HB 2208 -- Child Support

Sponsor:  Meadows

This bill changes the laws regarding child support.  In its main
provisions, the bill:

(1)  Specifies that the Missouri Supreme Court's child support
guidelines, commonly known as Form 14, must require documentation
to verify the income of the parties for the initial order of
support and for any modification of the order including current
wage stubs, a current W-2 form, statements from the party's
employer, a wage match with the Division of Employment Security
within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and bank
statements;

(2)  Prohibits an award of child support when:

(a)  Both parents sign an agreement requesting the court not to
award child support and to award joint physical custody resulting
in the child or children spending equal or substantially equal
time with both parents;

(b)  The difference in verified incomes of the parents is less
than 25%; and

(c)  A finding has been made that the joint custody and award of
no child support is in the best interest of the child;

(3)  Requires the court to award child support in an amount that
provides up to a 50% adjustment below the basic child support
amount authorized by the guidelines for custody awards of
children spending equal or substantially equal time with both
parents if the parents do not agree on an award of no child
support but meet all of the other requirements; and

(4)  Requires the Missouri Supreme Court to amend the guidelines
to reflect the ability to obtain up to a 50% adjustment for joint
custody.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:13 pm