Opinion ID: 2334045
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: determine each support obligor's net income.

Text: Add: a. Income from employment, as well as all other sources (such as pensions, dividends, interest, etc.); and b. Business expense accounts to the extent that they provide the support obligor with something he would otherwise have to provide (such as automobile, lunches, etc.). Subtract: a. Income taxes figured on the basis of the maximum allowable exemptions; b. Other deductions required by law, including attachments and child support payments made pursuant to Court order or written separation agreement; c. Deductions required by the employer, or the union, except credit union payments; d. Legitimate business expenses; e. Benefits such as hospitalization insurance which are maintained for the obligor's dependents. Deductions for payments on credit union debts will not be recognized except to the extent that such debts were incurred for indispensable items in use by the dependents or necessary health care. Support obligors will not be allowed to reduce the child support obligation by incurring debts other than for necessities of life. Where a support obligor has inadequate income to meet his support obligation but owns assets, he will be required to convert all or some portion of said assets to cash for payment of support. See, e.g., Rayias v. Rayias, Del.Fam., Civil No. C-6146, James, J. (July 11, 1979). Where a support obligor is not working full time or is working below full earning capacity, the Court will examine the reasons for such a limitation on earnings. If the reason is a matter of choice by the obligor or is due to factors other than care required by the children to whom the parties have a joint legal responsibility for support, the Court may then consider evidence establishing the obligor's earning capacity in the local job market. See, e.g., Mayew v. Mayew, Del.Fam., Civil No. 5-7313, Wakefield, J. (April 23, 1979); Dempsey v. Blevins, Del.Fam., Civil No. 2-6717, Arsht, J. (August 10, 1979); Halsey v. Halsey, Del.Fam., Civil No. B-2342, James, J. (January 10, 1980). Alternatively, the Court may consider the value of the services of the stay-at-home support obligor as a homemaker and set a dollar value which shall be considered as that obligor's income. Once the reason for the support obligor's limited earnings has been determined, the Court may consider evidence relating to the total monthly net income of the support obligor and spouse where the support obligor is remarried or cohabitating with another person in the relation of husband and wife, attributing to the support obligor up to 50% of the household income. See, e.g., O'Malley v. Shavico, Del.Fam., Civil No. 3-7582, Poppiti, J. (May 29, 1979); McCarthy v. Butler, Del.Fam., Civil No. 5-5277, Arsht, J. (June 20, 1979); Swedenhjelm v. McNair, Del.Fam., Civil No. C-5643, Poppiti, J. (August 28, 1979). Earning capacity or income so established will then be used by the Court to determine the obligor's monthly net income for the purpose of calculating child support. ALL INFORMATION PRESENTED TO THE COURT IN THESE CALCULATIONS SHOULD BE BASED ON MONTHLY AMOUNTS. WHERE A PARTY IS PAID WEEKLY, THE PAY SHOULD BE MULTIPLIED BY 52 AND DIVIDED BY 12 TO ARRIVE AT A CORRECT MONTHLY AMOUNT. LIKEWISE, IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, ALL CHILD CARE EXPENSES, EXTRAORDINARY MEDICAL EXPENSES, MEDICAL INSURANCE PAYMENTS, ETC., MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE COURT IN ACCURATE MONTHLY AMOUNTS. 2. DETERMINE THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF INCOME THAT EACH SUPPORT OBLIGOR MUST RETAIN TO FUNCTION AT MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY. In determining what a support obligor needs (not what he spends), the Court will consider only expenses for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and job-required transportation. Four hundred fifty dollars ($450) a month is established as a base figure for an income producing adult head-of-household. Where a support obligor is remarried or cohabitating with another person in the relation of husband and wife and both the support obligor and his/her present spouse are fully employed, the minimum self-support need of the couple is $730 ($450 as first person + $180 as second person in the same household + $100 additional work-related expense of a second employed spouse). The support obligor will be allowed 50% of this amount, $365, as the minimum self-support deduction. See, e.g., McCarthy v. Butler, supra; Guthrie v. Guthrie, Del. Fam., Civil No. C-4403, Poppiti, J. (August 2, 1979); Dempsey v. Blevins, supra. Where the Court has attributed 50% of the household income to a non-working support obligor who is remarried or cohabitating with another person in the relation of husband and wife, the minimum self-support deduction for such an obligor is established at $315, this amount being equal to 50% of the minimum support needs of the obligor and spouse ($450 + $180). No additional work-related expenses will be allowed since the obligor is not employed outside the home. See, e.g., O'Malley v. Shavico, supra. Any variance from these amounts must be supported by convincing evidence. See, e.g., Moore v. Moore, Del.Fam., Civil No. A-9447, Horgan, J. (November 26, 1979).