Finally rec'd the MSA proposal from STBXH's lawyer. Either he didn't listen to STBXH, or STBXH has changed his mind on our verbal agreements. I'm leaning towards the "STBXH's lawyer uses stock proposals to start negotiations from" theory.
First of all, it says "Husband and Wife are each Gainfully employed." Oh hell no. My last part-time job was 9 years ago, and my last full-time job was 12 years ago.
Secondly, it asks me to waive maintenance. Another hell no. We've been married 18 years. I've been a SAHM for 12 years. The first three years of our marriage, I worked while STBXH finished his Bachelor's Degree.
Thirdly, there's a clause waiving the right to discovery.
Not likely.
Lastly, there is no mention of who gets to claim the kids on Income Taxes. I happen to know that if the MSA does not address it, then we have to go by the IRS's rules. Guess what? That means my parents get to claim the kids!
(We're living with my folks who will pay more in housing, board, and clothing for my kids than STBXH will in CS.) What an idiot.
So here are some possible counter offers
1. I want 15% rehabilitative allimony to be revisited in 3-5 years. Or 50% unallocated support (CS is 32% of that, but STBXH would be able to deduct it all on his taxes, and would probably get the Kids for taxes too.) This is what we had verbally agreed to last fall.
2. I want STBXH to pay half my graduate school costs, approximately $17,000. (Wasn't even going to ask before.)
3. STBXH needs to disclose his employers pension plan that I KNOW he is vested in and I want half. (I had been willing to ignore it).
As it stands, I have access to over half his paycheck every month, so the longer it takes to settle, the better off I am. If his douchbag attorney wants to play rough, we'll play rough.