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Yes but they tend to adopt other state’s policies; especially BLUE states as “progressive.” Also there are federal INCENTIVES for the highest amount of CS collected. So, for example, in NYS, if a father gets downsized in this economy, he can do an exercise in futility called going to court and filing for a downward modification. Which will take about three months to get on most court calendars. At that time a preliminary hearing will result and it will often be between 9 and 12 months before a downward mod is even considered.

That whole time the original CS amount from when he was employed continues to tick away on the meter and automatically puts him in arrears with penalties and interest should he not be able to have gainful employment almost immediately.

Downward mods are usually denied even though there is a substantial loss of income on the payors side (if said payor is a white male in particular; all other “classes” usually get cut a break).

My hubby pays $1000 a month (no arrears—he has never missed a penny)to his ex wife and earns $15 an hour. After NYS outrageous taxes, he’s lucky to bring home $200 a week and this will continue, under the age 26 guidelines, for the next 17 years—at which time he will be 61 years old. In the meantime she has remarried a guy who makes 80K a year and she earns more than my hubby does. I earn slightly more than his ex-wife.