Child support 19 year old mental health issues

[Bobwayne17]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

I live in PA. I'm 19 and my employed 17 year old ex is trying to saddle me with so much child support that I will end up in prison before long. I make 240 dollars a month, and when I graduate college I will have 20,000 dollars in debt. I have a history of mental illness and suicide attempts, will the court still make me pay more child support than I can even afford?

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

I live in PA. I'm 19 and my employed 17 year old ex is trying to saddle me with so much child support that I will end up in prison before long. I make 240 dollars a month, and when I graduate college I will have 20,000 dollars in debt. I have a history of mental illness and suicide attempts, will the court still make me pay more child support than I can even afford?

You're legally obliged to support your offspring. Are you actually disabled? If so, are you on SSI?

If not, the court will likely impute you an income equal to at least full time minimum wage.


(You won't have earned enough credits for SSDI).

 

[Antigone*]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

I live in PA. I'm 19 and my employed 17 year old ex is trying to saddle me with so much child support that I will end up in prison before long. I make 240 dollars a month, and when I graduate college I will have 20,000 dollars in debt. I have a history of mental illness and suicide attempts, will the court still make me pay more child support than I can even afford?

I guess you shouldn't have saddled her then, huh

 

[stealth2]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

I live in PA. I'm 19 and my employed 17 year old ex is trying to saddle me with so much child support that I will end up in prison before long. I make 240 dollars a month, and when I graduate college I will have 20,000 dollars in debt. I have a history of mental illness and suicide attempts, will the court still make me pay more child support than I can even afford?

At the end of the day, the court expects you to support your child. S/he needs a place to live, clothes to wear and food to eat. That's a higher priority than your choice to go to school. So, I would suggest you look into increasing your income, even if it means dropping to p/t status at school. That's a consequence of your deciding to make a baby.

 

[CSO286]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

I live in PA. I'm 19 and my employed 17 year old ex is trying to saddle me with so much child support

How much were you ordered to pay?

Just out of curiosity, I played with the numbers. If both parties are imputed FT min wage, OP's obligation should be around $264/mth. I "ass"umed FT min wage for CP, since she's only 17....

that I will end up in prison before long. I make 240 dollars a month, and when I graduate college I will have 20,000 dollars in debt.

Well, did you show up in court? request a deviation? Does the child still have to eat while you attend school? Does the child need a roof over his/her head? Warm place to sleep at night? You have a moral and legal obligation to help support this child.
Is the $20,000 just your student debt? Or are you including the child support you will owe, too?

I have a history of mental illness and suicide attempts,

Irrelevant.

Perhaps you should consider leaving school and obtaining full time employement. Might reduce your stress/anxiety levels and even help your mental health to know that you are self-supporting and providing for your child.

will the court still make me pay more child support than I can even afford?

They will generally order support based on guidelines unless a compelling reason to deviate is presented.

 

[Bobwayne17]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?



How much were you ordered to pay?

Just out of curiosity, I played with the numbers. If both parties are imputed FT min wage, OP's obligation should be around $264/mth. I "ass"umed FT min wage for CP, since she's only 17....




Well, did you show up in court? request a deviation? Does the child still have to eat while you attend school? Does the child need a roof over his/her head? Warm place to sleep at night? You have a moral and legal obligation to help support this child.
Is the $20,000 just your student debt? Or are you including the child support you will owe, too?



Irrelevant.

Perhaps you should consider leaving school and obtaining full time employement. Might reduce your stress/anxiety levels and even help your mental health to know that you are self-supporting and providing for your child.



They will generally order support based on guidelines unless a compelling reason to deviate is presented.

Well I tried talking to an attorney and they said if I get on SSI I won't be required to pay anything really, because they can't garnish SSI and it will be extremely hard for me to find a job.

Also, my girlfriend is only 3-4 months pregnant. I'm trying to prepare for what's coming, I have no idea what will happen by the time 9 months roll around.

 

[>Charlotte<]

Your ex can't "saddle" you with anything. It is not she who will determine what you can pay, or what you must pay. That is the court's decision according to your local guidelines. In any case, I'm sure it will be a lot more than a box of condoms would have cost you.

Until the baby is born you have no obligation. But once it has been determined that you are the legal father, you will have an obligation to support this child and the child will be a priority over everything else.

You have several months to prepare. Instead of concentrating on what they can or can't take, I suggest you focus on preparing to become a responsible parent.

 

[Antigone*]

Well I tried talking to an attorney and they said if I get on SSI I won't be required to pay anything really, because they can't garnish SSI and it will be extremely hard for me to find a job.

Also, my girlfriend is only 3-4 months pregnant. I'm trying to prepare for what's coming, I have no idea what will happen by the time 9 months roll around.

