child support help

[miriamromo]

My exhusband aquired full physical custody of our child back in 1997. He then decided to have our child live with his parents in Mexico. During that time, I got myself through college and happily remarried. During the 10 years that our son lived in Mexico, the father declined to keep me informed on my son's life. Just recently I received information from the child support office in our state of california because the father had opened a case to file for support from me. He claims that our son is back in the US and living with him, but he has not come into contct with me. Instead, he sent his father (grandfather) to ask me to sign a legal consent for my son to file for his passport. The new law of having to travel with a US passport goes into effect in June of 2009. Before this, my son was probably taken out of the country illegally, since I never gave my consent. Is he able to demand child support from me after he asked for custody of our son? and if so, how can lower the proposed amount if I am a stay-at-home mother of three?

 

[irish223]

The parent with custody of the child is almost always awarded child support from the parent without custody. So, you will most likely be ordered to pay. Since you don't work, your child support is based on what the court believes you could be earning if you had a job.

All you can do to lower the amount is to appeal, and you'll need an attorney for that.

None of the other information is a factor in the child support determination if you never filed contempt charges against your ex or reported his actions.

 

[Duranie]

Also you have a right to visitations and to have a say on where this child lives. You still have a right to see the child. Just because he got custody doesn't mean you are not still Mom. Dad is entitled to some CS, your 3 kids may offset the amount you pay, but you'll have to google the CS guidelines for your state.