372 8300 932 1446 1810 2038 2226 2380 8350 935 1450 1816 2045 2232 2387 8400 937 1455 1822 2051 2239 2395 8450 940 1459 1827 2057 2246 2402 8500 943 1464 1833 2063 2253 2410 8550 945 1468 1839 2069 2260 2417 8600 948 1473 1845 2076 2266 2425 8650 951 1478 1850 2082 2273 2432 8700 954 1482 1856 2088 2280 2440 8750 956 1487 1862 2094 2287 2447 8800 959 1491 1868 2100 2294 2455 8850 962 1496 1873 2107 2300 2462 8900 964 1500 1879 2113 2307 2470 8950 967 1505 1885 2119 2314 2477 9000 970 1509 1891 2125 2321 2484 9050 973 1514 1896 2131 2328 2492 9100 975 1517 1901 2137 2334 2498 9150 977 1521 1905 2141 2339 2503 9200 979 1524 1909 2146 2344 2509 9250 982 1527 1914 2151 2349 2514 9300 984 1531 1918 2156 2354 2520 9350 986 1534 1922 2160 2359 2525 9400 988 1537 1926 2165 2365 2531 9450 990 1541 1930 2170 2370 2536 9500 993 1544 1935 2175 2375 2541 9550 995 1547 1939 2179 2380 2547 9600 997 1551 1943 2184 2385 2552 9650 999 1554 1947 2189 2390 2558 9700 1001 1557 1951 2194 2396 2563 9750 1003 1561 1956 2198 2401 2569 9800 1006 1564 1960 2203 2406 2574 9850 1008 1567 1964 2208 2411 2580 9900 1010 1571 1968 2213 2416 2585 9950 1012 1574 1972 2218 2421 2590 10000 1014 1577 1977 2222 2427 2596
For gross monthly income between $10,000 and $20,000, add the amount of child support for $10,000 to the following percentages of gross income above $10,000:
ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX CHILD CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN 3.1% 5.1% 6.8% 7.8% 8.8% 9.5%
For gross monthly income between $20,000 and $50,000, add the amount of child support for $20,000 to the following percentages of gross income above $20,000:
ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX CHILD CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN 2% 3.5% 5% 6% 6.9% 7.8%
For gross monthly income over $50,000, add the amount of child support for $50,000 to the following percentages of gross income above $50,000:
ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX CHILD CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
C. For purposes of this section, "gross income" means all income from all sources, and shall include, but not be limited to, income from salaries, wages, commissions, royalties, bonuses, dividends, severance pay, pensions, interest, trust income, annuities, capital gains, social security benefits except as listed below, workers' compensation benefits, unemployment insurance benefits, disability insurance benefits, veterans' benefits, spousal support, rental income, gifts, prizes or awards.
If a parent's gross income includes disability insurance benefits, it shall also include any amounts paid to or for the child who is the subject of the order and derived by the child from the parent's entitlement to disability insurance benefits. To the extent that such derivative benefits are included in a parent's gross income, that parent shall be entitled to a credit against his or her ongoing basic child support obligation for any such amounts, and, if the amount of the credit exceeds the parent's basic child support obligations, the credit may be used to reduce arrearages.
Gross income shall be subject to deduction of reasonable business expenses for persons with income from self-employment, a partnership, or a closely held business. "Gross income" shall not include:
1. Benefits from public assistance and social services programs as defined in §
63.2-100,;
2. Federal supplemental security income benefits, or ;
3. Child support received; or
4. Income received by the payor from secondary employment income not previously included in "gross income," where the payor obtained the income to discharge a child support arrearage established by a court or administrative order and the payor is paying the arrearage pursuant to the order. "Secondary employment income" includes but is not limited to income from an additional job, from self-employment, or from overtime employment. The cessation of such secondary income upon the payment of the arrearage shall not be the basis for a material change in circumstances upon which a modification of child support may be based.
For purposes of this subsection: (i) spousal support received shall be included in gross income and spousal support paid shall be deducted from gross income when paid pursuant to an order or written agreement and (ii) one-half of any self-employment tax paid shall be deducted from gross income.
Where there is an existing court or administrative order or written agreement relating to the child or children of a party to the proceeding, who are not the child or children who are the subject of the present proceeding, then there is a presumption that there shall be deducted from the gross income of the party subject to such order or written agreement, the amount that the party is actually paying for the support of a child or children pursuant to such order or agreement.
Where a party to the proceeding has a natural or adopted child or children in the party's household or primary physical custody, and the child or children are not the subject of the present proceeding, there is a presumption that there shall be deducted from the gross income of that party the amount as shown on the Schedule of Monthly Basic Child Support Obligations contained in subsection B that represents that party's support obligation based solely on that party's income as being the total income available for the natural or adopted child or children in the party's household or primary physical custody, who are not the subject of the present proceeding. Provided, however, that the existence of a party's financial responsibility for such a child or children shall not of itself constitute a material change in circumstances for modifying a previous order of child support in any modification proceeding. Any adjustment to gross income under this subsection shall not create or reduce a support obligation to an amount which seriously impairs the custodial parent's ability to maintain minimal adequate housing and provide other basic necessities for the child, as determined by the court.
