SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

Our court date is next month, I used an online calculator and it said X would owe $65 a month. I have over 90% custody of DS! I have him nearly all the time! I am disabled and X has a stupid felony on his record so he delivers pizza right now but he makes more than me. So he sees his son minimally, and will get to just give me $65 a month while he goes on dates with his whore gf? Its a crime! $65 is diapers. Thats it. How much do they think *I* spend on my son each month? With the schedule we have, he should pay at LEAST half the expenses, and newsflash, the expenses of raising a child are more than $130 a month! In California they allow low income idiots to pay a laughable amount so that its not an unmanageable burden on them, but then the custodial parent has to shoulder that burden! Its insane! If the state wants to ease the burden on people who leave their kids, fine, but they should pick up the slack, not expect the other parent to, who is likely also low income.

Ok rant over.

Do you have an attorney?

Can't afford one.

Are you planning to present a budget to the court to show why you need more than $65 a month in child support? I'm outraged for you!

Look into legal services and get representation.

Make sure you go after out of pocket expenses. Try to get the tax exemption since you are providing the most income to the kids.

More likely than not, the state will shoulder the burden. Are you receiving food stamps and medical assistance? If not, I am sure you will qualify for it.

I get SSI which includes "food stamps" (its just counted in the money I get) and DS is on medicaid. My father claims DS on his taxes because being disabled I don't file and DS lives in his house.

I will work on calculating expenses, since I contribute more than $65 to my son's care each month.

Since you're going in pro se (representing yourself), you need to go in armed to the teeth with documentation of expenses. If you can, have a report showing an entire year's worth of expenses. Also have a budget for one month's normal expenses. If you can, have a report that shows how your STBX has contributed financial during the past year (if at all). Also, show how many overnights your child has had in your care versus how many in your STBX's care.

No matter what, do not go into that courtroom without documentation. Make sure you have at least two extra copies to hand to the court clerk for evidence/exhibits. Make sure it's neat, stapled or in a binder, labeled, the whole nine yards.

That is a crime! That makes me furious! Let me guess ... he won't voluntarily give more even though it is the RIGHT thing to do! Grrr!