You aren't even a father yet. Legally that will have to be established prior to any child support being required.

 

[mistoffolees]

Well I tried talking to an attorney and they said if I get on SSI I won't be required to pay anything really, because they can't garnish SSI and it will be extremely hard for me to find a job.

This smacks of fraud to me.

You're in school and working part time and apparently doing OK, so it's not at all clear that you're disabled enough to receive SSI. If your attorney is suggesting that you should quit work and school in order to receive SSI, he should be reported to the State Bar.

Not to mention, of course, the slimy ethics. Even if you're able to work, you'll sign up for SSI just so you don't have to support the child you helped create? Disgusting.

Of course, the fact that you're working and in school may very well guarantee that you'd never get SSi, anyway. At least I hope not.

 

[Bobwayne17]

This smacks of fraud to me.

You're in school and working part time and apparently doing OK, so it's not at all clear that you're disabled enough to receive SSI. If your attorney is suggesting that you should quit work and school in order to receive SSI, he should be reported to the State Bar.

Not to mention, of course, the slimy ethics. Even if you're able to work, you'll sign up for SSI just so you don't have to support the child you helped create? Disgusting.

Of course, the fact that you're working and in school may very well guarantee that you'd never get SSi, anyway. At least I hope not.

Fraud? At any point I could breakdown and go on a killing spree. Diagnosed schizophrenic with a history of violence? It wouldn't be hard for me to re-admit myself.

Anyway, my rights as a father are fairly slim in this country, and my grades already warrant me getting kicked out, so technically I won't have a job or school because I work on my schools campus, and I'm only allowed to work a MAXIMUM of 20 hours per week.

Obviously I'm not doing okay if I'm been to jail, mental institutions, take multiple medications, and see a therapist and psychiatrist on a bi-weekly basis. You're apparently doing "okay", do you have to do that? If I didn't, they would report me as having suicidal tendencies and I'd go back to a mental institution.

Obviously, you don't know the first thing about A. depression B. schizophrenia. I can go to school easily as long as I have medications to supress hallucinations, and sleeping pills because I'm a diagnosed insomniac as well and I can't function on 0 sleep for days.

I have multiple suicide attempts documented, have already been in a mental institution, and I'm practically on suicide watch right now.

So please, lecture me more on the morality of someone that has no right being a father being forced to be a father? Obviously I have no say in what happens with the child. Do I get to put it up for adoption? Nope. Even though I'm half of the decision.

And of course I worry what I will have to pay more than being a parent because MY EX DOESN'T WANT ME INVOLVED AT ALL, she already said she is going to most likely tell the courts I abandoned her so I involuntarily get my parental rights taken away. Is that fair? No.

You all act like I'm the most immoral piece of filth the world has spit out. Trust me, when I was in jail, I was immoral. When I was in a mental institution for threatening to kill my father and myself, I was immoral, but now I'm apparently "doing okay."

Well, I'm really glad I'm doing "okay" right now, I mean this is not a life-changing event or anything, or something that I have no say in since my girlfriend blatantly lied to my face by saying she was on birth control or that it didn't matter that it "broke" and hid the fact she was pregnant from me until she got a blood test and sprung it on me the day we broke up.

Oh well. At least I'm still "okay."

EDIT: Since you think I'm so "okay". let's see why I would qualify for SSI, taking from the SSI website.

SSI makes monthly payments to people who have low income and few resources and are:

Age 65 or older;
Blind; or
Disabled.

I'm psychologically disabled because I'm a diagnosed schizophrenic.

My resources are 93$ I have in the bank.

I make less than 1000$ per month.

I'm in school, with horrible grades because I'm not good at juggling depression and work.

I have stayed in mental institutions but not for more than 90 days. Recently as well.

I guess a lot of people that qualify for SSI are as okay as me right?

 

[Silverplum]

Fraud? At any point I could breakdown and go on a killing spree. Diagnosed schizophrenic with a history of violence? It wouldn't be hard for me to re-admit myself.

Please do. No sarcasm, I mean it as one human to another. Please do readmit yourself and get help. Today.

Anyway, my rights as a father are fairly slim in this country,

That is not at all true. It's entirely false.

and my grades already warrant me getting kicked out, so technically I won't have a job or school because I work on my schools campus, and I'm only allowed to work a MAXIMUM of 20 hours per week.

So you could work a regular job.

After getting some serious help.

Obviously I'm not doing okay if I'm been to jail, mental institutions, take multiple medications, and see a therapist and psychiatrist on a bi-weekly basis. You're apparently doing "okay", do you have to do that? If I didn't, they would report me as having suicidal tendencies and I'd go back to a mental institution.

