Opinion ID: 1057970
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Loss of Employment, Visitation, Change in the Law

Text: We conclude that Mr. Kesser is not entitled to a downward deviation of the 21% provision as a result of his loss of employment in 1997 and his unemployment until March 1998. The 21% provision is not applicable to Mr. Kesser's base salary or to any increases or decreases in his base salary. [4] Mr. Kesser was obligated to pay child support under the 21% provision only when he received bonuses or other income as defined by the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines. If he did not receive such income, he was not obligated to pay child support under the 21% provision. Accordingly, Mr. Kesser's loss of employment and his period of unemployment do not constitute changed circumstances justifying a downward modification of child support due pursuant to the 21% provision. Furthermore, Mr. Kesser is not entitled to a downward modification of his child support obligation under the 21% provision due to his visitation time with the parties' child. The Guidelines provide for a deviation where physical custody of the child is more equally divided between the parties than occurs in a situation where one party has an average amount of overnight visitation. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs., ch. 1240-2-4-.04(2)(b) (1997). Mr. Kesser's visitation time with the parties' child is greater than the visitation time contemplated under the Guidelines. See Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs., ch. 1240-2-4-.02(6) (1994), -.04(1)(b) (1997). The parties, however, agreed to this visitation schedule in the MDA. Accordingly, circumstances regarding visitation have not changed as to warrant modification of the 21% provision. Similarly, a change in the law, standing alone, is not a change in circumstances that would justify the modification of an MDA. See, e.g., Tronco v. Crosley, 827 S.W.2d 802, 803 (Tenn.Ct.App.1991) (holding that the enactment of the statute establishing the use of the Guidelines does not constitute a substantial and material change in circumstances justifying the modification of an existing child support order). When a change in circumstances is shown, however, the Guidelines and the child support statute in effect at the time of the hearing should be applied. [5]