CHEQUEmate calculates the guideline range of both the amount and duration of spousal support and is based on the complicated mathematical and iteration requirements of the Rogerson/Thompson Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (“SSAG”) Draft Proposal.

CHEQUEmate is a result of many months of discussion, analysis, design and programming by our SSAG advisory team of professionals. We have worked closely with the authors of the SSAG Draft Proposal, including many face-to-face meetings with Rollie Thompson in order to ensure that CHEQUEmate software follows the mathematical and logical requirements of this draft proposal.

Why you need CHEQUEmate software to calculate the spousal support ranges according to the SSAG

Each party’s Individual Net Disposable Income (INDI) under the “With Child Support” Formula of SSAG is determined as follows: CSG Income minus Child Support (basic/table amount for payor; notional basic/table amount for recipient; special expenses for both parties) minus Taxes and Deductions plus Government Benefits and Credits minus Spousal Support for payor OR plus Spousal Support for the Recipient.

While the “With Child Support” Formula is somewhat misleading in its definition, since it does not expressly include spousal support as one of the factors in the definition of INDI, the necessary inclusion/deduction of spousal support from INDI, as appropriate, is implicitly evident in the determination of the amount range (ie. the recipient’s 40-46% share of the parties’ combined INDI). See SSAG Appendix C “Detailed calculations Under The Basic With Child Support Formula”, especially page 115.

The only way to determine the range of spousal support is to deduct spousal support from the payor’s INDI and include spousal support in the recipient’s INDI. What makes this calculation so complex and difficult is the fact that as the spousal support amount changes, so do the Special Expenses’ component of Child Support (if applicable), the Taxes and Deductions and the Government Benefits and Credits. This spousal support range can only be determined by numerous, complex trial-and-error mathematical calculations, known as “iterations”, done by the software.