Opinion ID: 1748446
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the chancellor erred in departing from the statutory guidelines for determining the amount of child support.

Text: Chancery courts may modify final decrees which pertain to child support. This authority exists by statute as well as by virtue of the inherent power of the chancery court. Campbell v. Campbell, 357 So.2d 129, 130 (Miss. 1978); Mississippi Code Annotated 93-5-23 (Supp. 1991). The burden of proof that must be met by the party seeking a financial modification is to show a material change of circumstances of one or more of the interested parties, whether it be the father, mother, or the child(ren), arising subsequent to the original decree. Cox v. Moulds, 490 So.2d 866, 869 (Miss. 1986); Adams v. Adams, 467 So.2d 211, 214 (Miss. 1985). Elements to be considered are (1) increased needs of children due to advanced age and maturity, (2) increase in expenses, (3) inflation, (4) relative financial condition and earning capacity of the parties, (5) health and special medical needs of the child, both physical and psychological, (6) health and special medical needs of the parents, both physical and psychological, (7) necessary living expenses of the father, (8) estimated amount of income taxes each party must pay on his income, (9) free use of residence, furnishings, and automobile, and (10) other facts and circumstances bearing on the support as shown by the evidence. Id. at 215. A standard of living beyond the father's financial ability to provide cannot be imposed upon him. Id. Although the statutory guidelines for child support work as a rebuttable presumption, in modifying an award of child support the chancellor cannot apply the guidelines to the exclusion of the individual factors affecting former spouses and their child(ren). Thurman v. Thurman, 559 So.2d 1014, 1017 (Miss. 1990). The Chancellor found that, despite his lack of candor and apparent attempt to conceal that he had collected expense monies, Raymond met his burden of proof by showing a material change of circumstances arising subsequent to the original decree by virtue of bankruptcy and corporation law. Basically, the financial condition and earning capacity of Raymond and his necessary living expenses were the factors supportive of financial change. Although Raymond had collected expenses from both Delta and Capital Copy, the chancellor found that Raymond's adjusted gross income is now $1,535.00 a month. Further, he found Raymond's expenses to be $1,015.00, but disallowed $300.00 of these expenses, for entertainment, as unreasonable. (The chancellor did not include in this expense figure the $500.00 a month for repayment to his parents or the $300.00 a month rent to his parents, as it did not seem necessary that Raymond begin paying these amounts at this time.) As Raymond ceased collecting expense money from either Delta or Capital in February of 1991 and went to work for Direct Mail in March of 1991, where he began receiving a regular salary, these findings are supported by substantial evidence in the record. Therefore, this Court will not disturb the chancellor's conclusions. Subtracting from Raymond's monthly income of $1,535.00 his expenses of $715.00, he is left with $820.00 per month. The original amount of child support, $1,680.00 a month, obviously cannot be imposed upon him as it is beyond his financial ability to provide that amount. We must now look to the guidelines provided by Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-101 (Supp. 1991). For five or more children, the guidelines call for twenty-six percent (26%) of the adjusted gross income to be awarded for child support. In Raymond's case that is approximately $398.00 a month. However, the guidelines may not determine the specific amount of support required. This is a job for the chancellor, who has special knowledge of the actual circumstances. Thurman, 559 So.2d at 1018. The chancellor who heard all of the evidence in this case determined that child support in the monthly amount of $750.00 was appropriate. This breaks down to $150.00 per child per month. Additionally, the amount of support is to increase when Raymond's income reaches $3,600.00 per month. This judicial award making a written or a specific finding different from the guidelines defeats the presumption and leaves, as this court believes the Legislature intended in the normal case, child support determination in the hands of the customary chancery court proceeding. Id. at 1017. Additionally, the chancellor followed the statutory method of rebutting the presumption that twenty-six percent of Raymond's adjusted gross income was the appropriate amount of child support: the record includes a written finding that the guidelines are inappropriate in this particular case. Miss. Code Ann. § 43-19-103 (Supp. 1991). The fact that the chancellor departed from the statutory guidelines in determining the amount of child support was not error.