New Equations for Calculating Child Support and Spousal Maintenance with Discussion on Child Support Guidelines

Child support formulae used in all states provide a rigid mathematical approach for calculating awards. But, do these formulae provide a hidden margin of spousal maintenance? A new equation for distinguishing between child support and spousal maintenance is presented in this paper. Analysis shows that there are natural limits to the effectiveness of child support transfer payments for improving the economic well-being of children. This is an important breakthrough for those who design and evaluate child support guidelines, for attorneys engaged in family law, and in discussion of child support as part of welfare reform. Adjustment to the theoretical upper limit to account for individual circumstances and a theoretical lower limit are also discussed. Application of the equal duty principle leads to the conclusion that the adjusted upper limit is the award level that is just and appropriate. Higher or lower awards result in disproportionate sharing of the financial cost of raising children. Additional equations are given for calculating child support and spousal maintenance to reach a standard of living target for an entire household