I was in a similar situation when I got divorced (I hadn’t worked in over a year, so “zero” income). Most attorneys will do some work through a Legal Aid Society. This may have different names in different states. My attorney was a friend, but she represented me pro bono and banked her hours with the organization. I got great representation and came out quite nicely in the settlements thank you very much!
I don’t know what state you’re in, but my state doesn’t require any parents to pay for college, so my ex challenged his requirement to pay and won - it was the only portion he did win and we didn’t challenge it because of everything I did get.
You need to get an attorney ASAP who will help you settle:
- Child custody arrangements (I have seen some wonky ones in my day)
- Child support (this should be based on his salary and can be modified every few years as his income changes)
- Spousal support if you haven’t been working much for the past 10 years
- Division of assets that not only include the house but your bank accounts, stocks, bonds, retirement accounts, company pensions, Social Security, vehicles, and other investments
- Who will pay what costs for college (if he makes 6x what you do, he should pay proportionately)
- Pet care expenses - this may sound trivial, but I have a friend with two kids and three dogs. The kids are attached to the dogs and one has extensive - and expensive - vet needs
Now, going back to the first point. There are 365 days in a year, which means the potential college student won’t be spending an equal amount of time in each home. Make sure that child spends the extra day in your house. You will get the tax deduction and the FAFSA will reflect the lower income household (a tip our state FA folks gave at a recent college workshop).
Your soon-to-be ex is playing hardball. You need someone in your corner who can hit back, and harder. You need your portion of the house sale to get a new house. Where does your ex expect you to live and does he really want his children living on the street?