Obviously, you don't know the first thing about A. depression B. schizophrenia. I can go to school easily as long as I have medications to supress hallucinations, and sleeping pills because I'm a diagnosed insomniac as well and I can't function on 0 sleep for days.

I have multiple suicide attempts documented, have already been in a mental institution, and I'm practically on suicide watch right now.

This is one reason why I am urging you to call your doctor TODAY.

So please, lecture me more on the morality of someone that has no right being a father being forced to be a father?

You chose to have The Sex.
That makes you The Father, after the DNA test.

Obviously I have no say in what happens with the child. Do I get to put it up for adoption? Nope. Even though I'm half of the decision.

Legally, you're not.
Your decision was made just before The Sex.

And of course I worry what I will have to pay more than being a parent because MY EX DOESN'T WANT ME INVOLVED AT ALL, she already said she is going to most likely tell the courts I abandoned her so I involuntarily get my parental rights taken away. Is that fair? No.

It doesn't matter how your relationship is with HER. What matters is your relationship with YOUR CHILD.

You are also confused if you think that "fair" equals "legal." It doesn't. Give up that theory and you'll be so much happier.

You all act like I'm the most immoral piece of filth the world has spit out. Trust me, when I was in jail, I was immoral. When I was in a mental institution for threatening to kill my father and myself, I was immoral, but now I'm apparently "doing okay."

Well, I'm really glad I'm doing "okay" right now, I mean this is not a life-changing event or anything, or something that I have no say in since my girlfriend blatantly lied to my face by saying she was on birth control or that it didn't matter that it "broke" and hid the fact she was pregnant from me until she got a blood test and sprung it on me the day we broke up.

Oh well. At least I'm still "okay."

You're projecting a LOT of ugly things that NO ONE HERE has said, written, or put forth to you.

I'm sorry you are so unhappy, but seriously, you need some help TODAY.

Call your doctor.

 

[mistoffolees]

So please, lecture me more on the morality of someone that has no right being a father being forced to be a father? Obviously I have no say in what happens with the child. Do I get to put it up for adoption? Nope. Even though I'm half of the decision.

And of course I worry what I will have to pay more than being a parent because MY EX DOESN'T WANT ME INVOLVED AT ALL, she already said she is going to most likely tell the courts I abandoned her so I involuntarily get my parental rights taken away. Is that fair? No.

Time for a little growing up - and stop the whining.

You are the one who chose to be a father. Unless your GF raped you and got pregnant, you participated.

And you have plenty of rights as a father. The fact that you choose not to exercise them or to assert your rights doesn't change that fact.

Oh, and I agree with Silver - call your doctor NOW. You are apparently able to function when you stay on top of your medicines, but it sounds like you're getting somewhat out of control.

 

[Antigone*]

I've got one thing to say to this OP

<SPIT>

 

[CSO286]

Fraud? At any point I could breakdown and go on a killing spree. Diagnosed schizophrenic with a history of violence? It wouldn't be hard for me to re-admit myself.

Anyway, my rights as a father are fairly slim in this country, and my grades already warrant me getting kicked out, so technically I won't have a job or school because I work on my schools campus, and I'm only allowed to work a MAXIMUM of 20 hours per week.

Obviously I'm not doing okay if I'm been to jail, mental institutions, take multiple medications, and see a therapist and psychiatrist on a bi-weekly basis. You're apparently doing "okay", do you have to do that? If I didn't, they would report me as having suicidal tendencies and I'd go back to a mental institution.

Obviously, you don't know the first thing about A. depression B. schizophrenia. I can go to school easily as long as I have medications to supress hallucinations, and sleeping pills because I'm a diagnosed insomniac as well and I can't function on 0 sleep for days.

I have multiple suicide attempts documented, have already been in a mental institution, and I'm practically on suicide watch right now.

So please, lecture me more on the morality of someone that has no right being a father being forced to be a father? Obviously I have no say in what happens with the child. Do I get to put it up for adoption? Nope. Even though I'm half of the decision.

And of course I worry what I will have to pay more than being a parent because MY EX DOESN'T WANT ME INVOLVED AT ALL, she already said she is going to most likely tell the courts I abandoned her so I involuntarily get my parental rights taken away. Is that fair? No.

You all act like I'm the most immoral piece of filth the world has spit out. Trust me, when I was in jail, I was immoral. When I was in a mental institution for threatening to kill my father and myself, I was immoral, but now I'm apparently "doing okay."

Well, I'm really glad I'm doing "okay" right now, I mean this is not a life-changing event or anything, or something that I have no say in since my girlfriend blatantly lied to my face by saying she was on birth control or that it didn't matter that it "broke" and hid the fact she was pregnant from me until she got a blood test and sprung it on me the day we broke up.

