Opinion ID: 1953873
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: whether the monthly life, health and disability insurance payments made by father are a form of child support properly offset against his monthly child support obligation?

Text: Mother argues the monthly sums expended by father for life, health and disability insurance were erroneously considered as a form of child support by the trial court and, therefore, the trial court erred in offsetting those amounts against father's child support obligation. Mother further contends that these expenditures are not recognized as appropriate factors for deviation from the child support schedules under SDCL 25-7-6.10. Mother's argument ignores that the monthly payments outlined above were neither used as an offset against, nor as a basis for deviation from, father's monthly child support obligation. Rather, taking into consideration the actual needs and standard of living of the children, the trial court determined father's $1,000 per month child support payments constituted an appropriate level of support. There was no offset against, or deviation from, the $1,000 per month figure. The trial court merely considered the monthly insurance payments as factors in reviewing the actual needs and standard of living of the children. This is no different than the retirement plan and health insurance costs taken into consideration by the trial court in Earley, supra . Moreover, in Jones, supra, the parents combined net monthly income also exceeded the maximum amount contemplated by the child support schedules. In determining whether the trial court abused its discretion in calculating the amount of support, this court specifically noted that, [w]e do not examine this issue under SDCL 25-7-6.10 because this is not a situation where the trial court deviated from the schedule in SDCL 25-7-6.2. The factors under SDCL 25-7-6.10 must be considered with findings entered thereon when a party seeks deviation from the child support schedule.  Jones, 472 N.W.2d at 785 n. 2 (emphasis added). The same is true in the instant case. Child support was computed based upon the actual needs and standard of living of the children as required by SDCL 25-7-6.9, not based upon the schedules in SDCL 25-7-6.2. Thus, the amount of support established by the trial court reflects no offset against, or deviation from, an amount required by the child support schedules. Affirmed. AMUNDSON, J., concurs. HENDERSON, J., concurs specially. MILLER, C.J., and SABERS, J., dissent.