Child care vs support

[Keco]

What is the name of your state? Colorado
Hello, scenario: Paternity is established, so now comes the $ support hearing in December. Childs father lives out of state. My mom watches my son, but needs to return to work for her own bills. I’ve received current rates for daycare which the court paralegal said is split 50/50 which is fine. Where I live, this would be ~ $1050 EACH for Both father and mother - near cheapest I can find. The higher end is around ~2400/mo. I’m curious If my mom was to establish a home based daycare for the purpose of watching my son, cheaper than commercial daycare, is this something the court is likely to accept or is there some conflict of interest even though she is director qualified and I would 1099 my mom to make it official.

 

[adjusterjack]

You'd better be talking to your ex about it cause what anybody here speculates about isn't going to mean anything unless he is willing to go along with it.

 

[LdiJ]

You'd better be talking to your ex about it cause what anybody here speculates about isn't going to mean anything unless he is willing to go along with it.

That is not entirely correct. A daycare provider can be a relative and a court can order that it is an acceptable daycare arrangement. The bigger question is whether or not the judges in the OP's area would tend to rule in favor of a relative providing paid daycare or not. (Particularly if it is against the wishes of the other parent). Only a local attorney is going to be able to answer that question.

I realize that daycare for an infant is high everywhere, but that is $500 to $600 a week. That is double what I am accustomed to see. Paying for even half of that would be beyond the reach of many parents.

 

[adjusterjack]

(Particularly if it is against the wishes of the other parent).

That's what I meant.

 

[stealth2]

Hello, scenario: Paternity is established, so now comes the $ support hearing in December. Childs father lives out of state. My mom watches my son, but needs to return to work for her own bills. I’ve received current rates for daycare which the court paralegal said is split 50/50 which is fine. Where I live, this would be ~ $1050 EACH for Both father and mother - near cheapest I can find. The higher end is around ~2400/mo. I’m curious If my mom was to establish a home based daycare for the purpose of watching my son, cheaper than commercial daycare, is this something the court is likely to accept or is there some conflict of interest even though she is director qualified and I would 1099 my mom to make it official.

Those numbers are a lot higher than the norm, IMO. I can't imagine that the cost for infant care in CO is much higher than in NYC, which ranges from $1300-$2000 per month (that's also on par with rates in CA). According to this site https://winnie.com/resources/cost-of-child-care-in-colorado-by-age-city-type which gives rates in different cities, infant care ranges from $1200-$1500 per month.

The court is likely aware of local rates, so... I'd expect the judge to balk at ordering Dad to pay half of anything significantly higher. If Grandma is charging market rate under the guise of it being cheaper? Dad is likely to object, and the court may side with him.

 

[LdiJ]

That's what I meant.

Yes but your post gave the impression that if dad didn't agree it could not happen, which is the part that is possibly incorrect.