A deviation is a court-approved adjustment to the standard presumptive child support amount. It allows a judge to increase or decrease the payment based on specific 'good cause' factors not captured in the basic economic tables.
RCW 26.19.075 permits the court to deviate from the standard calculation when specific factors exist. The court must enter written findings specifying reasons for any deviation. Agreement of the parties alone is not sufficient reason for deviation under RCW 26.19.075(5).
Deviations can go in either direction — upward meaning the paying parent pays more than the standard calculation, or downward meaning they pay less. Understanding this term is important when completing your child support calculation. Use our worksheet calculator to see how this applies to your case.
Common reasons courts grant upward deviations: The paying parent has substantial wealth or assets beyond their income. The child has special medical, educational, or psychological needs. Extraordinary expenses exist that the basic table does not capture.
Common reasons courts grant downward deviations: The paying parent has significant residential time with the child. The paying parent has extraordinary debt not voluntarily incurred. The paying parent supports children from other relationships. Income used in the calculation is nonrecurring such as a one-time bonus.
A deviation must be requested in writing, supported by evidence, and approved by the court with written findings. Courts cannot accept an incomplete deviation request.
A deviation directly increases or decreases your final Line 17 transfer payment. The standard calculation is always determined first — the court cannot consider deviation reasons until the standard calculation is established. Deviations are not guaranteed and require compelling written evidence.
No. All deviations must be approved by the court with written findings of fact. A private agreement between parents without court approval is not a legally enforceable deviation.
Use our 2026 Washington State estimator to see how these legal terms impact your support amount. All calculators are RCW 26.19 compliant.