by MatthewPitts
23. October 2009 02:59
In my continuing review of the newly amended child support laws now in effect in the State of Washington, I continue to be pleasantly suprised. As I was researching for another project, I was happy to see the legislature had addressed a serious concern regarding child support limits.
A parent's child support obligation remains limited to 45 percent of his income, but the legislature added extra language to the statute which will greatly benefit parent's with multiple support obligations. There has been confusion regarding child support calculation when a parent has to pay support for multiple children from different relationships. The typical person affected by this scenario is an unmarried father with multiple children from different relationships.
Of course there are additional considerations, but the statute now includes the following language: "Neither parent's child support obligation owed for all his or her biological or legal children may exceed forty-five percent of net income except for good cause shown." Wash. Rev. Code 26.19.065
Some courts have been applying this logic all along. However, Washington DCS has used the "Whole Family Method" which has been largely inefficient. It is good to see that the legislature is considering the severe financial hardship that multiple child support orders can cause.
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