Child Support?

How much does it really cost for two boys age 11 & 13?

Why I'm asking: My husband owns a company and in August of 2007 he and his partners stopped taking paychecks to try to keep the company going. So my husband hasn't brought home a paycheck for over a year and has been telling his ex this for months. I am a big saver so we have been living off our saving but that isn't going to last much longer so he is looking for a job. Two weeks ago when he picked up the kids he told his ex he was going to have to go to friend of the court about child support (we have been paying $1558.00 a month even without a paycheck because he thought the company would bounce back) and was trying to work something out with her. She said she couldn't live on a penny less - does it really costs that much for 2 boys??

$1500 a month? wow....

It really isn't based on how much it actually costs but instead is based on income and his obligation to maintain the same lifestyle they had when they were married.

When I was getting child support I got around $400 a month for two kids. We currently pay around $400 a month for two kids.

If his income has dropped he will have to go back to the courts to get it adjusted. It's better for you anyway because then it's all legal instead of trying to work something out with the ex.

As far as actual costs, it's hard to know. I mean if you buy a bigger house to have more bedrooms, then part of your mortgage cost is for the kids. And the heating/utilities will be higher because the house is bigger. Same for the car/gas. Minivans use more gas than a little two seater. On the other hand out of pocket for JUST things the kids would use, no. At least, not unless they have a medical problem or she buys things at only very pricey stores.

When he got divorced 11 years ago she wasn't working but when alimony ran out she did get a job but he has never gone back to have the support changed. When his company was doing good he brought home around $5000 a month. I've been trying to find another job for about 6 months and can't find anything. Hope I can find something when everyone starts hiring Christmas help. It just makes me made because the kids say they go out to dinner everynight because new husband (guy she was cheating with that doesn't work) doesn't want to make anything. No medical problems and even if they did my dh has to pay 90% of all medical expenses.

Wish he had been married to my daughter! Her ex gets away without paying anything even when she takes him back to court and it is re-ordered. He has to pay only 450 and still won't do it.

I am not sure. My younger brother has 2 boys that live with their mother and I think it is taken out of his check. He hasn't seen those boys in over a year though. Breaks my heart, I tell you. His oldest was like my first child...

I think he pays about 300 or so a month. He is supposed to see the boys (as part of the court agreement) but with the Mom in another state with no phone... makes it kinda hard.

It is all going to depend on state laws, his income, her income, her bills (or what she needs to pay for the kids) and I think what has been paid thus far. I am not sure if you already have, but maybe consult with a lawyer on this. Some with see you for free to answer questions.

Child support is a screwed up system. Some parents never get any. Others end up paying far in excess of what they should. One of my best friends from high school paid his child support automatically, deducted out of each paycheck. Only his kids lived with him 6 months out of every year. He paid child support to his ex even when the kids were with him. In fact, he was desperately poor and the kids suffered by not having access to that money. If his mom hadn't been helping him pay bills they wouldn't have been able to pay rent (in one of the cheapest areas in town) or feed the kids. But the court was sure that a husband should pay child support no matter what. So his ex took the money and bought stuff for herself.

I have 4 kids and my food bill is about 800.00 a month. Plus a husband.

For my boys, ages 8 and 9.
I dont buy clothes, toys or such all through the year. I would say I spent about 125.00 a month running my kids to ball and doing little crappy things at the school.

Ball season costs me around 1,500.00. for about 2 months.

I buy clothes 3 times a year. School start. Christmas and April. each boy gets 5 pairs of pants and around 10-12 shirts to share.

Boots for each boy run around 85.00 twice a year. (but mine are cowboys, not everyone has to buy boots). Tennis shoes for one. 10.00 twice a year. and chuckkas for the other 30.00 once a year. Cleats go with baseball stuff.


As long as she is havin to have a home for herself, she needs heat, electric, basic stuff. So that shouldnt factor in as far as him having to provide the bulk of that.

Christmas is never more than 50.00 a kid. Birthdays are the same. (and I buy for each kid at each birthday. its cut down to 30.00 per boy on each ones birthday)

I would go back to court. Now that he is unemployed and state my case. Its well worth it.

And I would have th eboys bring me all the stuff they need from school (yearbooks, pictures, various functions) and pay that myself.

What really stinks is that he goes to work everyday at 5:00am and works 12 to 13 hour trying to keep his company open. They have been making enough to pay the employees and other bills (rent, taxes, medical insurance) but the owners don't take a paycheck. Last month they had to let a few more guys go and cut everyone hours. It's real hard on him since he started the company 15 years ago and now it probably wont make it.

Thanks everyone for your help - now I just need to get him to make a court appointment.

Definitely, anytime your income changes you can re-negotiate your payments.

thebigscott wrote:Child support is a screwed up system. Some parents never get any. Others end up paying far in excess of what they should. One of my best friends from high school paid his child support automatically, deducted out of each paycheck. Only his kids lived with him 6 months out of every year. He paid child support to his ex even when the kids were with him. In fact, he was desperately poor and the kids suffered by not having access to that money. If his mom hadn't been helping him pay bills they wouldn't have been able to pay rent (in one of the cheapest areas in town) or feed the kids. But the court was sure that a husband should pay child support no matter what. So his ex took the money and bought stuff for herself.

This was my dad, my step brother cam to live with them when he was 14.... my dad still payed 4200 a month for the next 4 years until Aaron joined the army. They refused to reduce or eliminate his payments despite the fact that he lived with them 100% of the time. His 'mother' never had top pay a cent the other way.

thebigscott wrote:Child support is a screwed up system. Some parents never get any. Others end up paying far in excess of what they should. One of my best friends from high school paid his child support automatically, deducted out of each paycheck. Only his kids lived with him 6 months out of every year. He paid child support to his ex even when the kids were with him. In fact, he was desperately poor and the kids suffered by not having access to that money. If his mom hadn't been helping him pay bills they wouldn't have been able to pay rent (in one of the cheapest areas in town) or feed the kids. But the court was sure that a husband should pay child support no matter what. So his ex took the money and bought stuff for herself.

That's the kind of senario that really gets my goat!