Opinion ID: 2581621
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Child Support Modification For Other Reasons.

Text: [¶ 27] Mother finally argues that child support should be modified for other reasons, namely (1) the parties overall financial status; (2) imputing income to father to reflect low-yield investments; and (3) the child's standard of living to which he would be accustomed had the parents remained married. In response, Father argues that although these factors may be relevant as to whether the district court should deviate from the presumptive child support amount, they are not relevant to the determination of the presumptive amount. However, because we are remanding this case to the district court for consideration of whether deviation is appropriate, it is within the district court's discretion to consider these factors in that new context. We recognize the court's order addressed these substantive issues. However, it also concluded, erroneously as a matter of law, that Mother's petition for modification could not be heard because she did not raise it earlier, and that no change in circumstances occurred even though custody had changed. Consequently, we cannot determine whether its conclusion regarding the appropriate child support would have been different had it applied the appropriate law. Therefore, on remand, the district court should address the issue of deviation from the statutorily presumed child support amount. [¶ 28] In its consideration, the district court should note this Court's prior statement that consideration of a parent's wealth in a child support determination is not an abuse of discretion. Bereman, 645 P.2d at 1160. However, no Wyoming authority expressly mandates the consideration of the value of a parent's assets in awarding child support.