Opinion ID: 1057970
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Enforceability of the 21% Provision

Text: Mr. Kesser contends that the 21% provision violates the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines (the Guidelines) and, therefore, is unenforceable. We disagree. The Guidelines provide for the minimum base that should be used in calculating child support obligations. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs., ch. 1240-2-4-.02(5) (1994); see Huntley v. Huntley, 61 S.W.3d 329, 334 (Tenn.Ct.App.2001). In the case of an obligor with one child, the Guidelines provide for child support equal to 21% of the obligor's net income. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs., ch. 1240-2-4-.03(5) (1994). [3] At the time that the parties entered into the MDA, the Guidelines provided: The Court must order child support based upon the appropriate percentage of all net income of the obligor as defined according to 1240-2-4-.03 of this rule but alternate payment arrangements may be made for the award from that portion of net income which exceeds $6,250. When the net income of the obligor exceeds $6,250 per month, the court may establish educational or other trust funds for the benefit of the child(ren) or make other provisions in the child(ren)'s best interests; however, all of the support award amount based on net income up through $6,250 must be made to the custodial parent. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs., ch. 1240-2-4-.04(3) (1994). Pursuant to this provision, an obligor who has one child and a monthly net income of at least $6,250 per month is required to pay $1,312.50 per month in child support directly to the custodial parent. Any remaining amount of the child support obligation is subject to an alternative payment arrangement. The Guidelines in effect at the time of both the divorce and the modification hearing provided that [v]ariable income such as commissions, bonuses, overtime pay, dividends, etc., shall be averaged and added to the obligor's fixed salary. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs., ch. 1240-2-4-.03(3)(b) (1994); see also Tenn.Code Ann. § 36-5-101(a)(2)(A) (Supp.1995 & Supp.2003) (authorizing courts to provide for future child support by fixing some definite amount). The 21% provision of the MDA differed from the computation required by the Guidelines. In lieu of averaging the variable amounts of income and adding the average to the basic child support calculation, the MDA required these amounts to be calculated separately with 21% of that amount to be paid as child support. Mr. Kesser contends that the 21% provision is not enforceable because it does not comport with the Guidelines. In the present case, $2,000.00, the amount of child support that Mr. Kesser agreed to pay directly to Ms. Kesser pursuant to the fixed amount provision in the MDA is in excess of the amount required by the Guidelines in effect at the time the final decree of divorce was entered. The child support that Mr. Kesser agreed to pay directly to Ms. Kesser pursuant to the 21% provision also exceeded the amount required by the Guidelines. We conclude that parties may agree in an MDA to a child support obligation that exceeds the amount payable directly to an obligee parent under the Guidelines and to a method of calculating child support that differs from the mechanism contemplated by the Guidelines as long as the resulting child support meets or exceeds the amount mandated under the Guidelines. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-101(h) (Supp.1995) (Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the affirmation, ratification and incorporation in a decree of an agreement between the parties . . . as to child support.). The trial court also must find that the parties' agreement meets the minimum child support obligation provided under the Guidelines. The trial court in the present case made such a finding in the final decree of divorce. Accordingly, the 21% provision of the MDA is enforceable.