Rogers Economics, Inc.
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Peachtree City, GA 30269
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Instructions for Georgia Excel Deviation Calculator
Parenting Time Deviation[©]
Introduction
The Georgia Excel Deviation Calculator makes it easy to copy and paste exhibit tables from Excel to Word for use in court to explain how deviation adjustment amounts were calculated for your case. It is assumed that the user has minimal understanding of Excel.
General caveats:
Enter data ONLY in the data input page. This is the “START HERE” tabbed worksheet. For any other worksheet in this Excel file, you should only highlight cells for copying and pasting purposes and then do the actual copy and paste.
When entering data in the input page, only key data in cells highlighted in red font. Do not enter data in cells in black font. Black font cells are formula cells. Entering data in those cells overwrites formulas that are need for the Excel file to work properly.
All figures used in the deviation calculator are monthly.
For the calculator to work properly, at least one of the parents must have monthly adjusted income greater than zero.
It is important to make sure that input information in this deviation calculator matches related information in Georgia’s official child support worksheet in Excel that you use for the same case. While you can do the deviation calculations without the child support worksheet, it can be helpful to have completed an official child support worksheet. The input instructions below note when to compare with the official worksheet and for what tabs and line numbers.
It is recommended that you create a separate Excel file for each client with that client’s name as part of the filename. You may want to have the date as part of the filename also.
Store an original, untouched version of this Excel file in a directory separate from where you keep client files in case you realize you created a formula error in the Excel file and need to start over.
The use of the exhibits from this calculator should be helpful in arguing a parenting time deviation. Such use alone does not guarantee a parenting time deviation—the deviation is still at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Court of Appeals has made arguing for a parenting time deviation not as simple as one might expect. A key case is discussed in the manual for the deviation strategies seminar.
These instructions below are mostly limited to “how to” create the deviation adjustment calculation and tables for exhibits. Basic explanations of the output tables for a parenting time deviation follow further below.The full explanations (including academic and legal citations) are in the seminar manual. Information on how to obtain the manual for the deviation strategies seminar can be found at RogersEconomics.com or GuidelineEconomics.com.
Creating Word Document Exhibits
Before going into the how to of the calculator, the introductory section is probably the best place to mention how to use the Excel calculator to create exhibits in Word. Basically, go to the tabbed worksheets for the output tables. Highlight the table in Excel by left-clicking the top left cell of the table and hold the left-click. Drag to the bottom right cell of the table and release the left-click. The table should be highlighted. Then type “Ctrl-v” (the “Ctrl” key and “v” key at the same time) as a short-cut for the copy command. Go to the Word document where you want the table. Then type “Ctrl-c” (the “Ctrl” key and “c” key at the same time) as a short-cut for the paste command. You should have the Excel output table pasted in Word as a table. You can use other paste options by using the “paste special” command.
Parenting Time Deviation
Input Information for the Parenting Time Deviation
After one or two uses of this calculator, the creation of new tables for clients will become easy. But to ensure better understanding of the input process, the instructions below are a little wordy. Actual use of the Excel deviation calculator really becomes quite simple quickly.
Go to the “START HERE, Input Page” tab.
Lines 1 through 6
Lines 1 through 6 are simply for case identification information. Filling in these lines is not necessary to have completed tables showing calculations for parenting time deviation adjustment amounts (there are three different versions of the parenting time calculation). Lines 1 through 6 reflect information in the style of the case. The input page carries this information to the output pages IF you want to copy and paste that information with each exhibit table in the output pages. Again, Lines 1 through 6 are optional and are not needed to do the actual deviation calculations.
Line 7
Key in the number of children for whom child support is being calculated for this case. Do not include children from other relationships. This number should match the “Total Number of Children” number in the front page of the official Georgia child support worksheet.
Line 8
Indicate whether the mother or father is the custodial parent. Key in a “1” or “0” JUST in the MOTHER’S cell (red font). Do not enter any data into the cell for the father on Line 8. For child support purposes only one parent can be the custodial parent under Georgia code. If the mother is the custodial parent, the Excel file will automatically give the father noncustodial status. If the mother is the noncustodial parent, the Excel file will automatically give the father custodial status. Enter a “1” if the mother is the custodial parent; enter a “0” if the mother is the noncustodial parent.
Line 9
Enter each parent’s monthly gross income. These figures should match those in the official child support worksheet for the main page (first page—“CS Worksheet” tab), Worksheet Line 1. For the deviation calculator, it is not needed to show the components of gross income—just the total for each parent. Actually, gross income is entered only to show up in the presumptive award table—gross income does not affect deviation calculations—adjusted gross income is what matters for deviation calculations. But it is often is helpful to have this information handy in the deviation exhibits.
