The California Family Code (4055) provides the equations for the determination of child support awards and represents the state's Child Support Guideline.

The following analysis will show that the shared parent (50% custody) who earns a monthly net income between $1,000 and $6,000, will be forced to pay 19% of net income for 1 child, 30% for 2, 38% for 3, and 43% for 4 to the parent who is unemployed.

Shared parenting may not be enough to deny California a court ordered cash flow that allows them to reap a false profit.

Analysis

To determine the percentage of net income that the noncustodial parent (NCP) will be forced to pay to the custodial parent (CP) in California, the following data must be known

The plots that follow show multipliers K1, K2, K3, and K4 that are referenced in CAFC 4055. The percent of net income that will be demanded of the NCP is calculated by multiplying K1 * K2 * K3 * K4.

• K1 shows the multiplier increasing from 1.0 to 1.5 as the percent of NCP custody increases to 50%, and then decreases from 1.5 to 1.0 as the percent of NCP custody increases to 100%.
• K2 shows the multiplier increasing from 0.20 to 0.25 as total monthly net income increases from $0 to $1,000 and then remains at 0.25 from $1,000 to $6,000. and then strangely decreases to 0.14 for $20,000
• K3 shows the multiplier increasing from 1.00 to 2.86 as the number of children increases from 1 to 10.
• K4 shows the multiplier decreasing from 1 to 0 as percent of NCP custody increases.(CP income = 0% of NCP income), and decreasing from 1 to -1 as percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 100% of NCP income).

The plots that follow also show the percentage of NCP net income that will be demanded by the California state child support guideline regarding 1, 2, 3, and 4 children with parent's total net monthly income between $1,000 ($12,000 per year) and $6,000 ($72,000 per year). Each plot shows CP income varying from 0% to 100% of NCP income.

• 1 Kid shows NCP paying 25% to 0% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 0% of NCP income), and 25% to -25% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 100% of NCP income).
• 2 Kids shows NCP paying 40% to 0% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 0% of NCP income), and 40% to -40% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 100% of NCP income).
• 3 Kids shows NCP paying 50% to 0% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 0% of NCP income), and 50% to -50% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 100% of NCP income).
• 4 Kids shows NCP paying 58% to 0% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 0% of NCP income), and 58% to -58% as the percent of NCP custody increases (CP income = 100% of NCP income).

Conclusions

The NCP is forced to pay alimony that varies with CP income.

The following conclusions assume parent's total monthly net income between $1,000 ($12,000 per year) and $6,000 ($72,000 per year).

• An NCP with 0% custody will be forced to pay 25% of net income for 1 child, 40% for 2, 50% for 3, and 58% for 4, regardless of the CP's income.
• A parent with 50% custody will be forced to pay 19% of net income for 1 child, 30% for 2, 38% for 3, and 43% for 4 if the dependent parent is unemployed.
• Mandatory shared parenting in California would only reduce the employed parent's child support payment by 6% for 1 child, 10% for 2, 12% for 3, and 15% for 4 if the dependent parent is unemployed.

Jim Untershine