virginia’s child support guidelines - division...
TRANSCRIPT
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Child Support Guideline Panel Meeting
September 15, 2010
VIRGINIA’S CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES
Craig M. BurshemSenior Assistant Attorney General
Child Support Section ChiefOffice of the Attorney [email protected]
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The Beginning
Virginia’s child support guidelines were enacted in 1988 in response to federal requirements.
(Va. Code Ann. § 20‐108.2) 2
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The Beginning
The original obligation amounts
used in the guideline schedule were based on economic data
from the 1970s.
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Changes to Guidelines
Although there have been some changes to the guidelines since their
inception, Virginia has never updated the actual obligation amounts.
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Changes to Guidelines
•
1 of only 8 states never to have updated and
revised original guideline schedule
•
Guidelines do not reflect current cost of raising
children
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1995 Panel Changes
Codified $65 per month minimum obligation
Allowed imputation of income in certain situations
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1999 Panel Changes
Allowed self‐employed persons a reduction in
gross income of 1/2 the self‐employment tax (passed in 2002)
Allowed deduction for parent already supporting
children not the subject of the proceeding (passed in 2001)
Removed requirement for adding recurring
unreimbursed medical expenses to obligation
Medical costs allocated according to income
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1999 Panel Changes (cont’d)
Clarified status of $65 minimum monthly obligation
Considered treatment of spousal support when
determining child support Included dental care
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2002 Panel Changes
Disallowed including income from overtime or 2nd
job taken for purpose
of paying arrears (passed in 2004)
Custodial parent must pay first $250 in unreimbursed medical expenses
per year, but expenses over $250 allocated according to income shares
(passed in 2004)
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2002 Panel Changes (cont’d)
The Panel recommended changes to the guideline amounts based on
newer economic data, but legislation was not enacted at that time.
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2005 & 2009 Panel Changes
Clarified several deviation factors in § 20‐108.1 (2005)
Pre‐TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families)
arrearages to be paid to family first (2009)
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How are guidelines formulated?
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Basis of Guidelines
Federal law allows states to choose their guideline model, but method must:
•
Be based on specific descriptive & numeric criteria
•
Take all earnings & income of the noncustodial parent into consideration
•
Provide for the child’s health care needs
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Economic Methodologies
Several economists have developed estimates
on child‐rearing costs.
These estimates have been used to develop
various child support guideline models.
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Economic Methodologies – Van der Gaag Estimates
Determined that a couple with 1 child needs 25% more gross income to
maintain pre‐child standard of living
As of 2008, used as the basis of guidelines for 5 states
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Economic Methodologies – Espenshade‐Engel Estimates
Basis of original Income Shares Model developed by the National Child Support
Guidelines Project in mid‐1980s.
Espenshade used Engel’s methodology to determine that families spent $58,000 ‐
$138,000 in 1981 dollars to raise a child from birth to age 18
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Economic Methodologies – Espenshade‐Engel Estimates
Engel used the difference in total expenditures
between two equally “well‐off”
couples – one
with children, the other of child‐bearing age without children – as the measure of the cost of raising the
children.17
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Economic Methodologies – Espenshade‐Engel Estimates
To determine whether 2 families were equally well‐off,
Engel measured how much each spent on food.
2 families are equally well‐off if they spend an equal
percentage of their total expenditures on food.
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Economic Methodologies – Espenshade‐Engel Estimates
Once 2 families are determined to be equally well‐off, the difference
between their total expenditures represents the child‐rearing costs of
the family with children.
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Economic Methodologies – Espenshade‐Engel Estimates
Currently the basis of 7 state guidelines
Virginia’s Income Shares guideline is based on
Espenshade‐Engel estimates
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Economic Methodologies – Betson‐Rothbarth
Betson based his first estimates on Rothbarth’s 1990 methodology.
Rothbarth assumed that if 2 couples – one with children, one of child‐bearing age
without children – spend an equal percentage of their total expenditures on
adult goods, the families are equally well‐ off.
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Economic Methodologies – Betson‐Rothbarth
Once 2 families are deemed equally well off, the difference between their total
expenditures represents the child‐rearing costs for the family with children.
