1. 1. The child support amount provided for under this chapter, except for subsection 2, is presumed to be the correct amount of child support. No rebuttal of the guidelines may be based upon evidence of factors described or applied in this chapter, except in subsection 2, or upon:

1. a. Except as provided in subdivision m of subsection 2, the subsistence needs, work expenses, and daily living expenses of the obligor; or

2. b. Except as provided for in subdivision p of subsection 2, the income of the obligee, which is reflected in a substantial monetary and nonmonetary contribution to the child's basic care and needs by virtue of being a parent with primary residential responsibility.

2. 2. The presumption that the amount of child support that would result from the application of this chapter, except for this subsection, is the correct amount of child support is rebutted only if a preponderance of the evidence establishes that a deviation from the guidelines is in the best interest of the supported children and:

1. a. The increased need if support for more than six children is sought in the matter before the court;

2. b. The increased ability of an obligor, with a monthly net income which exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars, to provide additional child support based on demonstrated needs of the child, including, if applicable, needs arising from activities in which a child participated while the child's family was intact;

3. c. The increased need if educational costs have been voluntarily incurred, at private schools, with the prior written concurrence of the obligor;

4. d. The increased needs of children with disabling conditions or chronic illness;

5. e. The increased needs of children age twelve and older;

6. f. The increased needs of children related to the cost of child care, purchased by the obligee, for reasonable purposes related to employment, job search, education, or training;

7. g. The increased ability of an obligor, whose net income has been substantially reduced as a result of depreciation and to whom income has been imputed under section 75-02-04.1-07, to provide child support;

1. h. The increased ability of an obligor, who is able to secure additional income from assets, to provide child support;
2. i. The increased ability of an obligor, who has engaged in an asset transaction for the purpose of reducing the obligor's income available for payment of child support, to provide child support;
3. j. The reduced ability of an obligor who is responsible for all parenting-time expenses to provide support due to travel expenses incurred predominantly for the purpose of visiting a child who is the subject of the order taking into consideration the amount of court-ordered parenting time and, when such history is available, actual expenses and practices of the parties;
4. k. The reduced ability of the obligor to pay child support due to a situation, over which the obligor has little or no control, which requires the obligor to incur a continued or fixed expense for other than subsistence needs, work expenses, or daily living expenses, and which is not otherwise described in this subsection;
5. l. The reduced ability of the obligor to provide support due to the obligor's health care needs, to the extent that the costs of meeting those health care needs:
6. (1) Exceed ten percent of the obligor's gross income;
7. (2) Have been incurred and are reasonably certain to continue to be incurred by the obligor;
8. (3) Are not subject to payment or reimbursement from any source except the obligor's income; and
9. (4) Are necessary to prevent or delay the death of the obligor or to avoid a significant loss of income to the obligor.
10. m. The reduced ability of the obligor to provide support when the obligor is in the military, is on a temporary duty assignment, and must maintain two households as a result of the assignment;
11. n. The reduced ability of an obligor who is responsible for educational costs for the supported children that are incurred at private schools;
12. o. The reduced ability of an obligor who is responsible for child care costs for the supported children;
13. p. The reduced needs of the child to support from the obligor in situations where the net income of the obligee is at least three times higher than the net income of the obligor;
14. q. The reduced needs of the child to support from the obligor in situations where the child is residing outside the family home at government expense and the obligation is not assigned to a government agency; or
15. r. The improved convenience to the parents, and negligible impact to the child, of a nominal increase in the child support obligation of the parent with the smaller obligation as determined under section 75-02-04.1-03 or 75-02-04.1-08.2, not to exceed seventy-five dollars per month, in order for the obligation of each parent to be equal prior to application of the payment offset provided in that section and eliminate any net amount being due except during months when the obligation is assigned to a government agency.

1. 3. Assets may not be considered under subdivisions h and i of subsection 2, to the extent they:

1. a. Are exempt under North Dakota Century Code section 47-18-01;

2. b. Consist of necessary household goods and furnishings; or

3. c. Include one motor vehicle in which the obligor owns an equity not in excess of twenty thousand dollars.

2. 4. For purposes of subdivision i of subsection 2, a transaction is presumed to have been made for the purpose of reducing the obligor's income available for the payment of child support if:

1. a. The transaction occurred after the birth of a child entitled to support;

2. b. The transaction occurred no more than twenty-four months before the commencement of the proceeding that initially established the support order; and

3. c. The obligor's income is less than it likely would have been if the transaction had not taken place.

3. 5. For purposes of subdivision k of subsection 2, a situation over which the obligor has little or no control does not exist if the situation arises out of spousal support payments, discretionary purchases, or illegal activity.

4. 6. For purposes of subdivisions a through f and subdivisions q through r of subsection 2, any adjustment shall be made to the child support amount resulting from application of this chapter. When section 75-02-04.1-03 or 75-02-04.1-08.2 applies, the adjustment must be made to the parent's obligation before the lesser obligation is subtracted from the greater obligation.

5. 7. For purposes of subdivisions g through o of subsection 2, any adjustment shall be made to the obligor's net income.

6. 8. For purposes of subdivision p of subsection 2, any adjustment shall be made to the child support amount resulting from application of this chapter after taking into consideration the proportion by which the obligor's net income exceeds the obligor's net income. When section 75-02-04.1-03 or 75-02-04.1-08.2 applies, the adjustment must be made to the parent's obligation before the lesser obligation is subtracted from the greater obligation.

History: Effective February 1, 1991; amended effective January 1, 1995; August 1, 1999; August 1, 2003; July 1, 2008; April 1, 2010; July 1, 2011; September 1, 2015; January 1, 2019; July 1, 2023.

General Authority: NDCC 50-06-16, 50-09-25

Law Implemented: NDCC 14-09-09.7, 50-09-02(16); 42 USC 667