(1) When the division of child support (DCS) is preparing an administrative support notice to establish a joint support obligation for the parents of a child in foster care, DCS follows the steps set out in this section for completing the worksheets under the Washington state child support schedule (WSCSS).

(2) DCS establishes a joint support obligation when the parents reside together and are either married or in a registered domestic partnership, unless a child support order covering current support for that child has already been established for one of the parents.

(3) DCS calculates each parent's income under the rules set out in WAC 388-14A-3205, and then calculates the income of the marital or domestic partnership community by combining both parents' income in one column of the worksheet and does not put any income or other information in the other column.

(4) DCS calculates the joint support obligation using the limitations contained in RCW 26.19.065:

(a) The joint child support obligation may not exceed forty-five percent of the net income of the community except for good cause.

(b) DCS follows WAC 388-14A-3410 when calculating and applying the self-support reserve limitation.

(c) Even though there are two parents involved, and despite the application of any limitations, the presumptive minimum obligation of fifty dollars per month per child applies when DCS sets a joint child support obligation.

(d) DCS or the administrative law judge (ALJ) may find reasons for deviation and must support those reasons with appropriate findings of fact in the support order.

(5) As described in subsection (3) of this section, the support obligation in the column of the WSCSS worksheet which contains information regarding both parents is the joint support obligation of the parents.

(6) DCS determines the joint support obligation of the parents without regard to the cost of foster care placement, as provided in WAC 388-14A-8105.