The second way was to use the prevailing expenditure estimates, and whatever additional policy decisions would be appropriate, for determining alternative sets of child support guidelines. Using Estimates to Evaluate the Current Child Support Guidelines. Using Prevailing Estimated Expenditures to Determine Alternative Child Support Guidelines. If a review panel or the General Assembly wishes to determine child support guideline amounts based on more recent expenditure estimates, it could use prevailing expenditure curves, such as those generated in this study. Which Set of Curves to Use.
Some curves are better to use than others for technical reasons.
Likewise, curves from husband-wife households with one, two, three, and four children appear to be based on samples of sufficient size to produce stable estimates. Prevailing expenditure estimates based on the per capita approach would be substantially higher than the amounts in the current guidelines in all cases. The advantages and disadvantages of applying the per capita versus the average use approach to each housing and transportation subcategory may need to be considered in making such a policy decision. Adjustments to Promote Consistency in Guidelines. Empirically-based curves for households with one, two or three children would result in consistent guidelines, but curves from those with four, five or six children would not.