NCP income

FCCDAD
Thu, 31 Jul 2014 21:08:48 +0000

Most states base child support on the relative incomes of the two parents. However, it is set independently in each state. For example, if CP has income $50k and NCP has income $75k, the NCP will likely pay different amount of CS depending on which state the lawsuit is filed in - it is not uniform.

CS, like custody, is “infinitely reviewable.” The suit can be re-heard at any time, for any reason. This is a very effective way to transfer all available money from both parents to their attorneys, and to stir up bad blood. It does not generally appear to be effective at having more money actually spent on the child.

Most states do NOT require either parent to pay for college. The rationale is that they do not require parents to pay for college if the marriage is still intact, and it is not equal treatment under the law for divorced parents to be forced to pay for college when married parents are not required to do the same. However, some states DO require divorced parents to pay for college. Check your own state’s laws.

If you want the other parent to pay for college - or to feel any obligation to support his/her child in any way after age 18 - try sending the child to live with the other parent for his/her final year or two of HS. The lifelong benefits the child would reap from such a goodwill and cooperative effort between the parents could be HUGE. (And please don’t anyone throw out any red herrings about “abusive” parents; the vast majority of parents are NOT abusive, and there are criminal courts and CPS to handle those very few who are.) This is generally phrased as: can you love your child more than you hate your ex? The savings in attorneys’ fees alone could be enough to cover all college costs.

@SimpleLive Why do you say you didn’t ask for the Court to decide matters? Courts do not hear custody cases sua sponte; custody is a civil matter, someone has to be the Plaintiff to file and prosecute the lawsuit for the Court to get it. Civil custody cases do not file themselves. (Incidentally, what you refer to as “custody” is what people generally call Legal Custody, and what you refer to as “access” is generally called Physical Custody.)