Opinion ID: 1596963
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Medical, Dental & Life Insurance

Text: While the record reflects that the chancellor considered the issues of health insurance part and parcel of the issue and amount of child support, the final judgment does not speak to these obligations. James claims these issues were never presented to the lower court and therefore are not properly part of this appeal. Terri, on the other hand, claims they were presented as a part and parcel of her request for child support, the specific amount to be determined by the lower court. Terri did testify that one of the things she was asking for in child support was health insurance for her and the three children. Terri contends the chancellor failed to consider the earning capacity and resources of both parents and the basic needs of the children when it did not provide for the medical and dental needs of the children. The chancellor ultimately awarded $1,000.00 a month in child support. While James asserts that the award is in harmony with the child support award guidelines of 22% of adjusted gross income found in Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101 (Supp. 1993), it is questionable whether the chancellor utilized the correct numerical figures in calculating James' adjusted gross income for 1992. First, the record shows that the figure of $4,155.00 (James' salary for the month of February 1992) was used as the monthly figure. However, the record also shows that as of July, 1992, James had already earned approximately $57,000.00. Therefore, as of July, 1992, James continued to earn nearly $8,000.00 per month. The chancellor does not appear to use the overall salary earned that year. We therefore suggest that the chancellor make specific findings as to James' adjusted income for the year 1992 in calculating 22% for child support. Terri also claims that the chancellor's failure to order James to procure life insurance and designate the children as beneficiaries deprived the children of financial security. When the parties by agreement submitted for the court's consideration the issue of the payment of child support with the amount to be determined by the court, they submitted all economic issues pertaining to the subject of child support. Such issues include but are not necessarily limited to: insurance, both hospitalization and life insurance; college and the cost thereof; and any matter or fact that impacts on child support. Though the submission in the present case was not artful and may appear incomplete, the submission of child support to a chancellor includes all matters touching on that subject. We are compelled to state that the lower court was correct in considering the insurance issues as part and parcel of any child support issue and that it was not required to be raised separate and apart from the issue of child support. Finally, if James' income is as it was in 1990, 1991 and the first half of 1992, the award of $1,000.00 per month in child support is well below the guidelines set forth in § 43-19-101 (Supp. 1993). Absent from the record of the case sub judice, is any type of evidence to overcome the presumption set forth in the guidelines. See McEachern v. McEachern, 605 So.2d 809, 813 (Miss. 1992); Thurman v. Thurman, 559 So.2d 1014, 1017 (Miss. 1990). Because it appears that the chancellor erred in calculating the child support award without a finding that James' income has been in fact reduced, and because the chancellor may want to reconsider the question of insurance, the chancellor is directed to revisit the award of child support.