Opinion ID: 1867600
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: modification of base child support orders

Text: The modification of court-ordered base child support is governed by section 36-5-101(g), [5] Tennessee Code Annotated (2005), which provides: (1) Upon application of either party, the court shall decree an increase or decrease of support when there is found to be a significant variance, as defined in the child support guidelines established by subsection (e), between the guidelines and the amount of support currently ordered unless the variance has resulted from a previously court-ordered deviation from the guidelines and the circumstances which caused the deviation have not changed. (2) The necessity to provide for the child's health care needs shall also be a basis for modification of the amount of the order, regardless of whether a modification in the amount of child support is necessary. The Child Support Guidelines in effect at the time of the hearing in this case provided: For purposes of defining a significant variance between the guideline amount and the current support order pursuant to TCA § 36-5-101, a significant variance shall be at least 15% if the current support is one hundred dollars ($100.00) or greater per month and at least fifteen dollars ($15.00) if the current support is less than $100.00 per month. Such variance would justify modification of a child support order unless, in situations where a downward modification is sought, the obligor is willfully and voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. Upon a petition for adjustment by either party, the court shall increase or decrease the award amount as appropriate in accordance with these guidelines unless the significant variance occurs due to a previous decision of the court to deviate from the guidelines and the circumstances which caused the deviation have not changed. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-2-4-.02(3) (October 1997). [6] As the Court of Appeals has noted, the significant variance standard has replaced the substantial and material change in circumstances standard previously applied to cases involving modifications of court-ordered child support. [7] Turner v. Turner, 919 S.W.2d 340, 342-43 (Tenn.Ct.App.1995). As the intermediate court wrote in another case, the correct inquiry in a child support modification matter is not whether there is a material change of circumstances but whether there is a `significant variance' between the current obligation and the obligation set by the Guidelines. Huntley v. Huntley, 61 S.W.3d 329, 335 (Tenn.Ct.App.2001). Mr. Bugalla argues that, under section 36-5-101(g)(1) and the cases cited in the previous paragraph, Ms. Kaplan must first prove a significant variance before the court can modify his child support obligation. Ms. Kaplan argues in response that she does not need to prove a significant variance because her requested modification involves extraordinary educational expenses. For the reasons stated below, we agree with Ms. Kaplan's argument. Section 36-5-101(g) authorizes a modification of child support when there is found to be a significant variance, as defined in the child support guidelines established by subsection (e), between the guidelines and the amount of support currently ordered[.] Tenn.Code Ann. § 36-5-101(g)(1) (emphasis added). The Guidelines, in turn, provide that a significant variance is determined by comparing the guideline amount and the current support order[.] Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-2-4-.02(3) (October 1997) (emphasis added). From the context of both the statute and the Child Support Guidelines, it is clear that the terms between the guidelines (used in the statute) and the guidelines amount (used in the Guidelines defining significant variance) refer to the minimum base child support calculated based upon a percentage of the obligor's net income. [8] See Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-2-4-.02(5) (October 1997) (stating, [t]hese guidelines are a minimum base for determining child support obligations. Factors justifying upward adjustments include expenses for health insurance coverage for the child ..., less than average overnight visitation being exercised by the parent paying support ..., extraordinary educational expenses, extraordinary medical expenses ..., and the like.) (emphasis added); and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-2-4-.03 (Guidelines for Calculating Child Support Awards) (October 1997). In other words, the guideline amount does not include an increase in the total award ordered pursuant to Rule 1240-2-4-.04 (Criteria for Deviation from Guidelines) (October 1997). We conclude that the significant variance provision in section 36-5-101(g)(1) pertains only to a modification of the minimum base child support calculated under the Guidelines and not to a modification for payment of extraordinary educational expenses.