Opinion ID: 1315900
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Childcare costs

Text: Mother introduced evidence she was paying monthly childcare costs of $420.00 for the two younger children. The family court noted Mother had incurred a substantial increase in childcare costs, which were originally calculated at $130.00 per month in the 1996 divorce decree, [9] but denied an increase in child support. The only reason given for this denial is that Mother's own mother is not working, lives close by, and admittedly cares for the children at times. Mother testified her mother was receiving Social Security disability checks for crippling arthritis and could not handle the children. Further, there is no obligation that a grandparent provide free childcare. The family court's conclusion that these costs were avoidable is unsupported by the evidence. Under the Child Support Guidelines, based on Father's increased income discussed in Issue 1 above, factoring in Mother's increased childcare in the amount of $420.00, and allowing an offset for Father's monthly insurance premium of $65.00, the child support owed by Father would be $953.00 monthly, a total increase of $275.00 over the amount he is presently obligated to pay. Mother's increased childcare costs substantially affect the calculation of Father's child support obligation under the guidelines. Accordingly, we direct the family court to consider these increased costs in recalculating child support.