Is America's child support formulas fair and equal?

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   Terry Martinposted 10 years ago

   Is America's child support formulas fair and equal?
   
   Do you think America needs to revamp the child support formulas? Do you think the court system is biased towards men? Do you think that equal work hours by both parents should be weighed into child support formula? (Ex. Dad works 50 hrs, mom works 25)

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2. 71

   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   I think child support should be based upon the earnings of both parents. Naturally the custodial parent whether that be mom or dad should receive financial assistance to cover the additional costs involved providing meals, clothing, and other needs.
   Nevertheless the goal is not to impoverish or "punish" the non-custodial parent. If a man for example is making $10 per hour and works 40 hours a week grossing (before) taxes $400 it's unrealistic to expect the court to force him to pay half of his salary making it impossible for him to have a decent place for his children to visit him as well as provide for his own day to day living expenses. The less a man earns the less money he will be required to pay in child support.
   As for mom working 25 hours most women work full-time and collect child support. The court is not going to punish her for having a full-time job if she is the custodial parent. However courts have been known to award custodial parents more child support money if the ex increases his or her income significantly. In some instances they will take into account the income of someone whom he/she marries.
   On a related matter a lot of men are upset about not being able to collect refunds for child support payments they made when it is revealed that they aren't the biological father! This is a combination of fraud and betrayal! Imagine paying 18 years of child support for a child that is not yours! It happens and it's not fair.
   Maybe should have automatic DNA testing with every birth.The state however would rather "assume" the husband is the father than to risk having to assist the mother financially. They apply what is called "the best interest for the child" law if two or more years have passed prior to the discovery the man is not the father. The mother is never punished for her deceit. In their eyes the child is attached to him. No woman would want this to happen to their adult son or brother.

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3. 50

   Terry Martinposted 10 years ago

   With child support( in most states), the formulas are based to keep the children's lifestyle to remain the same. How is that possible? In a marriage there are usually 2 incomes to support the household. In divorce with child support, there is now 1 income that supports a home and they now also take a portion of that income to help support the other household. The lifestyle cannot be sustained no matter how you look at it. The formulas are too vague. There cannot be a standardize formula for child support. There should be a formula based on hours worked, rate of pay, self employed( too many people are dishonest with their income in this category) whether there is full custody or joint custody.  There are too many cases where one household struggles while the other lives comfortably or better than the other. How can this be good for the children?

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   1. 71

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Divorce is rarely good for children unless there is violence or other toxic behavior in the home. Only the rich are able to maintain the same lifestyle apart. The goal is also not to unfairly punish one parent more than the other for the divorce.

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4. 91

   peeplesposted 10 years ago

   The system is beyond flawed in many ways. I knew a guy who paid 2800 a month to his exwife for 2 kids. Tell me who in their right mind needs $2800 a month to support their children unless they are doing nothing themselves to contribute to the children. Another thing that bothers me is the fact that courts seem to let it pass when a custodial parent denies visitation to the noncustodial based on persona; dislikes or hostility.
   There is no one formula that should be used. It should be a case by case situation.

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   1. 71

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent point! Oftentimes the custodial parent uses the children as pawns  to turn them against their ex, denies visitation, and their primary goal is making the ex suffer as much as possible. You're right there is no one size fits all formula.

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      Terry Martinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Did you know custodial parent just means the one that recieves support. You can have joint custody but there always is custodial and noncustodial, which is defined by incomes.

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5. 59

   Jane Carigposted 9 years ago

   I myself is divorce and I have 7 year old daughter. I don't think you CAN measure a good father by how MUCH MONEY HE CAN PROVIDE FOR HIS CHILD/CHILDREN.  I have seen my father struggled to support me and support himself. He had to worked 2 jobs. SPENDING TIME WITH MY dad was impossible.  Meanwhile my mother can not hold a job she quits for little nonsense even now. I see unfairness here. Why is my father who worked so hard and hardly can not afford to buy himself a new shoes need to increase her child support..why ? i did not understand why would the court punished my father. Do they realized that is my father. My mother said its for my best interest and COURT IS THERE TO PROTECT MY MOM. But really, A father is a parent too. Do they know that this hurts the child ? YES, THE COURT TOOK THE humanity OUT OF MY FATHER. MY FATHER DIED WITH NO MEDICAL INSURANCE WHATSOEVER can not pay her medical plan. I HAD ASKED MY MOTHER  WHY did you asked for more money. She said, " I don't have a job and its his responsibility.. I GET IT NOW THAT I AM OLDER " ENTITLEMENT"  THE LEGAL TERMS IS ALSO CALLED " MODIFIED INCREASE". ..They ARE GOOD FATHERs OUT THERE, my father was  AND same goes to MOTHERs . I recent my mother for this. I don't think I can ever be as greedy and selfish, vindictive like my mother.   JUST THINK, IS IT REALLY THE CHILD WELL BEING THAT MATTERS IN THIS SITUATION OR THERE SOMETHING WRONG IN THIS EQUATION. I really don't understand enlighten me.

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