Child Support Increase Question

[StampGirl]

I had to start at the bottom of the company and work my way up thank you very much. Damn lucky to make that much. Remember that $30,000 is gross and I have NO deductions except myself so they are taking alot of money out of my check.. Basically I take home the same as my child support. You support three girls and yourself on that budget in southern california. Daycare alone is about $350 a week which he does not help me pay for.


As for the poster who commented on that I should be able to live, have you seen rent averages?? They are about $1600-1800 a month where I live. And that is the cheap rent. Houses are more and so are utilities. Add in food, daycare, clothes for kids who grow like weeds, utilities, car payment (downgraded my car so payment was cheaper) adn insurance; there is no way that money goes that far.

I took less child support AND less alimony than I should because at the time I didn't need the guideline amount. Now that I need it to make ends meet why am I critizised for doing so?

 

[jbowman]

You are not being criticised for it. You have been told to take him back to court for modification. They will look at your check stubs, his check stubs, the percentage of time you each legally have the child and come to the amount. Did you check the calculator?

http://www.alllaw.com/calculators/Childsupport/california/

Also, CA has mandatory add-ons for 1/2 medical expenses and child care expenses. That is a given. He will be ordered to 1/2 of this stuff.

But since you say you agreed to less that guideline support, you can not go back now and change your mind about what you received for the last 5 years. If the CS is modified, it will be modified from the date of filing.

And regarding the cost of living in CA. I live here. I know! And, first of all, on a 30K salary as a single mom, you can get help from YMCA Youth and family services to help pay for day care. I call bull on the rest. Like I said, you can use the CS for rent and the 2 grand a month you take home on the rest. You actually take home more than I do and I make it just fine.

 

[qurice]

Like I said, you can use the CS for rent and the 2 grand a month you take home on the rest.

And then what happens if Dad decides to stop paying that too? He stopped paying alimony, (whether he did so legally or not we don't know) so whos to say he won't do the same with CS? I see a LOT of posts where mom (or CP) is told to budget without it.

StampGirl, you need to change your deductions to get them to match your tax liability as close as you can. It's an easy way to give yourself a pay raise when you are really trying to make ends meet.

I do agree that you should file for a modification if the calculators say you are entitled to more.

 

[jbowman]

And then what happens if Dad decides to stop paying that too? He stopped paying alimony, (whether he did so legally or not we don't know) so whos to say he won't do the same with CS? I see a LOT of posts where mom (or CP) is told to budget without it.

StampGirl, you need to change your deductions to get them to match your tax liability as close as you can. It's an easy way to give yourself a pay raise when you are really trying to make ends meet.

I do agree that you should file for a modification if the calculators say you are entitled to more.

Youre right, Q and in my opinion, mom should not be relying on this money in the first place. Isnt that rule number one? But she is saying that the CS is too low for her to survive. So regardless if it is 1600 or more, she is still depending on it. Dad is not an ATM.

 

[MrsK]

Silver, that is the best site EVER!! Smarty!

I also really like the link. Thanks, Silver.

 

[MrsK]

Dad is paying close to the same amt in support that you take home, and you dont see why he should get the tax deductions? AT BEST you should hope for EOY, because that would be MORE than fair to you.

Anyway...aside from the fact that I'm having a hard time believing you make $30k a year if you went to GRAD school (I could go get a job making $30k today and I didnt go to grad school- perhaps you need a different job or shouldve picked another field?) and that I'm having a hard time seeing how you are barely able to pay your bills since there are a lot of people who have less money than that & manage to live- if you are due for a mod, then file for one.

 

[nextwife]

Dad is paying close to the same amt in support that you take home, and you dont see why he should get the tax deductions? AT BEST you should hope for EOY, because that would be MORE than fair to you.

Anyway...aside from the fact that I'm having a hard time believing you make $30k a year if you went to GRAD school (I could go get a job making $30k today and I didnt go to grad school- perhaps you need a different job or shouldve picked another field?) and that I'm having a hard time seeing how you are barely able to pay your bills since there are a lot of people who have less money than that & manage to live- if you are due for a mod, then file for one.

Heck, I didn't even graduate COLLEGE and I make more than that.

 

[jbowman]

Heck, I didn't even graduate COLLEGE and I make more than that.

Ok, now I dont want to try to outdo you nextwife but I (with head bent in embarrassment) didnt graduate high school and I make more than that--in Southern CA.

 

[MrsK]

Heck, I didn't even graduate COLLEGE and I make more than that.

Yeah neither did my husband & my ex, and they both make more than that. I stay at home with my kids & work PT so *I* dont make that, but if I went to work full time, I would.

 

[Inquiry123]

I received $1600 a month in child support and $300 a month in spousal support up until June 2005. I made ends meet because our condo payment was only $600 a month. I paid for daycare out of funds of a student loan I received while in school. Another grant I received from school paid for preschool for our middle child.

I had to sell the condo to pay for grad school, my half of our debt from the marriage, my divorce attorney ($$$$) and pay back my parents. I also lived on that income while I went to grad school.

If my rent hadn't gone up so much (from 1100 to 1600) then I wouldn't consider asking for more money. We don't even fit in a 2 bedroom apt even. Its way too cramped. We did it for a year and it was crazy. I had to move in with my parents (and pay them rent) because of the increase.

The reason for asking for modification is so that our support represents our true financial situations. I am tired of him and his new wife telling me that I should be "grateful" they pay me the money they do. Thats crap. If he wants to have it "right" then lets do it. Everywhere I have gone for dissomasters (even an attorney) states that I should be getting about $400 more. That would help me find my own place for the girls and I.

StampGirl:

I'm not trying to beat you up...just trying to illustrate a point.

The judge awarded you none of the tax exemptions because they wouldn't benefit you -- you had NO real income. Now that you're working, chances are better that the exemptions would be split between you and Dad. File for a modification and find out.

Most of the financial mess you find yourself in is of your own doing. YOU sold your inexpensive domicile and spent the cash. YOU paid to finance a vehicle you couldn't afford. YOU took the student loans that have to be repaid. YOU didn't generate income while in school. YOU settled for less in support than you could have obtained. YOU selected a career that is obviously initially low-paying.

That's water under the bridge. $1600/mo. for 3 kids that comes on time every month? And that amount is about as much as you bring home with a college degree?! You said, "damn lucky to make that much"...I agree. At least you're grateful for something.

You've been told numerous times that you should be getting $400 more "for the kids" -- go get it! File for a modification. That extra $400 still won't even cover your increased rent, right? You had mentioned that some of Dad's income comes from all the OT he works as a cop. How does CA treat OT when it comes to support -- how is the court going to react when he explains that he's not going to work OT in the future?

And just what in the heck are you going to do when Dad gets shot? That money won't last for long, either.