Utah Code § 81-6-209

Current through the 2024 Fourth Special Session
Section 81-6-209 - Requirements for a child support order regarding child care costs and expenses - Actual expenses for child care
(1) The court or administrative agency shall require in a child support order that each parent share equally the reasonable work-related child care expenses of the parents.
(2)
(a) If an actual expense for child care is incurred, a parent shall begin paying the parent's share on a monthly basis immediately upon presentation of proof of the child care expense.
(b) If the child care expense ceases to be incurred, the parent may suspend making monthly payment of that expense, while the expense is not being incurred, without obtaining a modification of the child support order.
(c)
(i) In the absence of a court order to the contrary, a parent who incurs child care expense shall provide written verification of the cost and identity of a child care provider to the other parent upon initial engagement of a provider and thereafter on the request of the other parent.
(ii) In the absence of a court order to the contrary, the parent shall notify the other parent of any change of child care provider or the monthly expense of child care within 30 calendar days after the day on which the change occurred.
(3) The court may deny a parent incurring child care expenses the right to receive credit for the expenses or to recover the other parent's share of the expenses if the parent incurring the expenses fails to comply with Subsection (2)(c).
(4)
(a) The court or administrative agency shall presume that child care costs should be included in a child support order if a parent, during extended parent-time, is working and actually incurring the child care costs.
(b) The presumption under Subsection (4)(a) is rebutted if:
(i) the obligor's base child support award, in combination with the award of medical expenses, exceeds 50% of the obligor's adjusted gross income; or
(ii) by adding the child care costs, the obligor's child support obligation would exceed 50% of the obligor's adjusted gross income.
(5)
(a) The court or administrative agency may award child care costs on a case-by-case basis if the child care costs are related to the career and occupational training of the custodial parent or the child care costs would be in the interest of justice.
(b) The court or administrative agency may assign financial responsibility in a child support order for all or a portion of child care expenses incurred on behalf of a child due to the employment or training of the custodial parent.
(6)
(a) The court or administrative agency may impute a monthly obligation for child care costs when the court imputes income to a parent who is providing child care for the child so that the parties are not incurring child care costs for the child.
(b) The court shall apply any monthly obligation imputed under Subsection (6)(a) towards any actual child care costs incurred within the same month for the child.

Utah Code § 81-6-209

Renumbered from § 78B-12-214 and amended by Chapter 366, 2024 General Session ,§ 156, eff. 9/1/2024.
Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session.