Spreadsheet checks before running Alimony Child Support in Delaware
5 min read
Published April 15, 2026 • By DocketMath Team
What the checker catches
Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Alimony Child Support calculator.
Before you run alimony and child support calculations in Delaware with DocketMath, it helps to confirm your spreadsheet isn’t carrying “quiet errors” that can change which months are included. DocketMath can handle the math, but your spreadsheet logic—especially timing—still has to line up with Delaware’s jurisdiction-aware assumptions.
This Delaware-focused checker is designed to flag spreadsheet issues that commonly affect calculation accuracy by incorrectly including (or excluding) time periods.
The core Delaware timing rule the checker uses
Delaware’s general statute of limitations (SOL) is 2 years. In other words, the checker’s default assumption is a 2-year lookback window.
- General SOL period: 2 years
- General Statute: Title 11, § 205(b)(3)
Important: Based on the jurisdiction data provided, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found. So this checker applies the general/default 2-year period as the governing assumption, rather than using a different SOL for a specific claim category.
Spreadsheet problems the checker flags
Use this as a quick scan before you hit /tools/alimony-child-support.
Why timing checks matter for Delaware outputs
Your Delaware timing window (general SOL = 2 years under 11 Del. C. § 205(b)(3)) determines which months are treated as eligible for recovery. If your sheet includes months outside the 2-year window—or excludes months that fall inside it—your total past-due figure can be off even when the monthly math is otherwise correct.
Pitfall: If your spreadsheet calculates “total past due” starting from an event date (like separation) but your Delaware lookback should be limited to a 2-year window anchored to the relevant event date, your result can be overstated by multiple months without any obvious spreadsheet math error.
When to run it
Run the checker at two decision points:
- before you do any “final” calculator runs, and 2) after you modify the spreadsheet inputs.
Run the checker before importing a spreadsheet into the Alimony Child Support workflow. It is especially helpful when you have multiple entries or when a teammate provided the inputs.
Run it before your first DocketMath calculation
Do a first pass before you go to /tools/alimony-child-support if you have any of the following:
- multiple date columns (e.g., separation date, filing date, hearing date)
- scenario tabs (e.g., “income increase,” “updated employment,” “change in custody”)
- revised income numbers for a sub-period rather than a single flat monthly amount
This is when spreadsheet drift is most likely—especially after edits to date logic or month boundaries.
Run it after any change that affects time
Re-run immediately after you change any of the following:
- the anchor date used to define the lookback window
- the number of months in your past-due table
- any “period start / period end” boundaries
- whether your sheet includes partial months
Because this Delaware checker uses a general 2-year period under 11 Del. C. § 205(b)(3), the lookback window (and therefore which months are counted) changes whenever your anchor date changes.
A quick workflow you can follow
- Confirm all date fields are real date values, not text.
- Confirm the lookback window is 2 years for this checker run.
- Verify your past-due table months match what you expect to be inside vs. outside the window.
- Run DocketMath using the spreadsheet’s cleaned values.
- Re-check totals after you export or copy results back into the sheet.
Gentle note: This is a practical spreadsheet-checking workflow to reduce errors. It isn’t legal advice, and it may not reflect case-specific details that could matter.
Try the checker
You can try this DocketMath Delaware workflow here: /tools/alimony-child-support
Upload the spreadsheet, review the warnings, and then run the calculation once the inputs are clean: Try the checker.
Capture the source for each input so another team member can verify the same result quickly.
What to prepare in your spreadsheet before you click
To get the most reliable checks, make sure your sheet has clear, consistent inputs—especially around the timing anchor and period boundaries. A simple layout that works well:
| Spreadsheet input | Example | Checker expectation |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor date (for lookback) | 2024-06-15 | Valid date type; same format across the sheet |
| Period start | 2023-06-15 | Must align with the 2-year SOL assumption |
| Period end | 2024-06-15 | Should not exceed the anchor date logic |
| Monthly alimony rate | 800 | Numeric value (not stored as text) |
| Monthly child support rate | 420 | Numeric value; same month count used in totals |
| Months included | 12 | Must match the date span actually represented |
How output changes when you fix errors
Here are common, concrete ways fixes typically affect results:
- Date mis-formatting fixed → months may change from “uncountable/invalid” to “valid,” correcting which periods are included.
- Wrong lookback anchor fixed → the eligible period shifts by months; totals can drop (or rise) materially when prior months were counted incorrectly.
- Rounding fixed → totals align more closely with the sum of month-by-month amounts.
- Monthly vs. total mismatch fixed → “total past due” stops disagreeing with the sheet’s own month-by-month computations.
Quick self-audit before you rely on totals
If you can answer “yes” to these, you’re in a better spot to run DocketMath with higher confidence.
Reminder: This checker’s Delaware timing assumption is the general/default 2-year SOL under 11 Del. C. § 205(b)(3), because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified in the provided jurisdiction data.