Finding Child Support Unfair

Relative-Cicada1553 · 2026-06-10T18:10:20+00:00

I've never met a teacher who was not strung out over grading kindergarten tests. Meanwhile, the school parking lot empties at 2:01 pm sharp. Teachers are the biggest whiners ever. Nurses are a close second.

So I get your take.

But I think the summer off thing is a perk of the profession and not easily surrendered.

DntCareBears · 2026-06-10T17:48:18+00:00

Here’s what going to happen. Pull up a chair and read carefully.

Your income will be calculated based on what you have made over the last 3yrs at minimum. This is your projected earnings. They will take the average and then do the state calculations based on that number. Thats your child support amount.

If you were working 60+ hrs over those 3yrs and earning a higher salary, but now plan to stop working so hard and want to come down to 40hrs, you may very well still be on the hook for the higher salary on the 40hr work week pay.

Because they average it out, you get stuck paying more because your salary was higher. If the extra 20hrs were overtime, her lawyer will argue that because you did it for 3yrs, this is considered normal and will fight to keep you at the higher pay. Your attorney is going to have to prove why you can’t make your previous years salary.

Because you make more than her, there is a very high chance that you will get stuck with her legal fees or at least a portion of them on top of yours. This is because you are the higher income earner.

The other thing to consider our assets. The attorneys on both sides will look at your assets home, 401(k) any valuables, and these things will be used against you during the negotiation process. I have seen in the past where the attorneys pit you both against each other only to drive up legal fees, and then when one party cannot pay, they put a lien on the property in order to get their money at the end typically what ends up happening is the judge just assigns you the legal fees and then your wife is awarded the property.

Divorce sucks and it’s even worse for men because we are left with nothing. In my case I pay my ex-wife $28,000 a year in child support this is because I make a very high salary ($200K).

Good luck.

jimsmythee · 2026-06-10T17:07:55+00:00

This is lawyer territory. Most states will base your CS obligations on your 40 hour work week. That the ability to work a second job doesn’t factor in.

But greedy spouses will try to get CS based on all income.

TheMasterQuest · 2026-06-10T16:59:34+00:00

Sorry. The higher earner always ends up on the hook for child support. I would be surprised if a judge did anything else.

EmbarrassedAge7612 · 2026-06-10T16:52:49+00:00

I was granted full custody but was expected to pay child support because of my ex keeping the kids on her insurance for 3 months. I had to petition and negotiate a settlement to not have to pay her for absolutely nothing. Thankfully I had a lawyer that pulled it off.

Sock_Eating_Golden · 2026-06-10T16:41:10+00:00

Yup. I live in a sub 1000sq ft bungalow in the city. My ex lives in a 5br, 2ba, 2500sqft home in the beautiful countryside.

I live on 2/3 of my income. She has a three income household. Her's, her new husband's, and mine.

Fathers are required to give up a large portion of their income. But also required to have a safe home for the same children.

Now that she's married they're looking to buy a new home. I have to find a way to explain to my young children. Yes, I love their home. No I cannot afford it. Why can't I afford it? Because your mother is buying a new home.

jstocksqqq · 2026-06-10T16:19:19+00:00

My understanding is most teachers don't work in the summer, or at least some don't, and it's not too uncommon. What isn't fair is 50/50 custody with any child. 50/50 custody should mean both parents take care of the kid when the kids with them, and medical and school expenses are splits equally. The fact that a lower income parents can fight for child support from the higher income parent is not fair , but unfortunately the law until we can change it.

Busy_Investment1104 · 2026-06-10T16:10:18+00:00

I’m in ca, have 50/50 custody of both my children. We both work 40 hours a week and I got a better paying job AFTER our divorce. I still have to pay her hundreds a month. There is no benefit to working harder or more at this point as she’ll just take more and say it’s for the kids… yet only one of us is planning large vacations and it definitely isn’t me. This shit is so backwards.

poopstainonscarf · 2026-06-10T16:05:38+00:00

It's not fair. Higher earners gets punished more, while thugs go around doing whatever and pay 20$ a month.

SeaweedWeird7705 · 2026-06-10T15:57:51+00:00

Ask your lawyer about “imputed income”. It means that they do the calculations based on what she could be earning if she tried harder, rather than what she is actually earning. She could be getting a summer job, teaching summer school or something similar. The calculations should include the summer job.

Also, I think it’s great that you can prove that she’s not using the money on the kids. It makes her look really bad that she spent the money on a trip for herself and her boyfriend.

Title	Finding Child Support Unfair
Author	Sweet_Loquat_7701
Upvotes	10
Comments	39
Date	June 10, 2026 3:52 PM UTC (2 months ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/Divorce_Men
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/Divorce_Men/comments/1u264qu/finding_child_support_unfair/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/Divorce_Men/finding-child-support-unfair.1582496 https://theredarchive.com/post/1582496

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