Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 1240 - Human Services
Subtitle 1240-02 - Child Support Services Division
Chapter 1240-02-04 - Child Support Guidelines
Section 1240-02-04-.07 - DEVIATIONS FROM THE CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES

Universal Citation: TN Comp Rules and Regs 1240-02-04-.07

Current through September 24, 2024

(1) Consideration of the Child's Best Interests; Written Findings to Support the Deviation.

(a) The amounts of support established by these Guidelines are rebuttable.

(b) The tribunal may order as a deviation an amount of support different from the amount of the presumptive child support order if the deviation complies with the requirements of this paragraph (1) and with this chapter. The amount or method of such deviation is within the discretion of the tribunal provided, however, the tribunal must state in its order the basis for the deviation and the amount the child support order would have been without the deviation. In deviating from the Guidelines, primary consideration must be given to the best interest of the child for whom support under these Guidelines is being determined.

(c) When ordering a deviation from the presumptive amount of child support established by the Guidelines, the tribunal's order shall contain written findings of fact stating:
1. The reasons for the change or deviation from the presumptive amount of child support that would have been paid pursuant to the Guidelines; and

2. The amount of child support that would have been required under the Guidelines if the presumptive amount had not been rebutted; and

3. How, in its determination,
(i) Application of the Guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in the particular case before the tribunal; and

(ii) The best interests of the child for whom support is being determined will be served by deviation from the presumptive guideline amount.

(d) No deviation in the amount of the child support obligation shall be made which seriously impairs the ability of the PRP in the case under consideration to maintain minimally adequate housing, food, and clothing for the children being supported by the order and/or to provide other basic necessities, as determined by the court.

(2) Deviation from the Guidelines may be appropriate for reasons in addition to those previously established in 1240-02-04-.01 - .06 when the tribunal finds it is in the best interest of the child, in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (1) above and the following procedures:

(a) Consideration of Needs of the Children and Income and Expenses of the Parents for Purposes of Deviation.
1. In making its determination regarding a request for deviation pursuant to this chapter, the tribunal shall consider all available income of the parents as defined by this chapter and shall make a written finding that an amount of child support other than the amount calculated under the Guidelines is reasonably necessary to provide for the needs of the minor child or children for whom support is being determined in the case immediately under consideration.

2. If the circumstances that supported the deviation cease to exist, the child support order may be modified to eliminate the deviation irrespective of compliance with the significant variance requirement of 1240-02-04-.05.

(b) In cases where the child is in the legal custody of the Department of Children's Services, the child protection or foster care agency of another state or territory, or any other child-caring entity, public or private, the tribunal may consider a deviation from the Presumptive Child Support Order (PCSO) if the deviation will assist in accomplishing a permanency plan or foster care plan for the child that has a goal of returning the child to the parent(s), and the parent's need to establish an adequate household or to otherwise adequately prepare herself or himself for the return of the child clearly justifies a deviation for this purpose. At the tribunal's discretion, an initial order may be established by the Department of Children's Services without the necessity of a Worksheet.

(c) If parenting time-related travel expenses are substantial due to the distance between the parents, the tribunal may order the allocation of such costs by deviation from the PCSO, taking into consideration the circumstances of the respective parties as well as which parent moved and the reason that the move was made.

(d) Extraordinary Expenses.

The Schedule includes average child rearing expenditures for families based upon the parents' monthly combined income and number of children. Extraordinary expenses are in excess of these average amounts and are highly variable among families. For these reasons, extraordinary expenses are considered on a case-by-case basis in the calculation of support and are added to the basic support award as a deviation so that the actual amount of the expense is considered in the calculation of the final child support order for only those families actually incurring the expense. These expenses may be, but are not required to be, divided between the parents according to each parent's PI.

1. Extraordinary Educational Expenses.
(i) Extraordinary educational expenses may be added to the presumptive child support as a deviation. Extraordinary educational expenses include, but are not limited to, tuition, room and board, lab fees, books, fees, and other reasonable and necessary expenses associated with special needs education or private elementary and/or secondary schooling that are appropriate to the parents' financial abilities and to the lifestyle of the child if the parents and child were living together.

(ii) In determining the amount of deviation for extraordinary educational expenses, scholarships, grants, stipends, and other cost-reducing programs received by or on behalf of the child shall be considered.

(iii) If a deviation is allowed for extraordinary educational expenses, a monthly average of these expenses shall be based on evidence of prior or anticipated expenses and entered on the Worksheet in the deviation section.

2. Special Expenses.
(i) Special expenses incurred for child rearing which can be quantified may be added to the child support obligation as a deviation from the PCSO. Such expenses include, but are not limited to, summer camp, music or art lessons, travel, school-sponsored extra-curricular activities, such as band, clubs, and athletics, and other activities intended to enhance the athletic, social or cultural development of a child, but that are not otherwise required to be used in calculating the child support order as are health insurance premiums and work-related childcare costs.

(ii) A portion of the basic child support obligation is intended to cover average amounts of these special expenses incurred in the rearing of a child. When this category of expenses exceeds seven percent (7%) of the monthly BCSO, then the tribunal shall consider additional amounts of support as a deviation to cover the full amount of these special expenses.

(e) In instances of extreme economic hardship, such as in cases involving extraordinary medical needs not covered by insurance or other extraordinary special needs for the child of a parent's current family [child living in the home with the parent for whom the parent is legally responsible], deviation from the Guidelines may be considered when the tribunal finds the deviation supported by the criteria of 1240-02-04-.07(1). In such cases, the tribunal must consider all resources available for meeting such needs, including those available from agencies and other adults.

(f) Unless all gross income is exempt, the tribunal must order a basic support obligation. See Rule 1240-02-04-.03(4)(a) 4.

(g) Statutory Limitation on the Child Support Obligation - Rebuttal and Deviation.
1. When the presumptive child support order exceeds the amount found by multiplying a net income of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) by the percentages set out below, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-5-101(e)(1)(B), a PRP seeking support in excess of the amount provided by the applicable percentage must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that more than this amount is reasonably necessary to provide for the needs of the child.

The percentages are:

(i) One child = Twenty-one percent (21%), [or two thousand one hundred dollars ($2100)];

(ii) Two children = Thirty-two percent (32%), [or three thousand two hundred dollars ($3200)];

(iii) Three children = Forty-one percent (41%), [or four thousand one hundred dollars ($4100)];

(iv) Four children = Forty-six percent (46%), [or four thousand six hundred dollars ($4600)]; and

(v) Five or more children = Fifty percent (50%), [or five thousand dollars ($5000)]

2. Application of Statutory Threshold to Child Support Determination.
(i) If the PCSO calculated under these rules exceeds the amount specified above for the number of children for whom support is being calculated, then the amount of the PCSO shall be limited to the amount specified above for the number of children for whom support is being calculated, absent the rebuttal provided for in part 1.

(ii) If the PRP proves the need for support in excess of the amount provided for in part 1., the tribunal shall add an appropriate amount to the PCSO of the ARP as a deviation.

(iii) The court may require that sums paid pursuant to this subparagraph be placed in an educational or other trust fund for the benefit of the child.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 36-5-101(e), 71-1-105(a)(12) and (15), and 71-1-132, 42 U.S.C. § 667; and 45 C.F.R. § 302.56.

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