Divorce in NOVA - how do I make it work?

[Anonymous]

I get $600.00 a month child support and we share custody of 2 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know what the child support calculations will be for you, but I would expect that he would pay at least $1000/mo. of the two kids. That will change when one ages out (turns 18). But, for now, you could expect that you will have $5000/mo. That is enough to live on. And yes, you can live with an apartment that costs $2k if you need to. The kids will share, right -- a 2 bdrm unit?

I assume you want to stay in the same school zone. Don't know how pricey that is, but there are certainly TH rentals for $1500-$2000.

Let's assume $4500. If you pay $2K for rent, +$500 for utilities and misc., $1000 for food, that leaves you $500 for cars/clothes/gas/misc repairs. It's definitely tight. But, you can survive. Of course, it would help you a lot to drop the rent a couple hundred. Would also help if the teen could get a job that pays for his/her car and clothes.

What school zone are you in, OP? Are you willing to move?

I doubt it. Under the VA guidelines that's about what he would pay if she had sole custody. Assuming some form of split custody she will get less and possibly with an adjustment on his end if he's the one that carries the children on his health insurance.

He would pay LESS because he carries the kids on his health insurance and has shared custody??? Nobody told me that (i.e. lawyers)

Assuming his insurance isn't free then yes. Why wouldn't you think he would get a credit against his support obligation for the cost of the insurance he is paying?

VA child support is based on the presumptive guidelines amount + insurance costs + daycare costs. You add those three up and then you split it pro rata by income and there's another aspect of the formula that accounts for the amount of time spent at each parent's house. He will get a credit against his share of the costs for the cost of the health insurance above and beyond having an employee only policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sell 2 of the 3 cars. One of you need to live on top of the metro/bus line and the other needs to do all pick-ups plus drop-offs. Also agree to both move to a small, cheaper community.

Recommendations?

I recommend you leave the D.C. area. Not going to lie. Depending on your career path you can choose far cheaper areas and communities throughout the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get $600.00 a month child support and we share custody of 2 kids.

Do you mind sharing how that amount was determined? Is it based of income, insurance and amount of his visitation/shared custody?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know what the child support calculations will be for you, but I would expect that he would pay at least $1000/mo. of the two kids. That will change when one ages out (turns 18). But, for now, you could expect that you will have $5000/mo. That is enough to live on. And yes, you can live with an apartment that costs $2k if you need to. The kids will share, right -- a 2 bdrm unit?

I assume you want to stay in the same school zone. Don't know how pricey that is, but there are certainly TH rentals for $1500-$2000.

Let's assume $4500. If you pay $2K for rent, +$500 for utilities and misc., $1000 for food, that leaves you $500 for cars/clothes/gas/misc repairs. It's definitely tight. But, you can survive. Of course, it would help you a lot to drop the rent a couple hundred. Would also help if the teen could get a job that pays for his/her car and clothes.

What school zone are you in, OP? Are you willing to move?

I doubt it. Under the VA guidelines that's about what he would pay if she had sole custody. Assuming some form of split custody she will get less and possibly with an adjustment on his end if he's the one that carries the children on his health insurance.

He would pay LESS because he carries the kids on his health insurance and has shared custody??? Nobody told me that (i.e. lawyers)

Well they should of. His payment for healthcare gets factored in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get $600.00 a month child support and we share custody of 2 kids.

Do you mind sharing how that amount was determined? Is it based of income, insurance and amount of his visitation/shared custody?

We share 50/50 custody and he pays the kids health insurance. He makes $30,000 more in income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know what the child support calculations will be for you, but I would expect that he would pay at least $1000/mo. of the two kids. That will change when one ages out (turns 18). But, for now, you could expect that you will have $5000/mo. That is enough to live on. And yes, you can live with an apartment that costs $2k if you need to. The kids will share, right -- a 2 bdrm unit?

I assume you want to stay in the same school zone. Don't know how pricey that is, but there are certainly TH rentals for $1500-$2000.

Let's assume $4500. If you pay $2K for rent, +$500 for utilities and misc., $1000 for food, that leaves you $500 for cars/clothes/gas/misc repairs. It's definitely tight. But, you can survive. Of course, it would help you a lot to drop the rent a couple hundred. Would also help if the teen could get a job that pays for his/her car and clothes.

What school zone are you in, OP? Are you willing to move?

I don't see the point of me moving then if I would still be paying what I pay now, which is 2k. I would prefer to move to a cheaper place that accepted our dogs, but I might as well stay put and keep my kids in the same school if I can't save on rent.

Do you have to get divorced now? Can you all just live basically separated for the sake of money until the kids are out of the house?

This. I had a bad marriage and lives like this awhile due to money. I had enough and moved out. It's just as miserable being dead broke. Wish we could have hung on until at least our oldest was out of the house. Now we are both dead broke supporting 2 households. Retirement will never happen for me. And it seems like I'm one emergency away from being without a over on my head.

Consider your choice very carefully. Two sides of a bad coin.

[Anonymous]

Find a roommate who is going through the same thing- then you can share expenses. (Eg Kate and Allie) I know two sets of people who did this and they were able to stay in the same school district.