Line 10
Enter each parent’s monthly adjusted income. These figures should match those in the official child support worksheet for the main page (first page—“CS Worksheet” tab), Worksheet Line 2. The calculator will not work properly unless at least one of the parents has adjusted income greater than zero. If both parents have income of zero, this creates a zero divisor for shares of combined income and does not calculate.
Line 11
Skip Line 11. Do NOT enter any data in Line 11. The Basic Child Support Obligation (BCSO) is calculated automatically from other input information. Some lines in the input page are for reference points for calculations elsewhere in the Excel file. These are the lines where you do not enter any data—just in case you were curious why they are there if you do not enter any data in them.
Line 12
Skip Line 12. Do NOT enter any data in Line 12. The Pro Rata Shares of Combined Income are calculated automatically from other input information.
Line 13
Skip Line 13. Do NOT enter any data in Line 13. The Presumptive Award is calculated automatically from other input information.
Line 14
Skip Line 14. Do not enter any data in Line 14. Line 14 indicates which parent is the paying (child support) parent and which is the receiving parent. This is calculated automatically from information entered in Line 8. Essentially, Line 14 is used elsewhere in the software for other calculations.
Line 15
Line 15 is for child care expenses and is part of the presumptive calculation. Data keyed in Line 15 should match data from in the official child support worksheet for Schedule D, Worksheet Line 7 Total (mother) and Line 13 Total (father).
Line 16
Line 15 is for health insurance premiums for the children and is part of the presumptive calculation. Data keyed in Line 15 should match data from in the official child support worksheet for Schedule D, Worksheet Line 2.
Line 17
Line 17 has the shares of parenting time for each parent as a percentage of total time with the children. Just enter a number for the father—the mother’s share is automatically calculated as a remainder share of 100 percent (the mother share is 1 minus the father’s decimal share). Enter the father’s percentage as a decimal. For example, if the father’s share is 30 percent, enter “.30”.
It is recommended that you calculate the share of parenting time for the noncustodial parent using the deviation seminar Excel worksheet for parenting time. This is a calendar for the year in Excel form in which you can enter what fraction of each day (typically 1, .5, or 0) that the noncustodial parent has. The parenting time calculator sums the total days and the fraction of the total for the noncustodial parent. This Excel file can be used as an exhibit to show how the noncustodial parent’s share is calculated and meets the actual or expected custody order.
Line 18
The parenting time deviation adjustment is affected in one version not just by parenting time shares but according to whether each parent has fixed costs for housing. Set aside housing means a bedroom for the child or children on a full-time basis. If the parent has a room or rooms set aside and used just for the child or children as a bedroom or bedrooms, enter “1” for that parent. If the parent has not set aside a bedroom for the child or children, enter “0.”
Line 19
In one version of the parenting time deviation calculation, the calculation is affected by each parent’s share of what are called non-duplicated fixed costs. These are costs that do not vary by parenting time and are not duplicated (generally) by each parent. These costs include clothing and activity fees (cost of playing a sport or other activity for a season). Use a monthly average from the annual total expenses. As a simplification, one might want to use the same percentage as used for parenting time share. Another option might be 50/50 if the parents roughly split these types of costs. Enter the percentage just for the father since the mother’s percentage is calculated automatically as the difference between 1 and the father’s share. Enter the father’s share as a decimal less than 1.
After entering the input information—you are finished! Everything flows through to the output tables. At this point, you only need to copy and paste the output tables to Word as needed. Remember, do NOT key data into the output tables or you likely will overwrite important formulas.
Exhibit Tables for the Parenting Time Deviation
Presumptive Award Table
Go to the tab labeled “PresumptiveWorksheetV8.”
This worksheet simply shows the presumptive calculation and should match the presumptive calculation in the official calculator on Line 9 IF inputs match. This table does NOT automatically include deviation amounts in Line 10. However, you can insert those manually to match the official worksheet. The presumptive calculation table is included mainly to be a check against the official worksheet to make sure inputs match. However, another feature is that you can copy and paste this table into Word for exhibits. You no longer can copy and paste from the official child support worksheets with version 8—cells have been “locked” in the official child support worksheet.
A sample of this table follows for a one child award.
