Opinion ID: 1161005
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Consideration of the Cost of Living in Unalaska

Text: Finally, Easton argues that the superior court should have increased Robinson's child support obligations above the Rule 90.3 amount because of the high cost of living in Unalaska. Again, we conclude that her argument may have merit. Easton submitted evidence to the superior court that the cost of living in Unalaska is substantially higher than the cost of living in Anchorage. Rule 90.3 permits superior courts to vary the amount of child support otherwise required by the rule in order to avoid manifest injustice and lists extraordinary expenses as a circumstance justifying variation. Alaska R. Civ. P. 90.3(c)(1). It therefore would have been within the superior court's discretion to increase Robinson's child support obligations because of the high cost of living in Unalaska. See Gross v. Gross, 355 N.W.2d 4, 8 (S.D. 1984) (stating that the trial court should consider the increase in a mother's living expenses occasioned by moving from Hand County, South Dakota to Tacoma, Washington in deciding whether to modify a child support award). Furthermore, Robinson claims that he agreed in the first instance to pay more than Rule 90.3 required of him because he recognized the additional expenses his family incurred by living in Unalaska. We have recently decided that in ruling on child support modification motions, superior courts should respect the intentions of parties who contract for child support payments in excess of Rule 90.3's requirements. See Flannery v. Flannery, 950 P.2d 126, 132 (Alaska 1997). [4] As a result, in setting Robinson's new child support obligations, the superior court should consider his initial promise to make payments that reflected the higher cost of living in Unalaska.