Table Lookup Methods
What are Table Lookup Methods?
When (and only when) income exceeds $5000, Washington State child support law provides optional ways to look up the amount of Basic Child Support from the Economic Table. (Washington State Child Support Schedule Definitions and Standards, Limitations Standards #3). To provide the full flexibility as outlined by these Limitations Standards, SupportCalc provides a place to select "Table Lookup Method" on the synopsis screen.
Do I need to select a "method" for each case?
No. SupportCalc is shipped with a "Master Table Lookup Default " which every case uses unless you specifically select an optional Table Lookup Method on the synopsis screen for a specific case. The default is "Presumptive" when incomes are below $5000, and "Advisory" when incomes are above $5000. The Table Lookup Method options are outlined below.
Presumptive.
Definition: The Monthly Basic Support Obligation per Economic Table for incomes less than or equal to $5000.
Details: When incomes exceed $5000, the presumptive amount is the amount from the Economic Table for combined net incomes of $5000 (See Limitation Standard #3). When combined net income is less than $5000, the presumptive amount is simply the amount from the Economic Table for that combined net income. Any case where combined net income is less than $5000, the presumptive amount must be used.
How SupportCalc works: SupportCalc, therefore, does not allow a user to select any Table Lookup Method other than presumptive when combined net income is less than or equal to $5000. When incomes exceed $5000, the presumptive method may be selected. This would cause the amount of basic support to referenced from the Economic Table as if combined net income were $5000.
Advisory.
Definition: The Monthly Basic Support Obligation per Economic Table for combined net incomes greater than $5000 and less than or equal to $7000.
Details: The Washington State Child Support Schedule Economic Table provides a Basic Support Obligation when combined net income is greater than $5000 and less than or equal to $7000. Limitations Standards #3 defines support amounts for this range of the Economic Table to be "advisory."
How SupportCalc works: SupportCalc only allows "advisory" to be selected by the user when combined net income is greater than $5000. If incomes exceed $7000, the "advisory" selection will cause the support amount to be read from the Economic Table as if Combined Net Income were $7000. Ever since SupportCalc was created in 1988, "Advisory" has always been the default when incomes exceed $5000 and "Presumptive" has been used for incomes equal to or less than $5000. This Master Table Lookup Default remains in effect in the current version of SupportCalc.
Extrapolated.
Definition: A projected Monthly Basic Support Obligation for combined net incomes which exceed $7000.
Details: SupportCalc has been programmed to project the economic table for incomes which exceed $7000 by extrapolating the economic table’s curve. The extrapolation is a mathematical formula only. The extrapolation feature of SupportCalc does not constitute a recommendation.
How SupportCalc works: SupportCalc only allows "extrapolated" to be selected by the user when combined net income is greater than $7000. If extrapolated is selected by the user, SupportCalc’s pre-programmed formulas for child support amounts exceeding incomes of $7000 are used.
Override Table.
Definition: A user entered Monthly Basic Support Obligation when combined net incomes exceed $5000.
Details: Limitations Standard #3 allows flexibility for setting a support amount when combined net incomes exceed $5000.
How SupportCalc Works: When the user selects "Override Tbl." for the Table Lookup Method, The user is responsible to enter the amount of basic support obligation. Caution: SupportCalc will not recalculate the Basic Support Amount when the user selects "Override Tbl." Exception: If combined net income falls below $5000, SupportCalc will automatically change the "Override Tbl." method to presumptive.
Reset.
Definition: Resets the Table Lookup Method to the Master Table Lookup Default.
Details: "Reset" changes the Table Lookup Method back to "presumptive" if combined net incomes are below or equal to $5000. "Advisory" will be the default if combined net incomes are greater than $5000.
How SupportCalc Works: SupportCalc is shipped with a Master Table Lookup Default set to Advisory. This means "advisory" will be used when combined net incomes exceed $5000. NOTE: As required by Washington State law, "presumptive" will always be used when combined net income is equal or below $5000, regardless of the Master Table Lookup Default. You can change the Master Table Lookup Default. Example: You can set SupportCalc so that your cases automatically always use presumptive, even when combined net income exceeds $5000.
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