In cases in which retroactive liability for support is being determined, the court or administrative agency may use the gross monthly income of the parties averaged over the period of retroactivity.
D. Any extraordinary medical and dental expenses for treatment of the child or
children shall be added to the basic child support obligation. For purposes of
this section, extraordinary medical and dental expenses are uninsured expenses
in excess of $100 for a single illness or condition and shall include but not
be limited to eyeglasses, prescription medication, prostheses, and mental
health services whether provided by a social worker, psychologist,
psychiatrist, or counselor Except for good cause shown or the agreement of the
parties, in addition to any other child support obligations established
pursuant to this section, any child support order shall provide that the
parents pay in proportion to their gross incomes, as used for calculating the
monthly support obligation, any reasonable and necessary unreimbursed medical
or dental expenses that are in excess of $250 for any calendar year for each
child who is the subject of the obligation. The method of payment of those
expenses shall be contained in the support order. Each parent shall pay his
respective share of expenses as those expenses are incurred. Any amount paid
under this subsection shall not be adjusted by, nor added to, the child support
calculated in accordance with subsection G. For the purposes of this section,
medical or dental expenses shall include but not be limited to eyeglasses,
prescription medication, prosthetics, orthodontics, and mental health or
developmental disabilities services, including but not limited to services
provided by a social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, or
therapist.
E. Any costs for health care coverage as defined in § 63.2-1900 and dental care coverage, when actually being paid by a parent, to the extent such costs are directly allocable to the child or children, and which are the extra costs of covering the child or children beyond whatever coverage the parent providing the coverage would otherwise have, shall be added to the basic child support obligation.
F. Any child-care costs incurred on behalf of the child or children due to employment of the custodial parent shall be added to the basic child support obligation. Child-care costs shall not exceed the amount required to provide quality care from a licensed source. When requested by the noncustodial parent, the court may require the custodial parent to present documentation to verify the costs incurred for child care under this subsection. Where appropriate, the court shall consider the willingness and availability of the noncustodial parent to provide child care personally in determining whether child-care costs are necessary or excessive. Upon the request of either party, and upon a showing of the tax savings a party derives from child-care cost deductions or credits, the court shall factor actual tax consequences into its calculation of the child-care costs to be added to the basic child support obligation.
G. 1. Sole custody support. The sole custody total monthly child support
obligation shall be established by adding (i) the monthly basic child support
obligation, as determined from the schedule contained in subsection B, (ii) all
extraordinary medical expenses, (iii) costs for health care coverage to the
extent allowable by subsection E, and (iv) (iii) work-related child-care costs
and taking into consideration all the factors set forth in subsection B of §
20-108.1. The total monthly child support obligation shall be divided between
the parents in the same proportion as their monthly gross incomes bear to their
monthly combined gross income. The monthly obligation of each parent shall be
computed by multiplying each parent's percentage of the parents' monthly
combined gross income by the total monthly child support obligation.
However, the monthly obligation of the noncustodial parent shall be reduced by the cost for health care coverage to the extent allowable by subsection E when paid directly by the noncustodial parent. Unreimbursed medical and dental expenses shall be calculated and allocated in accordance with subsection D.
2. Split custody support. In cases involving split custody, the amount of child support to be paid shall be the difference between the amounts owed by each parent as a noncustodial parent, computed in accordance with subdivision 1, with the noncustodial parent owing the larger amount paying the difference to the other parent. Unreimbursed medical and dental expenses shall be calculated and allocated in accordance with subsection D.
For the purpose of this section and § 20-108.1, split custody shall be limited to those situations where each parent has physical custody of a child or children born of the parents, born of either parent and adopted by the other parent or adopted by both parents. For the purposes of calculating a child support obligation where split custody exists, a separate family unit exists for each parent, and child support for that family unit shall be calculated upon the number of children in that family unit who are born of the parents, born of either parent and adopted by the other parent or adopted by both parents. Where split custody exists, a parent is a custodial parent to the children in that parent's family unit and is a noncustodial parent to the children in the other parent's family unit.
3. Shared custody support.
(a) Where a party has custody or visitation of a child or children for more than 90 days of the year, as such days are defined in subdivision G 3 (c), a shared custody child support amount based on the ratio in which the parents share the custody and visitation of any child or children shall be calculated in accordance with this subdivision. The presumptive support to be paid shall be the shared custody support amount, unless a party affirmatively shows that the sole custody support amount calculated as provided in subdivision G 1 is less than the shared custody support amount. If so, the lesser amount shall be the support to be paid. For the purposes of this subsection, the following shall apply:
(i) Income share. "Income share" means a parent's percentage of the combined monthly gross income of both parents. The income share of a parent is that parent's gross income divided by the combined gross incomes of the parties.
