Union dues an employment expense for CS income calculation?

[billm]

The federal child support guidelines allow for the deduction of 'employment expenses' from income for the purpose of determining child support income.

Do union dues (which are deducted after line 150 in a personal tax return) count under this guideline?

ie Should union dues be deducted from line 150 income when determining child support?

[standing on the sidelines]

The federal child support guidelines allow for the deduction of 'employment expenses' from income for the purpose of determining child support income.

Do union dues (which are deducted after line 150 in a personal tax return) count under this guideline?

ie Should union dues be deducted from line 150 income when determining child support?

Not sure but to me it should be. I know one place i worked at was a closed shop so if you wanted to work there you had to join the union, it was mandatory.

[Mess]

Thought I had the answer but I didn't.

[FamilyBlah]

Are union dues an amount great enough to make a difference?

[ddol1]

this from my lawyer - any manditory expense for you to earn your salary - union dues are one, if you do not pay it you do not work, you do not get paid and finally there is no support of any kind. It is a small amount amyway, a couple of hundred in your wages in the several 10's of thousands??? Hardly will make a dent. Professional fees are similar although much higher but salaries are much higher usually as well.

One thing my wife is trying is to detuct her pension which she pays near $5,000 a year - that you do not deduct as it builds her retirement savings/pension which is to her benefit alone. So pensions are a blanket requirement as well or you do not work - so it is not all deductions.

I can't remember the rule for your CPP deduction - where self employed do not pay into the CPP or is it optional for them???

[mcdreamy]

no insight re: union dues, but yes CPP is optional for a self employed individual. I do not pay.

[billm]

I was just doing the yearly recalc of CS based on our tax returns. I noticed my ex had $1600 of union dues.

To me it falls under the 'employment expenses' deduction for CS income in the child support guidelines.

I just wanted some feedback. I deducted it from her income because it is clear to me it is a cost of doing business. I'm such an upstanding guy, too bad she doesn't trust me

Though it does not make much difference, I prefer to do things 'by the book' so she (and her lawyer) have nothing to argue about. I also do it because I try to be as impartial and fair as possible.

[ddol1]

Line-by-line help for Worksheet 1 - The Federal Child Support Guidelines: Step-by-Step

scroll to line 4 - allowable employment expenses - 1/2 your answer -
here is says you can deduct line 212 and 229 from fed tax form
from the federal tax return
(line 212 is union and professional dues )
(Line 229 is employment expenses on other income)

the federal tax forms - is on line 212
>If we use only line 150 then these expenses are NOT deducted..... (sorry back to the lawyer statement - the simple calculators only handle the most simple income and deductions so I just can't see union dues as beyond a simple deduction? - but here it is!)