Support calculator workflow
Divorcepath’s support calculator is designed for professional child support and spousal support work under the Federal Child Support Guidelines and the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines.
This guide explains the main sections of the calculator and the information you should review when preparing a support report.
1. Background information
Start with each person’s background details, including residence, date of birth, and any tax-related options that may affect the calculation. These values help determine the correct table amounts, tax assumptions, and report context.
2. Income
Enter the income sources that support the calculation. Divorcepath can handle employment, self-employment, pension, investment, and other common income categories. The quality of the support output depends on the quality of the income data you enter.
3. Guideline income adjustments
Where needed, add guideline-income adjustments for child support or spousal support. These adjustments can materially affect the result, so they should reflect the actual legal and factual position for the matter.
4. Section 7 expenses
Record child-related section 7 expenses, including who pays them, the expense type, and which child the expense applies to. These figures affect both child support and, in some scenarios, the broader support analysis.
5. Tax, deduction, and benefit settings
Use the additional options area to review tax credits, deductions, and government benefits that should be reflected in the support result. Divorcepath also lets you record undue-hardship information and other scenario-specific settings where relevant.
6. Children
Add each child and confirm the details that affect the calculation, including parenting arrangement, support type, benefits, and any relationship-specific considerations. This is where shared, split, sole, and adult-child scenarios become especially important.
7. Relationship dates and settings
Enter the cohabitation and separation dates and review any calculation settings that affect the support scenario, including whether child support, spousal support, or both should be calculated.
8. Calculate and review
Once the inputs are complete, run the calculation and review the resulting support ranges, assumptions, and report output. Divorcepath can automatically recalculate when values change, but you should still confirm the final output before sharing it with counsel, clients, the court, or a mediator.
Best practice
Use the calculator as part of a connected workflow. If you are also preparing court forms, financial disclosure, or agreement drafts, make sure the support inputs reflect the same matter data used across the rest of the file.
If you need help with a specific support scenario, contact Divorcepath support at [email protected].