Oh well. At least I'm still "okay."

I lived for several years with a paranoid schizophrenic who was delusional and suffered from PTSD. I loved him through every up and down. Don't tell me what I know and don't know.


Your posting, from the beginning is about how to avoid paying child support. You, sir, may or may not be mentally ill, but there is no doubt about your future as a deadbeat father ("ass"uming the pregnancy results in a live birth).

Once this child is born, you could file to establish paternity and obtain joint custody and some sort of parenting plan. You have rights you could exercise. You could be a part of this child's life. You could, but I doubt you will.

What I do forsee happening (and, yes, I did have the newly repaired FA crystal ball shipped to me! HAHAHAHA!!!) is OP here looking ot let everything happen to him, so that he can be a victim for his whole life. Poor OP, the girl tricked him into having sex and now she's got herself pregnant. Poor OP, this girl's filing to make him pay child support. Poor OP, this girl filed for a really restrictive paretning plan and now he only gets superivsed visits. Poor OP, he's ill and he can't deal with all of this.

You know what, OP? There are AMAZING resources out there to help folks with MI be contributing members of society. Even more resources (I'd wager) than are out there to help single moms. Call your doctor (GET YOUR MEDS CHECKED!!) and do an internet search and find yourself some more help.

Decide now not to be a victim. Decide now to be an active participant in the process instead of letting everything happen to you.


ETA: Start here: http://www.nami.org/

 

[Bobwayne17]

I lived for several years with a paranoid schizophrenic who was delusional and suffered from PTSD. I loved him through every up and down. Don't tell me what I know and don't know.


Your posting, from the beginning is about how to avoid paying child support. You, sir, may or may not be mentally ill, but there is no doubt about your future as a deadbeat father ("ass"uming the pregnancy results in a live birth).

Once this child is born, you could file to establish paternity and obtain joint custody and some sort of parenting plan. You have rights you could exercise. You could be a part of this child's life. You could, but I doubt you will.

What I do forsee happening (and, yes, I did have the newly repaired FA crystal ball shipped to me! HAHAHAHA!!!) is OP here looking ot let everything happen to him, so that he can be a victim for his whole life. Poor OP, the girl tricked him into having sex and now she's got herself pregnant. Poor OP, this girl's filing to make him pay child support. Poor OP, this girl filed for a really restrictive paretning plan and now he only gets superivsed visits. Poor OP, he's ill and he can't deal with all of this.

You know what, OP? There are AMAZING resources out there to help folks with MI be contributing members of society. Even more resources (I'd wager) than are out there to help single moms.

Decide now not to be a victim. Decide now to be an active participant in the process instead of letting everything happen to you.

Oh, I know that I'm not the victim. You realize that since my girlfriend makes A TON more than me since she's not in school, if I filed for joint custody she would fight it as hard as she could because then she would be paying ME child support.

Obviously living with someone with paranoid schizophrenia is A LOT different than actually HAVING paranoid schizophrenia. You don't know the first thing about being a paranoid schizophrenic. I've been to jail because I carried concealed weapons because I thought I would get into multiple fights as soon as I stepped out the door. I have stayed up all night waiting for a mysterious person I see outside my window (who doesn't exist) to break in and kill me.

I'm sure, since you've lived with one, you know exactly how these experiences affect someone that has them when they are 16-17. Oh, of course you don't. Unless you're a psychiatrist (and even then since I'm schizophrenic it's hard to believe a word they say to me) I wouldn't believe that you have ANY INKLING of how getting up every day and living is like for me. Any. Inkling.

I of course, would be fine with joint custody, because I would pay a FAIR amount of child support and still be able to see my child. Instead, I will have 0 custody and have to pay more child support than I can.

I'm not asking to get out of child support. I'm asking for a way to pay the child support THAT I CAN.

and what could my doctor do? My therapist/family doctor/psychiatrist ALL know that I have a deep history of hate, violence, and depression. The most they can do is put me on suicide watch but as long as I don't talk about SPECIFICALLY hurting myself or anyone else, they can't do anything about it.

Trust me. Everyone is aware of how many mental problems I have, but legally they can't do anything about it.

What I WANTED to know, was if I was getting SSI (already applied) if I would still be paying the same child support. I'm not trying to get out. I'm trying to pay what I can.

And she can saddle me with 0 custody and then take more than what she deserves from me. That's what I've been saying. That is how she will screw me over. I know her. She has already talked to a lawyer about getting me out of her life and her childs life forever.

and out of control? It doesn't matter how many mood stabilizers I take when I look at my future and realized that there is no way I'll have any kind of life that is enjoyable, so why wouldn't I just end it today? Unless you've tried to kill yourself, you won't understand how I feel.