Our eFamilyTools Family Law software suite has been updated to version 24!  The latest version provides the Kansas Child Support Calculator (version 24.0.0) which supports the latest Kansas Child Support Guidelines, per order 2023-RL-080.  We've also published some Blog Posts dissecting some of the detailed changes in the guidelines for 2024.  Provided below are links to relevant content.

• Kansas Child Support Guidelines per 2023-RL-080
• eFamilyTools.com
• Blog Post 1
• Blog Post 2 - Deep Dive

Hello.  Honestly, it wouldn't matter if this were a hobby or an extracurricular activity.  It is well documented with the court and the committee meeting minutes that the tables used to derive the parental child support obligations are inclusive of every conceivable expense for a family.  When a parent is "residential" or "custodial" they receive all the money for all these expenses and they are expected to pay for them using child support money.

It is a common misconception that a child should be able to be supported on child support.  This narrative is completely false.  Kansas is an income shares state which puts a financial obligation on each parent to pay their respective share of the expenses.  So the child support payment only represents the father's portion.  Mother also needs to contribute.

My personal opinion is that cheer is absolutely an extracurricular activity.  Terming it a "hobby" is tomato/tomoto.  Cheerleading is practiced in schools. Just because you decide to spend $1k or more per month for competitive cheer doesn't make it a hobby.  But, to my previous point - it doesn't matter what you call it.

While I sat on the advisory committee I was in the room when a similar question was asked of the state economist.  It was concluded that families who elect to spend enormous amounts on frivolous activities simply take away from other activities (and potentially needs).  This would be the case with married families - there's no reason to provide additional advantages to children of separated families.  If it can't be afforded in a married family, it can't be afforded by a separated family.

A little blunt, but that's my opinion.

Firstly the long distance adjustment and the overall financial condition adjustment are discretionary with the court.  The Judge will need to approve the amount, but you are correct that if you'd like to formally request that credit, this is the box you want to put it in.  From the sounds of it, the distance adjustment would be applicable to your case.  The overall financial condition adjustment is more for considerations that fall outside of any other section of the guidelines.  One such condition might be that you require therapy or special education to cope with your learning disability which absorbs a lot of your income.  In such a case, the Judge could allow your requested adjustment (or make changes to it).

To calculate the amount, you would itemize all the costs to exercise parenting time (such as airfare costs and lodging).  Then multiply that by how many times you'd be traveling to see the kids over the course of a year and divide by 12 to arrive at the monthly amount.

It is possible the Judge could reject your proposal if you voluntarily moved to TX and there was no agreement to this move.  However, if the move was for work or to have family support, or possibly the move was already in the plan before the divorce, a Judge might allow it.  In my opinion there is no harm in requesting the adjustment.  The judge could allow it or not.  It's probably worth at least asking and making your case.

I completely agree.  Here's my feedback.

Guidelines - abiding by the guidelines is actually state law.  A judge must make specific findings of fact in order to deviate from the guidelines.  The guidelines are derived from the Consumer Expenditure Survey data conducted by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.  If things are getting made up, the orders can likely be appealed to the KS Court of Appeals and to the Supreme Court.

Troubled opposing parties - firstly, requesting attorney fees is pretty standard practice.  They all request fees just in case.  Actually you should be the one requesting attorney fees if the motion is frivolous and without merit. All of your motions should request attorney fees.  I rarely see attorney fees being awarded.

All parties have a right to due process.  I can only speak from experience, but I have had great luck with returning the favor.  As an example I was faced with a subpoena against my income and all my employment records.  I objected at a hearing stating most of the records had nothing to do with my income.  The judge said that's just "typical language."  So, instead of just dealing with it, I went home and drafted a subpoena with the same language and upped the ante 25%.  I knew that when I filed it, it would fly like a bird because the judge had just ruled on something similar.  The information I gained from those 4 or 5 subpoenas was what changed the trajectory of my case.  ANYTHING that might lead to evidence is discoverable per Kansas law.  So, I guess what I'm saying is that if they want to play hardball, sometimes, you just need to roll up the sleeves.

It all depends on who you're dealing with and your own capability.  I had little to lose and anyone with a conscience should well understand that someone with very little to lose can be very dangerous.  Spend the time reading statutes, case law, court documents from other cases, and even listen to other cases.  You'll start to see some patterns.  I was able to go toe-to-toe with my opposition and in the end I won.  I didn't give an inch without a fight and the tide turned in my favor when I started doing that.  The battle can be won, but first you have to believe in yourself and start putting in the homework.

I have heard of cases like this where courts or case managers require a parent to provide direct expenses in addition to child support.  This practice is absolutely incorrect!  The child support tables in the guidelines provide for all direct and indirect expenses, less health care and child care.  Health care and child care are usually included on the worksheet so that parents automatically pay their income proportionate share, but it can be agreed outside of the worksheet.

The situation with direct expenses being included in the tables is documented in the meeting minutes and it is also further supported by case law many years ago.  In this case, yes, Mother should be covering all expenses for the children (including all expenses for sports) and this comes out of child support.

Remember that child support payments were never intended to fund 100% of a child's expenses.  This is only one parents's contribution.  Both parents have a financial obligation - that includes Mom.