What is the test for a judge to order the guideline amount pursuant to section 4055 of the Child Support Guidelines?

A decision not to order the guideline amount pursuant to section 4055 is legal error, unless the trial court finds that a special circumstance is present. (In re Marriage of Carter (1994) 26 Cal.App.4th 1024, 1028-1029, 33 Cal.Rptr.2d 1.) The trial court can deviate from the guideline where the supporting parent has an extraordinarily high income, and the guideline amount would exceed the needs of the children. ( 4057, subd. (b)(3); Estevez v. Superior Court (1994) 22 Cal.App.4th 423, 428-431, 27 Cal.Rptr.2d 470.) In this latter situation,

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