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Economic Methodologies – Betson‐Rothbarth
Betson has updated his estimates twice since 1990:
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2001 –updated economic data
•
2006 –updated economic data, larger sample size & more economic cycles
Most states with Betson‐Rothbarth data as the basis of their guidelines use the 2001 version.
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Economic Methodologies – Betson‐Rothbarth
About 20 states originally based guidelines on Espenshade‐Engel.
Several states that updated guidelines after 1990 switched to Betson‐Rothbarth, largely
because Rothbarth estimates produced least price‐sticker shock to existing
guideline amounts.
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Economic Methodologies – Betson‐Rothbarth
•
Recommended by many economists.
•
Most recent, authoritative estimates available.
•
Basis of most state guidelines that rely on the Income
Shares model.
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Other Methodologies
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Georgia’s guideline uses an average of Betson‐Rothbarth and Betson‐Engel estimates.
•
Minnesota uses USDA estimates.
•
Kansas uses per capita estimates adjusted for routine
parenting time.
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Other Methodologies
In a few states, the economic basis for the guidelines is unknown or is based on a combination of other factors.27
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Guidelines Models
3 basic guidelines models:•
Percentage of Obligor Income
•
Melson Formula•
Income Shares
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Income Shares (37 States) Percentage of Obligor Income (11 States) Melson Formula (3 states)
Exhibit 4.1. State Usage of Child Support Guidelines Models
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Guidelines Models – Percentage of Obligor Income
Bases child support award solely on
noncustodial parent’s income without taking custodial parent’s
income into account
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Guidelines Models – Melson Formula
Developed by Delaware judgeAssumes •
parents should be allowed to meet
their own basic needs first•
children should also have basic
needs accounted for•
parents should share income
increases with children31
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Guidelines Models – Income Shares
Most states, including Virginia, base their guidelines on the Income Shares Model.
Basic Premise: children are entitled to the same level of expenditures they would
have received if their parents lived together and combined finances.
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Guidelines Models ‐ Income Shares
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Economic foundation is a measurement of how much families
expend on child rearing
•
Measurements come from estimates of child‐rearing
expenditures reported by the Consumer Expenditures Survey
(CES) 33
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Principles of Income Shares
1.
Both parents share in financial support of their children & responsibility should be
divided in proportion to their incomes.
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Principles of Income Shares
2.
Subsistence needs of both parents should be considered,
but there should be virtually no cases where an obligation is set at $0.
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Principles of Income Shares
3.
Child support must first cover a child’s basic
needs, but if either parent has a higher standard of living, child
is entitled to share in higher standard.
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Principles of Income Shares
4.
Each of a parent’s children has the right to a share of that parent’s income.
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Principles of Income Shares
Guidelines should:
5.
Treat children of separated, divorced and never‐married children equally.
6.
Consider both parents’
involvement in raising the child.
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Principles of Income Shares
Guidelines should not:
7.
Assume custodial parent is the mother or the father.
8.
Create an economic disincentive to work or remarry.
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What’s Next?
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Next Steps
1. Commission Economic StudyBecause Virginia’s guidelines are
based on such outdated economic data, the Division asks the Child
Support Guideline Panel to commission an economic study and
update the guideline schedule.
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Next StepsIn 2008, the Center for Policy
Research (CPR) completed an update of the Maryland child support guidelines.
CPR’s report provides comprehensive technical
and economic documentation.
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Next Steps
We recommend hiring CPR to conduct a similar study for Virginia
with input from a Virginia‐based economist.
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Next Steps
Use CPR as a sole‐source rather than issuing an RFP.
Only a handful of people in the U.S. do this kind of work.
In addition to Maryland, CPR has recently completed studies for
California, Arizona, and D.C.
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Next Steps
2. Create a committee of
diverse stakeholders, i.e.:
• Judges
• Family law attorneys
• Division representatives
• Custodial & noncustodial
parents
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Next Steps
3. Consider Policy QuestionsDuring the process, the Panel may have
to make decisions about policy issues that arise.
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Potential Policy Issues
Some examples:
Keep the Income Shares Model or use something different?
Include a self‐support reserve?Regionalize figures to account for
disparity in income and cost of living in different parts of the state?
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Questions
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The End