Could an extra $60K income by your ex change the child support amount significantly?

[Anonymous]

I put in the numbers online in one of those calculators for VA, and it only increased child support for my kids by about $200/mo. Can that be right, if I'm making only $35K? And how is that fair?!? Just to play around with it, I put him making double the amount and it still tops out at only about another $350 over what I'm getting already.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

You'd have to give more facts about income and child costs, etc., to really help on this question. But in general, yes, a huge increase income might only result in a couple extra hundred a month.


In general, the court determines how much it costs to provide for your child -- shelter, heat, school, clothes, food, transportation, etc.. Then it assigns a percentage to you and to your ex for what you are responsible for. If it costs $2000 a month to provide for your children, for example, and you make only half what your husband makes ($35,000 vs. $70,000), you'd be responsible for 33.3% of the $2,000 and he'd be responsible for 66.6% of the $2,000. So you'd be on the hook for about $667 a month and he'd be liable for $1,333.

Now, let's up his income by another $70,000 to $140,000, but you still make $35,000. Now he's making 80% of the total joint income, you are making only 20%. The childcare percentages change.

You are now responsible for $400 a month, and he's responsible for $1,600 a month.

So in this scenario, his income goes from $70,000 to $140,000 but his child support obligation only goes from $1,333 to $1,600 a month.

Does that help?

[Anonymous]

So how are all these wives/ girlfriends of wealthy people getting $5000/mo (or some other huge amount) child support for one kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So how are all these wives/ girlfriends of wealthy people getting $5000/mo (or some other huge amount) child support for one kid?

Easy, they say that it costs $15,000 a month or so to raise the children.

[Anonymous]

Also, the guidelines are just that - guidelines. They are not set in stone. No reason you can't ask for more. I think they are more minimums than maximums.

[Anonymous]

Correct about the "guidelines".
You can keep track of all the actual costs for your children, to see if the amount is really more than the minimal essential court mandated child support. Other things that make the support go up are medical costs (that is arbitrary - does he pay 100% of out of pocket, or do you guys split it based on ratio?), health insurance costs, and child care needed for you to work.
Also, take a calculator and times the $200 x 12 months x the date child support ends.
You may try to ask him to pay more, or ask if he would make an agreement on college and wedding costs now - that is, would he be willing to put $100 a month for each child into an account starting the day of his raise for the kids since he has so much more disposible income now. College, weddings and most things after age 18 are not covered by child support.
Good luck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So how are all these wives/ girlfriends of wealthy people getting $5000/mo (or some other huge amount) child support for one kid?

Easy, they say that it costs $15,000 a month or so to raise the children.

Yep, when their "shelter" is a multi million dollar mansion (somebody has to pay the mortgage), they attend private schools, etc. it certainly adds up. Plus, depending on the celebrity, there is security involved - again, more $$.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Correct about the "guidelines".
You can keep track of all the actual costs for your children, to see if the amount is really more than the minimal essential court mandated child support. Other things that make the support go up are medical costs (that is arbitrary - does he pay 100% of out of pocket, or do you guys split it based on ratio?), health insurance costs, and child care needed for you to work.
Also, take a calculator and times the $200 x 12 months x the date child support ends.
You may try to ask him to pay more, or ask if he would make an agreement on college and wedding costs now - that is, would he be willing to put $100 a month for each child into an account starting the day of his raise for the kids since he has so much more disposible income now. College, weddings and most things after age 18 are not covered by child support.
Good luck

Good point and to add... the same can be said about school-related things (you don't say how old your child is so not sure if school is even applicable) - but items such as tuition, lap tops, equipment/enrollment for sports, school social events, etc. may help your argument.