Child Support

[mhackelberg]

My divorce will be final 3 years on March 9, 2010. My ex just took me to court today to get his child support lowered. While there, the litigator reads his check stub and comment that he made 54,000 in 2009. My wages were 9096.00 for 2009. He pays $600.00 per month for 2 kids and I have 66% custody. He now wants 50/50. But that doesnt really mean 50/50. It means he works full time and if the kids are sick or have vacation I am still responsible to take care of the kids as long as it is at no expense to me. I sell real estate and am just getting back into it after 3 years of being out. I did already make 1 sale, but there are no guarantees. The litigator tells me, if I stay in real estate and do not get a full time hourly job, based on my wages from 2005 and 2006 that if I agree to 50/50 custody, he will then only have to pay $415 per month. That is after he just made $54,000 last year!!!!!!! How is it justified that the support is LOWERED at this point?

 

[Duranie]

If you only made 9k last year, you are underemployed. Most realtors now have a really hard time making a living doing it full time and most have to take on second jobs. I do not know what the guidelines are for your state but it is not unusual for them to calculate your full earnings potential anyways.

Child support is based on income and parenting time. If you do get a reduction in child support then you are going to have to find a supplemental job. It is really hard to make it as a fulltime realtor anyways.