Opinion ID: 2509403
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the trial court erred in failing to include child care costs with base child support for purposes of income assignment.

Text: ¶ 16 The trial court in its order modifying, ordered the Father to pay child support as well as daycare expenses. However, no determination was made as to the amount of daycare expenses. The first notice of the amount of this cost was made in the Order/Notice to Withhold Income for Child Support, from which, the trial court deleted the portion withheld that paid the Father's share of daycare expenses.  ¶ 17 Title 12 O.S.2001 § 1171.2 reads in pertinent part: A. Any person awarded custody of and support for a minor child by the district court ... shall be entitled to proceed to collect any current child support and child support due and owing through income assignment ... Title 12 O.S.2001 § 1170 defines child support as: 10. Child support means and includes all payments or other obligations due and owing to the person entitled by the obligor pursuant to a child support order, including but not limited to medical insurance or health care premiums and other medical expenses, current child care obligations, child care arrearages and any fixed child care obligations and such other expenses and requirements as specified in Section 118 of Title 43 of the Oklahoma statutes; Title 43 O.S.2001, § 115 provides in pertinent part: B. In all child support cases arising out of an action for divorce, paternity or other proceedings in which services are not being provided under the state child support plan, the district court shall order the wage of the obligor subject to immediate income assignment regardless of whether support payments by such parent are in arrears, unless: 1. One of the parties demonstrates and the district court finds there is good cause not to require immediate income withholding; or 2. A written agreement is reached between the parties which provides for an alternative arrangement. ¶ 18 Under Oklahoma statute, child care expenses are to be considered a part of the total child support due to the mother, and it is also collectable in an income assignment unless good cause is shown for not requiring it, or the parties reach an alternative agreement. In the present matter neither of these exceptions is apparent. Therefore, as to this issue, we remand to allow the trial court to determine the amount owed by the father for income assignment purposes.