What are your experiences with the child support process.. ?

Re: What are your experiences with the child support process.. ?

• ktedmon member

  June 2013

  If you two can come to some agreement, you don't always have to get a lawyer involved. It is calculated based on his income. Unfortunately, my baby's daddy is a loser and won't be paying much if any child support. He's in another state, on SSI and doesn't pay for any of his other children (7 by the end of the year).

  Report0 Reply
• Loading the player...
• AshleyF1234 member

  June 2013

  Mediation is simply a facilitated negotiation. You and SO sit with someone, seperately or together, and try to work it out. The mediator goes back and forth trying to reach an agreement.

  If you are in the US, most states have guidelines for child support. If you agree to an amount in mediation, thats great. If not, generally the court will impose the guidelines that are set forth in their Family Code or other rules/regulations.  It is normally determined by the responsible party's income, how many other children they have and by how many other people they have children with. In most states their combined child support cannot surpass a certain % of their income. In my state, child support is generally capped at 50% of his income.

  Do some internet searches on child support rules/guidelines and your state and see what you come up with.

  Report0 Reply
• tracy41 member

  June 2013

  My child support hearing is at the end of the month. I hope mediation isn't required because I wasn't planning on it! Most state's have a guideline support so what is the point of mediation I wonder? I mean I guess you could voluntary accept less CS than guideline but I doubt most BD's are going to volunteer to pay more. I already know BD is gathering everything he can to show why he should pay as little as possible. I can't wait to hear it. Luckily I only need a little bit and the guideline for his provable income is enough even if he manages to hide his other income. What a PIA! Wish I could just win the lottery and tell him to pound sand!

  

  Report0 Reply
• kennazebrowsky member

  June 2013

  It can be a long process- a lawyer can help you get more and speed things up. I suggest it because ultimately they will get you a better deal then you could on your own.
  

  
  
  
  
  

  Report0 Reply
• pregokat member

  June 2013

  I guess I'll just wait and see. 

  I didn't file because I needed money, I did it because the state requires us to comply with child support enforcement when me and the baby are getting state assistance...

  I know he as 1 other kid (2 months younger than my son!.. Prick) and idk I don't have many bills but that doesnt mean in a few years I won't have a lot of bills..

  We'll just have to wait and see!

  thanks for the advice ladies  

  Report0 Reply
• tig594 member

  June 2013

  It sucks and takes too long.  I started the paperwork when LO was about a week old and LO will be about 4 months old when the order finally goes through.  Not that I expect to get any support from the sperm donor as he's currently sitting in jail for aggravated stalking and breaking into my garage and stealing a ton of stuff.  Anyway, I've not needed an attorney here in Michigan.  Everything goes through the prosecutor until it's done and then I guess it gets turned over to Friend of the Court to manage.  We're currently in his 21 day time period to respond to the order (he did sign the paternity agreement the day DD was born).

  Report0 Reply