(ii) Custody share. "Custody share" means the number of days that a parent has physical custody, whether by sole custody, joint legal or joint residential custody, or visitation, of a shared child per year divided by the number of days in the year. The actual or anticipated "custody share" of the parent who has or will have fewer days of physical custody shall be calculated for a one-year period. The "custody share" of the other parent shall be presumed to be the number of days in the year less the number of days calculated as the first parent's "custody share." For purposes of this calculation, the year may begin on such date as is determined in the discretion of the court, and the day may begin at such time as is determined in the discretion of the court. For purposes of this calculation, a day shall be as defined in subdivision G 3 (c).
(iii) Shared support need. "Shared support need" means the presumptive guideline amount of needed support for the shared child or children calculated pursuant to subsection B of this section, for the combined gross income of the parties and the number of shared children, multiplied by 1.4.
(iv) Sole custody support. "Sole custody support" means the support amount determined in accordance with subdivision G 1.
(b) Support to be paid. The shared support need of the shared child or children
shall be calculated pursuant to subdivision G 3 (a) (iii). This amount shall
then be multiplied by the other parent's custody share. To that sum for each
parent shall be added the other parent's cost of health care coverage to the
extent allowable by subsection E, plus the other parent's work-related
child-care costs to the extent allowable by subsection F. This total for each
parent shall be multiplied by that parent's income share. The support amounts
thereby calculated that each parent owes the other shall be subtracted one from
the other and the difference shall be the shared custody support one parent
owes to the other, with the payor parent being the one whose shared support is
the larger. Any extraordinary medical and dental expenses, to the extent
allowable by subsection D, shall be shared directly by the parents in accordance
with their income shares, and shall not be adjusted by the custody share. The
parents shall pay their respective shares of these extraordinary medical
expenses as they are incurred, and they are not added to each party's shared
custody support owed to the other party. The method of payment of said
allowable expenses shall be contained in the support order. When the shared
support is compared to the sole custody support to determine which is the
lesser support, pursuant to subdivision G 3 (a), the extraordinary medical
expenses shall not enter into either calculation. Unreimbursed medical and
dental expenses shall be calculated and allocated in accordance with subsection
D.
(c) Definition of a day. For the purposes of this section, "day" means a period of 24 hours; however, where the parent who has the fewer number of overnight periods during the year has an overnight period with a child, but has physical custody of the shared child for less than 24 hours during such overnight period, there is a presumption that each parent shall be allocated one-half of a day of custody for that period.
(d) Minimum standards. Any calculation under this subdivision shall not create or reduce a support obligation to an amount which seriously impairs the custodial parent's ability to maintain minimal adequate housing and provide other basic necessities for the child. If the gross income of either party is equal to or less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from time to time, then the shared custody support calculated pursuant to this subsection shall not be the presumptively correct support and the court may consider whether the sole custody support or the shared custody support is more just and appropriate.
(e) Support modification. When there has been an award of child support based on the shared custody formula and one parent consistently fails to exercise custody or visitation in accordance with the parent's custody share upon which the award was based, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the support award should be modified.
(f) In the event that the shared custody support calculation indicates that the net support is to be paid to the parent who would not be the parent receiving support pursuant to the sole custody calculation, then the shared support shall be deemed to be the lesser support.
H. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall ensure that the guideline
set out in this section is reviewed by October 31, 2001, and every three four
years thereafter, by the Child Support Guidelines Review Panel,
consisting of 15 members that include four legislative members and 11
nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: three
members of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, upon the recommendation
of the chairman of such committee, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation
contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; one member of the Senate
Committee for Courts of Justice, upon the recommendation of the chairman of
such committee, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and
Elections; and one representative of a juvenile and domestic relations district
court, one representative of a circuit court, one representative of the
Department of Social Services' Division of Child Support Enforcement, three
members of the Virginia State Bar, two custodial parents, two noncustodial
parents, and one child advocate, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of
Health and Human Resources, to be appointed by the Governor. The Panel shall
determine the adequacy of the guideline for the determination of appropriate
awards for the support of children by considering current research and data on
the cost of and expenditures necessary for rearing children, and any other
resources it deems relevant to such review. The Panel shall report its findings
to the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of
Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and
reports before the General Assembly next convenes following such review.
Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. All members may be reappointed. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be made for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
Legislative members shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive such compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2813. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Department of Social Services.
The Department of Social Services shall provide staff support to the Panel. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Panel, upon request.
The chairman of the Panel shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly
a triennial quadrennial executive summary of the interim activity and work of
the Panel no later than the first day of 2005 2006 regular session of the
General Assembly and every three four years thereafter. The executive summary
shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for
the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's
website.