Determination of support amount - General instructions

1. Except as provided in section 75-02-04.1-08.2, calculations of child support obligations provided for under this chapter consider and assume that one parent acts as a primary caregiver and the other parent contributes a payment of child support to the child's care. Calculation of a child support obligation under section 75-02-04.1-08.2 does not preclude a court from apportioning specific expenses related to the care of the child, such as child care expenses and school activity fees, between the parents. An apportionment under this subsection is in addition to the child support amount determined by application of this chapter. 2. Calculations assume that the care given to the child during temporary periods when the child resides with the obligor or the obligor's relatives do not substitute for the child support obligation. 3. Net income received by an obligor from all sources must be considered in the determination of available money for child support. 4. The result of all calculations which determine a monetary amount ending in fifty cents or more must be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar, and must otherwise be rounded down to the nearest whole dollar. 5. In applying the child support guidelines, an obligor's monthly net income amount ending in fifty dollars or more must be rounded up to the nearest one hundred dollars, and must otherwise be rounded down to the nearest one hundred dollars. 6. The annual total of all income considered in determining a child support obligation must be determined and then divided by twelve in order to determine the obligor's monthly net income. 7. Income must be sufficiently documented through the use of tax returns, current wage statements, and other information to fully apprise the court of all gross income. Where gross income is subject to fluctuation, regardless of whether the obligor is employed or self-employed, information reflecting and covering a period of time sufficient to reveal the likely extent of fluctuations, not to exceed five years, must be provided. 8. Calculations made under this chapter are ordinarily based upon recent past circumstances because past circumstances are typically a reliable indicator of future circumstances, particularly circumstances concerning income. If circumstances that materially affect the child support obligation have changed in the recent past or are very likely to change in the near future, consideration may be given to the new or likely future circumstances. 9. Each child support order must include a statement of the net income of the obligor used to determine the child support obligation, and how that net income was determined. 10. A payment of children's benefits made to or on behalf of a child who is not living with the obligor must be credited as a payment toward the obligor's child support obligation in the month (or other period) the payment is intended to cover, but may not be credited as a payment toward the child support obligation for any other month or period. The court may order the obligee to reimburse the obligor for any overpayment that results from the credit provided in this subsection. 11. No amount may be deducted to determine net income unless that amount is included in gross income.