Appropriate child support for this situation

[Anonymous]

Kids are 10 and 14.

Spouse 1 makes 87000 and has kids 95% of time. Does all of the feeding, housing, driving, appointments, etc.

Spouse 2 makes 140000 and has kids 5% of time because they are overseas and kids don’t want to go live there.

Spouse 2 currently gives spouse 1 $1300 monthly for the kids. They also pay for roughly half of large expenses like braces.

Does this sound about right?
I know the state mandated amount is tinier, but does not reflect actual cost of raising kids.

[Anonymous]

Child support goes by a calculator. Use it. It doesn't go by the actual costs of raising kids as that can greatly vary by household and if you get more in child support, then beyond braces all that would be your responsibility as its usually half or child support.

Kids CAN go live with Dad. Its always an option.

[Anonymous]

If the child support calculator amount is lower than what you are currently receiving then you are getting more than an appropriate amount. Your income split is about 2/3 and 1/3 so you should be contributing approximately $600 to the support of the children on top of his $1,300. Are you telling me you can't raise two kids on $2K net per month?

Which one of you pays for the health insurance?

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t seem fair to me. Spouse 2 pays less than 16k a year for the kids out of 140k?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the child support calculator amount is lower than what you are currently receiving then you are getting more than an appropriate amount. Your income split is about 2/3 and 1/3 so you should be contributing approximately $600 to the support of the children on top of his $1,300. Are you telling me you can't raise two kids on $2K net per month?

Which one of you pays for the health insurance?

And also, is there spousal support? Those are two big adjustments in the child support calculator.

There is nothing discretionary about this — it’s all “formula.” So there is no guesswork on what is the “right amount.” Use the calculator and you will know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t seem fair to me. Spouse 2 pays less than 16k a year for the kids out of 140k?

Every state has a child support calculator. She can use that or go file at the child support office and see. However, spouse 2 is also paying half of extra's so its not exactly $16K a year. But, if she files, gets more child support spouse 2/Dad may not be obligated to pay for extra's as those will then come out of child support.

[Anonymous]

Why is everyone assuming #2 is the guy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the child support calculator amount is lower than what you are currently receiving then you are getting more than an appropriate amount. Your income split is about 2/3 and 1/3 so you should be contributing approximately $600 to the support of the children on top of his $1,300. Are you telling me you can't raise two kids on $2K net per month?

Which one of you pays for the health insurance?

The lower earning spouse pays health insurance.
Also, the higher earning spouse does not have their own place, so when they “have” the kids they are actually staying at lower earning spouse’s house and “helping”.
Is the fact that the lower earning spouse is doing almost all the work, using their sick leave to take kids to appointments etc, to actually raise the kid not worth anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone assuming #2 is the guy?

Because most mothers don’t usually abandon their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the child support calculator amount is lower than what you are currently receiving then you are getting more than an appropriate amount. Your income split is about 2/3 and 1/3 so you should be contributing approximately $600 to the support of the children on top of his $1,300. Are you telling me you can't raise two kids on $2K net per month?

Which one of you pays for the health insurance?

The lower earning spouse pays health insurance.
Also, the higher earning spouse does not have their own place, so when they “have” the kids they are actually staying at lower earning spouse’s house and “helping”.
Is the fact that the lower earning spouse is doing almost all the work, using their sick leave to take kids to appointments etc, to actually raise the kid not worth anything?

Your CS is most likely calculated using the sole custody formula to reflect the higher costs of feeding and housing the child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are 10 and 14.

Spouse 1 makes 87000 and has kids 95% of time. Does all of the feeding, housing, driving, appointments, etc.

Spouse 2 makes 140000 and has kids 5% of time because they are overseas and kids don’t want to go live there.

Spouse 2 currently gives spouse 1 $1300 monthly for the kids. They also pay for roughly half of large expenses like braces.

Does this sound about right?
I know the state mandated amount is tinier, but does not reflect actual cost of raising kids.

1300/mo is ridiculous. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure the state mandated amount would be lower? $1300 sounds low given the salary. Are they on the non-custodial parent's health insurance?

[Anonymous]

Child support is not payment for caring for your kids. You are not a babysitter. It is to help pay for the basics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Child support is not payment for caring for your kids. You are not a babysitter. It is to help pay for the basics.

No, but if it means i am using my sick pay, taking time off for kid stuff, not quite able to devote 100% to job like other parent is, that is a measurable negative economic effect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Child support is not payment for caring for your kids. You are not a babysitter. It is to help pay for the basics.

No, but if it means i am using my sick pay, taking time off for kid stuff, not quite able to devote 100% to job like other parent is, that is a measurable negative economic effect.

It’s called being a parent. Grow up.