Child support = depression

[BrandonA]

Pretty simple 20% first child and 5% for each child after the first. If you are paying more than that then you should've done your homework. I paid it for years and now have daughters with deadbeat exe's so I see both sides.

Unless the judge makes an exception. What you quoted is standard

[txdrhntr]

Child support is nothing more than a second income for many women. And, pay attention to how many start looking to replace that second income with some gullible guy when those kids are nearing the age of 18.

My ex took me back in May and almost doubled mine then in June my sons tell me she is pregnant with another guys baby. Shes not sure who the dad is. I just about laughed until I could not breath. My sons are just about done in school. One is a junior and one is a senior

[TxSon1836]

i do not envy any of yall. i hear nothing but these kinda stories from anyone i know that has paid CS. Even had a couple buddies go after full custody and proved CS wasnt fully being used for he kids and was funding moms lifestyle. Welp not only did he not get full custody but his CS went way way up. He lives up in Iowa which is a "50/50" state. wife never worked so he literally funds 100% of her life and she hasnt had a job since the 80s.

[bowhuntertex]

I pay child support and still provide most of what my kid needs. Like said above, I just look at it as payment to not have to deal with her.

[eastxhunter]

Brb vasectomy

[UncleBubba]

At least you guys pay up. My older two boys "dad" asked to stop paying a while back, not our decision to make. He never did but doesn't care to spend any extra time outside his allotted time the boys, even when we ask him. I respect most dads dealing with the child support issue and understand they get the back hand from the judicial system most times. But there are far to many that do not want or take the responsibility for the children they helped bring into this world. OP good luck with your situation and good on you for stepping up and being there for your kiddos as much as you can in your current situation.

[BrianL]

I got divorced, but not till my son was grown. I can only imagine how hard it would be to take 25% off the top and still try and have a life. That being said, I'm dating a lady with 3 teenage kids. Dang kids today are expensive! They eat non stop, sports, school stuff, select sports, iphones, allowance, fancy clothes, lunch monies......... I'm staying single, and getting snipped just in case!

[ca1219]

My oldest sons mother and I split just a few months after he was born. I paid child support for 12 years, never missed a payment or visit. Even before our custody was set up and she was using my son to control me, I would get him every chance I could. I was working in New Olreans after Katrina hit and she called me up on a weekend that wasnt mine on a Saturday afternoon and said I could have him for a few hours that Sunday. I loaded up, drove the 10 hours back to where she lived so I could spend 2 hours with him. Fast forward 12 years, all he talked about was living with me.... so I decided to do something about it! Spent every penny I had saved to make it happen. He is now 15 and living with me. In the 3 school years he has been with me, his mom has had him no more than 15-20 times. Has not made but maybe 5 of his 100+ games of baseball, not a single football game. I have asked her once to help with his select baseball and was told she couldn't afford it. Keep in kind she wasn't paying me child support and at that time was still collecting child support from me with him living with me.. That was a complete cluster F getting that stopped. Doing the child support thing sucks but just continue to do your part financially and be there, you will see the payoff in the end. It is unfortunate but now my son dreds going over to his mom a lot of the time. My best advice is document everything you do and is done on her part, that way if you ever decide to persue the route of custody. It can be done but courts generally lean towards the mother, especially at the younger ages but the older they get the more voice that child has. I wish you the best... I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy, especially for the men that really want to be DADS!

[Fmjag64]

Never had to deal with any of this but it sounds horrible. Not sure how people can afford it. If i was in that situation, I'd go for full custody. Do moms get stuck with these same expenses if the dad has the kids? Seems like they get off easy. Such a flawed system.

[TxDispatcher]

If your a dad and pay your support like your supposed to Texas hoses you. If your a dead beat it takes forever for the system to finally catch up to you. Max child support just went up so my ex is taking me back for another $100 bucks a month for my last year of support which she will get. My grandson is 4 and has not gotten a penny from baby daddy and he has failed to appear 5 times and nothing has happened to him.

Keep your head up those and if you stay single you can easily afford it ;-)

Nailed it!

I pay $1710 a month plus all medical insurance and 1/2 unpaid uncovered medical. That will be going to $1840. Would not be an issue if it actually went to my child.

All I'll say about the highlighted is this...kids aren't stupid. The day of reckoning will come if you do your part. Keep your nose clean, don't speak ill of their mother, pay your CS, and spend every moment with your kids that you can and make it quality time. I had my daughter every weekend and she never heard me say one bad thing about her mother. The same couldn't be said from the other side it didn't take long before she figured out that I cared more about her than I did myself, and its paid off in so many ways in the last 15 years. She is now approaching her mid twenties, is in college after taking a few years off to travel on the cheap (basically ended up hobo'ing across the country to see places that she wanted to before she settled down), is dating a young man who she has known since high school...and when she needs advice, she calls me. I've had more than a few of her friends tell me "she respects you greatly for being the man you've been in front of her, being one of the few people that she could count on and rely on"

I don't say that to pat myself on the back, I feel that I have failed miserably as a father all too many times...I just want to encourage you fellas to not focus on the money (it sucks, I know all too well), but instead to focus on your kids and invest quality time in them and you'll reap the dividends as they get older and realize the truth of life

[ca1219]

Nailed it!



All I'll say about the highlighted is this...kids aren't stupid. The day of reckoning will come if you do your part. Keep your nose clean, don't speak ill of their mother, pay your CS, and spend every moment with your kids that you can and make it quality time. I had my daughter every weekend and she never heard me say one bad thing about her mother. The same couldn't be said from the other side it didn't take long before she figured out that I cared more about her than I did myself, and its paid off in so many ways in the last 15 years. She is now approaching her mid twenties, is in college after taking a few years off to travel on the cheap (basically ended up hobo'ing across the country to see places that she wanted to before she settled down), is dating a young man who she has known since high school...and when she needs advice, she calls me. I've had more than a few of her friends tell me "she respects you greatly for being the man you've been in front of her, being one of the few people that she could count on and rely on"

I don't say that to pat myself on the back, I feel that I have failed miserably as a father all too many times...I just want to encourage you fellas to not focus on the money (it sucks, I know all too well), but instead to focus on your kids and invest quality time in them and you'll reap the dividends as they get older and realize the truth of life

You sir completely GET IT!

[Hoggslayer]

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Mine just ended last June. I Blocked her number on my phone and bought a new boat.

[JHT]

3:30AM thoughts.. I sold my home and moved closer to my kids, I changed jobs to be provide better for my family, I spend THOUSANDS of dollars to get to see my kids more.. I go to court and behold, I get more time, yet my child support goes UP. So, let me get this straight.. I get MORE time, yet I pay MORE.. so now I have work more, to make up for the lost wages, and that's less time I get to see the kids that I was just awarded.. cant win for losing..

sorry, just needed to vent a little.. gets pretty lonely with nothing but your thoughts working nights..

Your story sounds like most of ours. Hang in there.
Vent here not in front of your kids. They will figure it out as they get older and its a good day when they let you know about it.

[JHT]

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Mine just ended last June. I Blocked her number on my phone and bought a new boat.

I can't figure out which move was more satisfying...

[gingib]

My suggestion:

Make sure you attend the correct wedding.