Question:
Child support is bankrupting me. I have a part-time job making minimum wage yet I am ordered to pay $500 a month in child support plus an extra $200 to cover arrears I accrued while unemployed.
My wages are garnished along with them garnishing half of my unemployment benefits.
Can they charge me this much child support and apply two wage garnishments when I make very little money?
Answer:
This answer only includes general divorce help for men since I am only licensed to practice in Missouri and am thus unable to provide any specific legal advice on divorce.
In Missouri, if you are in arrears for child support then Child Support Enforcement can garnish the monthly amount that you owe for support and a portion of money to try to catch you up from the arrears.
The main concern that I have is that your support amount might be too high considering your income. If your income decreased since the original support order was entered, you may want to consider requesting a modification of that original order.
Child support is based upon your income, the mother’s income and costs for health care or daycare. If your costs for health care and daycare have decreased along with your income, you may simply want to modify the child support order to reflect what you should really be paying.
Please understand that my opinions are based upon the limited facts that you provided to me. For a more in depth discussion of fathers rights and to determine if the child support amount should end, I urge you to contact a mens divorce attorney immediately.
To set up an appointment with a Cordell & Cordell attorney, including Michelle Hughes, an Associate Attorney in the Jefferson County, Missouri office, please contact Cordell & Cordell.
This judge hates us my husband pays child support on one child who was removed from her mothers home by court order but still has one daughter living with the mother the mother has claimed she has been unemployed for over 2 years but files taxes to receive child tax credits unearned income and get money back now the oldest daughter has a job can we actually get the amoumt lowered