Child Support Presumptive WorksheetMother / Father / Total
1. Monthly Gross Income / $4,000.00 / $5,000.00 / $9,000.00
2. Monthly Adjusted Income / $4,000.00 / $5,000.00 / $9,000.00
3. Pro Rata Shares of Combined Income / 44.44% / 55.56% / 100.0%
4. Basic Child Support Obligation (from Table) / $1,150
5. Pro Rata Shares of the Basic Child Support Obligation / $511.06 / $638.94
6. Adjustment for Work Related Child Care and Health Insurance Expenses / $88.88 / $111.12
7. Adjusted Child Support Obligation / $599.94 / $750.06
8. Adjustment for Additional Expenses Paid / $0.00 / -$200.00
9. Presumptive Amount of Child Support / $599.94 / $550.06
The amount on Line 9 is the Presumptive Child Support Amount
10. Deviations from Presumptive Child Support Amount / $0.00 / $0.00
11. Subtotal / $599.94 / $550.06
12. Social Security Payments / $0.00 / $0.00
13. Final Child Support Amount / NA / $550.00
The amount on Line 13 is the Final Child Support Amount
Uninsured Health Expenses
14. Uninsured Health Expenses. Carry down Line 3 or enter the percentage otherwise ordered by the Court / 44.44% / 55.56%
The above table was copied and pasted from the Excel deviation calculator using the instructions further above. All of the calculator tables can be copied into Word for exhibitsas shown below for additional examples. The above table is designed based on Version 8 of the official worksheet.
These presumptive inputs are used in sample tables further below.
Straight-Line Parenting Time Adjustment Tables
Go to the tab labeled “PTA Dev. Straight Line Adj.”
This table shows a simple, purely math-based method of calculating a parenting time adjustment. The simplest method of using an economic rule or formula for the parenting time adjustment is to pro-rate the Child Support Obligation amount by parenting time shares and to pro-rate these costs between the parents on a “straight line” basis. That is, each parent’s share of the Basic Child Support Obligation is proportionally shared according to each parent’s share of total parenting time with the child. All child costs are assumed to vary by parenting time.
However, straight-line adjustments are approximate—but better than the presumptive award if there is parenting time exercised by the noncustodial parent. Straight-line calculations do not take into account whether the noncustodial parent has housing costs or not for the child—which do not vary by parenting time. Also, the parent’s may not be proportionally sharing non-duplicated fixed costs such as clothing. Additionally, the daily costs may vary between parents—the noncustodial parent typically has parenting time during more expensive weekend days and vacation days. School days typically are less expensive for the custodial parent.
For this tabbed section, there are three tables. The first (in Excel lines 14-28) shows the straight-line cross crediting of parenting time expense. The first table shows how the parenting time deviation adjustment is calculated. The BCSO is allocated between the parents according to parenting time shares (table Line 5.a.) and then each parent pays the other parent a share of the other parent’s BCSO (table Line 5.c. through 5.e.). The parenting time adjustment is the difference between the presumptive BCSO for the noncustodial parent and the parenting time cross crediting amount owed by the noncustodial parent (table Line 5.e. through 5.g.). That is, the deviation adjustment is the amount needed to get you from the presumptive BCSO for the noncustodial parent to the parenting time adjusted BCSO for the noncustodial parent. Table Line 6 shows what to enter in Line 13 of the official child support worksheet in Schedule E if you choose to use the straight-line version for a parenting time adjustment.
Deviation Worksheet for Parenting Time Adjustment, Straight-Line MethodologyMother / Father / Total
1. Monthly Gross Income / $4,000.00 / $5,000.00 / $9,000.00
2. Monthly Adjusted Income / $4,000.00 / $5,000.00 / $9,000.00
3. Pro Rata Shares of Combined Income / 44.44% / 55.56% / 100.0%
4. Basic Child Support Obligation (from Table) / $1,150
5. Parenting Time Adjustment
5.a. Each Parent's Share of Parenting Time / 60.0% / 40.0%
5.b. BCSO Allocated by Parenting Time / $690.00 / $460.00
5.c. Father's Share of Mother's BCSO / $383.36
5.d. Mother's Share of Father's BCSO / $204.42
5.e. BCSO Obligation with Parenting Time Adjustment / -$178.94 / $178.94
5.f. Presumptive BCSO without PT Adjustment / NA / $638.94
5.g. Deviation Adjustment Amount: Difference, BCSO with & without PTA for Obligor / NA / $460.00
6. Enter in Line 13 of Schedule E for non-custodial parent: / NA / $460.00
The second and third tables in this tabbed section show the proportional burden (share of total child costs) of using a parenting time adjustment or not by showing the “net child support burden.” The net child support burden includes all BCSO costs incurred by each parent according to parenting time plus or minus child support (cash) paid or received. This is the real net child support burden.
The second table shows the deviation based net child support burden. This is the parenting time allocated BCSO and deviation cash award (based on the parenting time adjustment). The second table shows the parents’ net burden as proportional shares of combined adjusted income. With the parenting time deviation, the proportional burden is the same as shares of combined adjusted income—an outcome consistent with the presumptive methodology.