Child support laws need a serious overhaul

Captain Morgan · 03-10-2010, 11:12 PM

One big problem I have with the system is the way they consider the "cost" of the child. They say it costs X to raise the child in a home and the parents split the cost based on their income percentages. I can understand this, but my problem is that X isn't standard. If there is daycare involved, then the cost of daycare adds to the cost to raise the child (X + daycare). Here's where I get screwed. Example:

We each make a certain amount of money, I contribute 56.5% and she contributes 43.5%. Now, if there is no daycare involved, I would have to pay her mother $53 per week.

However, with daycare at $90 per week, which I pay directly to daycare, I also have to pay her mother $14 per week on top of the $90 I'm paying to daycare. So, instead of me paying $53 per week, I now have to pay $104 total per week, JUST because there is a daycare cost that I am already paying. And here's the kicker. Because I don't get to claim my daughter on taxes, I don't get to claim the cost of daycare. However, if her mother were to pay the daycare, and I paid the $104 to her mom, then her mom would get to deduct the daycare on her taxes, even though I'm basically paying the daycare with her as an escrow for the daycare money. Crock of shit, huh?

Oh, and her mom bitches that she isn't getting very much child support because it's "only" $14 per week. Does she think she'd get to keep more than the $14 per week? The other $90 would still go to daycare and she'd be left with the $14. But, she can't seem to figure that out. However, I refused to pay her the $90 directly because she can't seem to manage money worth a shit and would always be behind on daycare payments to the point they might kick my daughter out. Not to mention the fact that if her mom were to find a cheaper daycare (or someone to watch my daughter for free), I'd be stuck paying her the $104 per week until it could get back to court the following year. This is another problem with the system.

On another note, we both agreed (verbally) to have life insurance of $100k, in case something happened, so the other would get money to take care of the little one. Luckily, I was smart enough that I took out the policy on her and had her take out the policy on me. Why, because I knew she wouldn't be able to manage her money enough to pay the small monthly payment. I was not going to risk her mom not paying the premiums on herself and me not getting any money to support my daughter. Shock and surprise, I was right. She let her life insurance policy on me lapse 2 years ago because she couldn't afford the $15 per month (but she can afford cable). Luckily, my daughter still won't do without if something happens to me because I have other policies that will pay to my mom, with strict instructions it's to be used for my daughter.

I'm doing my best to raise my daughter right. I would love to have her full time, but there is no way I could be married to her mom. So, I'll settle for half, if I can get that much time. Her mom bitched tonight that she misses the little one if she doesn't have her, so she should be allowed to have her more. Does she think I don't miss my daughter??

03-10-2010, 11:12 PM	#14
Captain Morgan Let's do another U-turn Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indiana Moto: 2009 V-Strom Posts: 3,816	One big problem I have with the system is the way they consider the "cost" of the child. They say it costs X to raise the child in a home and the parents split the cost based on their income percentages. I can understand this, but my problem is that X isn't standard. If there is daycare involved, then the cost of daycare adds to the cost to raise the child (X + daycare). Here's where I get screwed. Example: We each make a certain amount of money, I contribute 56.5% and she contributes 43.5%. Now, if there is no daycare involved, I would have to pay her mother $53 per week. However, with daycare at $90 per week, which I pay directly to daycare, I also have to pay her mother $14 per week on top of the $90 I'm paying to daycare. So, instead of me paying $53 per week, I now have to pay $104 total per week, JUST because there is a daycare cost that I am already paying. And here's the kicker. Because I don't get to claim my daughter on taxes, I don't get to claim the cost of daycare. However, if her mother were to pay the daycare, and I paid the $104 to her mom, then her mom would get to deduct the daycare on her taxes, even though I'm basically paying the daycare with her as an escrow for the daycare money. Crock of shit, huh? Oh, and her mom bitches that she isn't getting very much child support because it's "only" $14 per week. Does she think she'd get to keep more than the $14 per week? The other $90 would still go to daycare and she'd be left with the $14. But, she can't seem to figure that out. However, I refused to pay her the $90 directly because she can't seem to manage money worth a shit and would always be behind on daycare payments to the point they might kick my daughter out. Not to mention the fact that if her mom were to find a cheaper daycare (or someone to watch my daughter for free), I'd be stuck paying her the $104 per week until it could get back to court the following year. This is another problem with the system. On another note, we both agreed (verbally) to have life insurance of $100k, in case something happened, so the other would get money to take care of the little one. Luckily, I was smart enough that I took out the policy on her and had her take out the policy on me. Why, because I knew she wouldn't be able to manage her money enough to pay the small monthly payment. I was not going to risk her mom not paying the premiums on herself and me not getting any money to support my daughter. Shock and surprise, I was right. She let her life insurance policy on me lapse 2 years ago because she couldn't afford the $15 per month (but she can afford cable). Luckily, my daughter still won't do without if something happens to me because I have other policies that will pay to my mom, with strict instructions it's to be used for my daughter. I'm doing my best to raise my daughter right. I would love to have her full time, but there is no way I could be married to her mom. So, I'll settle for half, if I can get that much time. Her mom bitched tonight that she misses the little one if she doesn't have her, so she should be allowed to have her more. Does she think I don't miss my daughter?? Last edited by Captain Morgan; 03-10-2010 at 11:14 PM..