Opinion ID: 2613172
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Child support shall be expressed in a specific dollar amount and shall be determined in accordance with the following guidelines:

Text: Obligor's Monthly Net Income Number of Children _______________________________________________________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 or more ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 500-$1,000 17% 25% 30% 32% 37% 42% $1,001-$1,500 20% 28% 32% 35% 40% 45% $1,501-$2,000 22% 29% 32% 40% 40% 45% $2,001-$3,000 26% 30% 33% 40% 40% 45% $3,001-above $780 [] $900 [] $990 [] $1,200 [] $1,200 [] $1,350 [] Madison contends the district court erred in not expressing the child support in a specific dollar amount. The district court did express the specific dollar amount of $1,270 which was immediately due. The amount of child support set is well within the district court's discretion, and we will not disturb that ruling. Ellison v. Walter ex rel. Walter, 834 P.2d 680, 685 (Wyo. 1992); Scaling v. Scaling, 805 P.2d 866, 869 (Wyo.1991); Mintle v. Mintle, 764 P.2d 255, 258 (Wyo.1988). The significant issue we must address is whether it was an abuse of discretion for the district court to set an upper scale of $2,000 per month for child support, based on a theory that Madison's income might vary upwardly in the future. What the district court actually did was to insert an escalation clause in the modified decree. Madison contends that, in addition to the language of WYO.STAT. § 20-6-304, requiring that child support be in a specified dollar amount, WYO.STAT. § 20-2-113 (Supp.1992) contemplates that the district court will only modify that specific dollar amount upon petition. The district court retains jurisdiction of child support matters and may entertain petitions to modify the decree if changed circumstances present themselves. This is not a matter of first impression in this court, [3] but the issue, has been addressed in greater detail by numerous other appellate courts. JAY M. ZITTER, ANNOTATION,  Validity and Enforceability of Escalation Clause in Divorce Decree Relating to Alimony and Child Support,  19 A.L.R. 4th 830 (1983). It is obvious that the district court carefully reviewed the cases cited in the annotation, as well as the cases cited at footnote three. It is our view that the child support guidelines manifest a presumption that the typical welfare and needs of children will be met by the minimum child support levels given the earning ability of the parent. Beyond that minimum level, a district court may, in its discretion, award child support consistent with the child's need and the parent's ability to pay. WYO.STAT. § 20-6-302(b)(xi) (Supp.1992). Here the district court found that the children's needs were between $1,587 (Madison's evidence) and $2,511 (Eisele's evidence). It is noteworthy that for a period of many years a parent's standard of living was a significant factor in determining support for an illegitimate child, but not for a natural child. See WYO.STAT. § 14-2-113(e)(ii) (1986) (repealed in 1990 and replaced by WYO.STAT. §§ 20-6-301-306 (Supp.1992) (the court shall consider all relevant facts including the standard of living and the circumstances of the parents); Nuspl v. Nuspl, 717 P.2d 341, 346 (Wyo. 1986) (noncustodial parent's mere operation on a monthly deficit was not enough to free father from increase in his child support obligation); Harrington v. Harrington, 660 P.2d 356, 360 (Wyo.1983) (needs of children, not standard of living desired by custodial parent, are at issue in a petition to modify child support); and see Holtz v. State ex rel. Houston, 847 P.2d 972, 975 (Wyo.1993). Our decisions in Harrington and Nuspl, to the extent that they suggest the means of the parent should not be an important consideration in setting the level of child support, need to be clarified. Child support set at a level which is consistent with the parent's wealth and income does not constitute an abuse of discretion. Bereman v. Bereman, 645 P.2d 1155, 1160 (Wyo.1982). After careful consideration of the statutes which govern child support and the aggregate intention of those statutes, when read as a comprehensive body of law, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion in establishing an escalation clause. Given even a minimum level of cooperation between these parents, the escalation clause should diminish the need for the custodial parent to return repeatedly to court to modify the decree in order to avoid the prospect of increasingly inadequate support. Likewise, it should reduce the attendant need of the custodial parent to expend significant sums for attorney fees, as well as help prevent the emotional trauma associated with such court appearances. Such an escalation clause does not diminish the discretion of the district court to modify child support in the face of changed circumstances. It merely places the burden on the noncustodial parent to seek modification if a genuine change of circumstances does exist. See 3 MELLI, ET AL., ALIMONY, CHILD SUPPORT & COUNSEL FEESAWARD, MODIFICATION & ENFORCEMENT, § 22.10 (1991). The district court found it necessary to deviate from the guidelines for reasons that it set out in great detail and which adequately justify the court's innovation. The language requiring child support to be set in a specific dollar amount is not violated by the court's modification order. There is no violation because the formula provides a range of specific dollar amounts and readily translates to a specific dollar amount when escalation occurs. Appellant contends the district court should also have provided for reductions in child support if appellant's income fell or for refunds if he overpaid. As noted above, if those circumstances do come about in any meaningful sense, they may be addressed by a petition to modify the child support. Likewise, the district court's order does not violate the statutory requirement for changed circumstances. The district court determined that under all the relevant circumstances child support should be within a range of $1,270-$2,000, and, all other things remaining equal, it should stay at that level. Should all other things not remain equal, appellant may seek a change in the level of child support. Appellant contends the district court erred in averaging his income over a period of four years. It is obvious from the record that the district court faced considerable difficulty in determining what appellant's monthly net income was because he experienced month-to-month and year-to-year fluctuations. We do not read the governing statutes as prohibiting use of such an average where circumstances require it. We hold the district court acted within its sound discretion in averaging appellant's income over the four-year period selected. Of course, as to the child support which was immediately due, the district court did express a specific dollar amount, i.e., $1,270. See In re Marriage of McQueen, 493 N.W.2d 91, 92-93 (Iowa App.1992); Nelson v. Nelson, 454 N.W.2d 533, 535 (S.D.1990); Studt v. Studt, 443 N.W.2d 639, 644 (S.D.1989); Clutter v. McIntosh, 484 N.W.2d 846, 848-49 (N.D. 1992); contra, Hillebrand v. Hillebrand, 130 N.H. 520, 546 A.2d 1047, 1050-51 (1988). Appellant also contends that the averaging process did not take into account phantom income. [4] Our review of the record demonstrates that the district court took into account all relevant and available information in reaching its determination of appellant's income level. The judgment of the district court is affirmed in all respects.