| Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development News Release | |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, December 30, 2003 Governor Jim Doyle Secretary Roberta Gassman |
News Media Contact Rose Lynch 608/266-6753 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784 |
Madison – Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman announced today new changes to child support guidelines which may be used by the court system to determine child support amounts. These optional changes take effect January 1, 2004.
The changes, outlined in Administrative Rule DWD 40, are based on the principle that both parents are responsible for supporting their children, including those who live together and those who do not. The new guidelines may be used at the family court’s discretion and may affect cases in which: the children live with each parent at least 25% of the time; the paying parent is not able to earn at least $950 per month; or, the paying parent earns above $84,000 per year.
"Wisconsin is a national leader in collecting child support payments, which is very much tied to the well-being of children and families," said Secretary Roberta Gassman.
The revisions create guidelines that respond to today’s realities. The new guidelines can better serve Wisconsin families by giving the family courts additional options for establishing support payment amounts. Under these guidelines and based on the new formulas, all parents will be supporting their children to the extent possible. Wisconsin’s high national ranking in collecting child support payments, indicates that Wisconsin parents take their financial responsibilities to their children seriously.
The revisions to the guidelines may be applied by the family court as new cases come before the court or as existing cases are reviewed during the standard family court review process. The revisions will not immediately affect previously determined cases.
The new guidelines in Administrative Rule DWD 40 are optional. The family court may use the new guidelines or the current, standard guidelines to determine support amounts in specific cases; or may establish a support amount based on the individual case. The standard guidelines, based on a percentage of the paying parents’ gross income and the number of children, have not changed.
The changes came about after months of study and input from child support advocacy groups, legislators and the child support community. The guidelines are in the Administrative Rule DWD 40 – Child Support Percentage of Income Standard at http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/bcs/pubs/chapter.htm.
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