Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-99.4
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 10, November 13, 2024
Rule 441-99.4 - Applying the guidelines(1)Applying the guidelines. The child support recovery unit shall use the child support guidelines schedule as prescribed by the Iowa Supreme Court only for the number of children for whom support is being sought sharing the same two legal parents. Exception: For foster care recovery cases, the guidelines schedule shall be used as set forth in subrule 99.5(4).
(2)Establishing current support.a.Calculation. The child support recovery unit shall calculate the amount of support as prescribed by the Iowa Supreme Court guidelines. Round amount of support to the nearest whole dollar.b.Additional factors.(1) In all cases other than foster care, CSRU shall establish current support payable in monthly frequencies.(2) In foster care cases, CSRU may establish current support payable in monthly or weekly frequencies. To establish a weekly amount, CSRU shall divide the figure in paragraph 99.4(2)"a" by 4.33 and round to the nearest whole dollar.(3) If the court orders joint (equally shared) physical care of a child or split or divided physical care of multiple children, the unit shall calculate current support according to the Iowa Supreme Court guidelines for each parent assuming the other is the custodial parent. If a child begins receiving family investment program (FIP) benefits or if foster care funds are expended, an offset of the two amounts as a method of payment shall be disallowed.(4) The amount of support shall be zero if the noncustodial parent's only income is Supplemental Security Income paid pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1381a.(3)Establishing accrued support debt amount.a. Support debt created. The payment of public assistance to or for the benefit of a dependent child or a dependent child's caretaker creates an accrued support debt due and owing by the child's parent to the department. The amount of the accrued support debt is based on the period of time public assistance payment or foster care funds were expended, but is not created for the period of receipt of public assistance on the parent's own behalf for the benefit of the dependent child or the child's caretaker.b. Calculating accrued support debt. CSRU shall calculate the accrued support debt as follows: (1) For Family Investment Program (FIP) benefits, CSRU shall use the period for which FIP was paid during the 36 months preceding the date the notice of support debt is prepared or the date the petition is filed. For foster care assistance, CSRU shall use the three-month period for which foster care assistance was paid prior to the date the initial notice to the noncustodial parent of the amount of support obligation is prepared, or the date a written request for a court hearing is received, whichever is earlier.(2) CSRU shall exclude periods the noncustodial parent received public assistance as a part of this eligible group.(3) CSRU may extend the period to include any additional periods public assistance is expended prior to the entry of the order.(4) CSRU shall calculate the amount of the obligation by using the current net income of both parents, the guidelines in effect at the time the order is entered, and the number of children of the noncustodial parent who were receiving public assistance for each month for which accrued support is sought.(5) CSRU shall calculate the total amount of the FIP support debt by multiplying the number of months for which assistance was paid times the determined guidelines amount.(6) CSRU may calculate the total amount of the foster care support debt by multiplying the number of months for which assistance was paid times the determined guidelines amount and shall adjust this amount for weeks in which no foster care benefits were paid.c. Establishing the accrued support repayment amount.(1) In cases other than foster care, CSRU shall establish the repayment amount as follows: 1. When there is an ongoing obligation, the monthly repayment amount shall be 10 percent of the ongoing amount unless the noncustodial parent agrees to a higher amount.2. When the order does not include ongoing support, the monthly repayment amount shall be the same as the amount for ongoing support which would have been due if such an obligation had been established. However, when all of the children for whom accrued support debt is sought are residing with the noncustodial parent, the monthly repayment amount shall be set at 10 percent of this amount.(2) In foster care cases, CSRU shall establish the repayment amount in the same manner as subparagraph (1), but may establish weekly amounts and if the order does not include ongoing support, the repayment amount shall be set at 10 percent of the amount for ongoing support which would have been due if such an obligation had been established.(4)Children in nonparental homes or foster care. The parents of a child in a nonparental home or in foster care are severally liable for the support of the child. A support obligation shall be established separately for each parent. a. Parents' location known. When the location is known for both parents having a legal obligation to provide support for their children, the income of both parents shall be used to determine the amount of ongoing support in accordance with the child support guidelines. (1) Calculating support amount. There shall be a separate calculation of each parent's child support amount, regardless of whether the parents are married and living together, or living separately. Each calculation shall assume that the parent for whom support is being calculated is the noncustodial parent and the other parent is the custodial parent.(2) Prior orders. If only one parent is paying support under a prior order for the children for whom support is being calculated, the amount of support paid shall not be deducted from that parent's net monthly income in computing the support amount for the other parent.b. One parent's location unknown. When the location of one parent is not known, procedures shall be initiated to establish a support order against the parent whose location is known in accordance with the mandatory support guidelines as follows:(1) The parent whose location is known shall be considered the noncustodial parent and that parent's income shall be used to calculate child support.(2) The income of the parent whose location is unknown shall be determined by using the estimated median income for parents on the CSRU caseload and that parent shall be considered the custodial parent in calculating child support.c. When one parent is deceased or has had parental rights terminated, the method used to calculate support when one parent's location is not known shall be used. The parent who is deceased or has had parental rights terminated shall be considered the custodial parent with zero income.(5)Adjustment for extraordinary visitation or parenting time. CSRU shall calculate an extraordinary visitation or parenting time credit as specified in the Iowa Supreme Court guidelines. The credit shall not reduce the child support below the amount required by the Iowa Supreme Court guidelines. The extraordinary visitation adjustment or parenting time credit shall be given if all of the following apply:
a. There is an existing order for the noncustodial parent that meets the criteria for extraordinary visitation or parenting time in excess of 127 overnights per year on an annual basis for the child for whom support is sought. The order granting visitation or parenting time can be a different order than the child support order. If a controlling order is determined pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 252K and that controlling support order does not meet the criteria for extraordinary visitation or parenting time, there is another order that meets the criteria.b. The noncustodial parent has provided CSRU with a file-stamped or certified copy of the order.c. The court has not ordered equally shared physical care.(6)Establishing medical support. The child support recovery unit shall calculate medical support as required by Iowa Code chapter 252E and the Iowa Supreme Court guidelines. The cost of the health insurance premium for the child is added to the basic support obligation and prorated between the parents as provided in the Iowa Supreme Court guidelines, and the parent ordered to provide health insurance must provide verification of this expense or anticipated expense.Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-99.4
ARC 1357C, IAB 3/5/2014, effective 5/1/2014Amended by IAB September 8, 2021/Volume XLIV, Number 5, effective 1/1/2022