Source: http://www.jdbar.com/Cases/Cassano/cassano.html
Timestamp: 2017-03-01 19:55:28
Document Index: 196595171

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 413', '§ 240', '§ 413', '§ 240', '§ 413', '§ 413', '§ 413', '§ 413', '§ 413', '§ 413', '§ 413', '§ 5', '§ 413', '§ 413', '§ 31']

356 Veterans Memorial Highway. Suite 3, Commack, NY 11725 Phone: (631) 864-2600 Email: lawyer@jdbar.com In the Matter of Maryann CASSANO, Respondent,v.Dominick CASSANO, Appellant.
The focus of this appeal is the Child Support Standards Act (Family Ct.Act § 413; Domestic Relations Law § 240), which includes a numeric formula for calculating the award of child support, prescribing criteria as to combined parental income under $80,000 and criteria as to income above that amount. We are asked to review an award determined by application of the statutory formula to combined parental income exceeding $80,000. We conclude that the award was proper and affirm the Appellate Division order so holding.
As the statute directs, step one of the three-step method is the court's calculation of "combined parental income" in accordance with Family Court Act § 413(1)(b)(4)-(5) (see, Domestic Relations Law § 240 for analogous provisions). Second, the court multiplies that figure, up to $80,000, by a specified percentage [Footnote 2] based upon the number of children in the household--17% for one child--and then allocates that amount between the parents according to their share of the total income (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][b][3]; [c].
Third, where combined parental income exceeds $80,000--the situation at issue in this case--the statute provides that "the court shall determine the amount of child support for the amount of the combined parental income in excess of such dollar amount through consideration of the factors set forth in paragraph (f) of this subdivision and/or the child support percentage" (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][c][3]. The "paragraph (f)" factors include the financial resources of the parents and child, the health of the child and any special needs, the standard of living the child would have had if the marriage had not ended, tax consequences, nonmonetary contributions of the parents toward the child, the educational needs of the parents, the disparity in the parents' incomes, the needs of other nonparty children receiving support from one of the parents, extraordinary expenses incurred in exercising visitation and any other factors the court determines are relevant (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][f].
Whenever the basic child support obligation derived by application of the formula would be "unjust or inappropriate," the court must consider the "paragraph (f)" factors. That is so whether parental income is above or below $80,000 (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][b][1]; [c][2], [3]. If the formula is rejected, the statute directs that the court "set forth, in a written order, the factors it considered"--an unbending requirement that cannot be waived by either party or counsel (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][g].
Where combined parental income is less than $80,000 the statute plainly directs that the court apply the formula percentages (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][c][2]--thus implementing the objectives of uniformity and predictability. Only where that amount would be "unjust or inappropriate" does the Act require the court to set forth reasons.
As to combined parental income over $80,000, the statute explicitly affords an option: the court may apply the factors set forth in section 413(1)(f) "and/or the child support percentage" (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][c][3]; see also, 1 Tippins, New York Matrimonial Law and Practice § 5A:20; Reichler and Lefcourt, N.Y. St BJ, op. cit., at 40). Pertinent as well to income above $80,000 is the provision that the court may disregard the formula if "unjust or inappropriate" but in that event, must give its reasons in a formal written order, which cannot be waived by either party (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][g].
Finally, we affirm as well the Appellate Division's conclusion that the father is required to pay his pro rata share of the child's unreimbursed medical expenses. The statute specifies that the court "shall prorate each parent's share of future reasonable health care expenses of the child not covered by insurance" (Family Ct.Act § 413[1][c][5]. Defendant's insistence that this order constitutes an impermissible open-ended obligation, as the Second Department earlier held (see, e.g., Chirls v. Chirls, 170 A.D.2d 641, 566 N.Y.S.2d 931) is meritless in light of the Act.
2 The theory underlying the percentage-of-parental-income approach (rather than allocating the cost of providing for the child's needs) is that expenses of children tend to vary according to parents' income (see, 2 New York Practice Guide, Domestic Relations § 31.03[3][a][ii] [Sovronsky & Jorgensen ed 1995]. The actual percentages can be traced to a study of the typical portion of household income generally devoted to the child (see, Note, 56 Brook L Rev, op. cit., at 1316-1319, citing Van der Gaag, On Measuring the Costs of Children, in III Child Support: Technical Papers [Institute for Research on Poverty, Special Rep Series No. SR32C].