You are here

What does CS cover?

jena74's picture

Submitted by jena74 on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 12:06am

I know many people have asked this before. BM sent us a bill for SD4 pre school saying it was $405. She is not working and gets a CS and alimony payment of $4200/mth (which is more than half DH's salary).

Do we have to pay 50/50 of the school fees inspite of paying CS?
Any help is appreciated!!!!

Jena
P:S: I am new to this and will be needing lots of support from you ladies!!!

Comments

Conflicted's picture

Submitted by Conflicted on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 12:37am

I'm in Washington & here daycare is seperate unless your Order for Child Support states that it is included in the Child Support.

Anon2009's picture

Submitted by Anon2009 on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 12:42am

Unless he's court-ordered to do so, paying BM anything other than the mandatory alimony and CS is up to him.

You should look up child support information for your state and see what the state says about what CS should cover. I live in CA and found doing so to be quite informative and helpful.

stepmom2one's picture

Submitted by stepmom2one on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 9:55am

Here to. We have to pay half daycare BUT preschool is not daycare. No school fees that is covered in support--ask a lawyer in your state-it will pay for itself in a month!

melis070179's picture

Submitted by melis070179 on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 7:46am

Check his divorce decree or any other court orders and see if there is anything saying he has to pay daycare too. Unless there is, I would say no. Tell her to go suck it! $4200 is ridiculous, especially if that is more than 1/2 his salary!

"I child proofed my whole house, but they STILL get in!"

Pantera's picture

Submitted by Pantera on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 8:07am

If it is not in the court order, you do not have to pay. Where I live, they include day care and medical in the child support. Any thing you pay or give outside of the child support is considered a gift.

libby's picture

Submitted by libby on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 8:40am

Read your husbands papers from top to bottom, and check to see if it states anything about splitting extra circular activities or school fees if yes then you will owe half. If no then don't just depends what his actual papers state.

My divorce paper state Child Support and thats it. But my DH states half of all fees plus half of all activities, daycare and school

WowjustWow's picture

Submitted by WowjustWow on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 8:41am

like the others said, check his divorce decree or custody order. If you don't have a copy, go to the court house and get a copy.

In NC, CS includes daycare costs if it is stated on the worksheet. Otherwise, it would depend on their agreement. I should hope for your sake that his CS includes that because holy crap $4200 is a lot of money!

Rags's picture

Submitted by Rags on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 8:45am

and half of Day Care (until age 13) costs. Extracurricular activities (Band Instruments and lessons, football equipment and travel expenses, etc....) are all factored in to CS according the Moron in the Black Robe who presided over our initial Custody/Visitation/Support hearing.

I actually agree with this. CS is desiged to have the NCP participate equitibly in the support of the child including housing, utilities, clothing, transportation, school supplies, etc...... An NCP is not the ATM for the CP or the Skids. I am married to a CP who receives CS (though negligible) for my Son (SS) and even I can see that NCPs get absolutely screwed by the current system. In many cases.

If your DHs divorce decree does not require it, pay nothing but the CS and Alimony. You indicated that you are already required to pay 50% of schooling costs. Isn't preschool schooling? If you are already paying 50% what is the additional $405 for? Screw that, I would ignore it if it is in excess of the CS and is not mandated in a court order.

Best regards,

Success is rarely final. Failure is rarely fatal. It is character, courage and consistency of effort that count. Vince Lombardi (with some minor Rags modifications) To each according to their performance, screw Karl Marx. (Rags)

jena74's picture

Submitted by jena74 on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 11:54pm

WOW! Thank you all SO much!!!!
We are in CA and yes $4200 is a ridiculously large amount. And since our lawyer keeps saying we need to split the school fees, we assumed that we had to. I am glad I asked you ladies....I will have to go and ask my lawyer if she is sure because she seemed kind of confused about it herself!

Thanks!
J

Latjec's picture

Submitted by Latjec on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 7:36am

Thats crazy how much you and paying. Is there a statute of limitaions on the alimony. Its usually only 2 years if at all. In Illinois Alimony gets awarded very seldome and not unless the ex spouse is hanicapped and unable to work in some way.
This has come up with my DH and we have refused to pay anything more other than court ordered.

jena74's picture

Submitted by jena74 on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 7:12pm

Apparently here in CA alimony is paid for half the number of years you were married...:( So we have to pay for the next 4.5 years Sad

BM has a masters degree but has not worked here....and I dont think she will for the next 5 years too just to make sure she gets the money.
J

frustrated454's picture

Submitted by frustrated454 on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 7:17pm

MY CHILD CARE WAS ADDED INTO MY CHILD SUPPORT BUT I WAS WORKING
FULL TIME AND HAD TO HAVE MY SON IN DAYCARE. MY DH HAD TO PAY ALIMONY FOR 2YR AND CHILD SUPPORT HE STILL PAYS. MY SS USED TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL AND THAT WAS ADDED INTO MY DH CS.
WHY DOES SHE NEED AN EXPENSIVE PRE-SCHOOL IF SHE DOESN'T WORK?

jena74's picture

Submitted by jena74 on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 8:05pm

good question Beee Since SD was going to preschool even before the divorce, DH wants her to continue. But we dint know it was covered as part of CS. lawyer says preschool is like day care and so is not covered in CS Sad

Also, we were involved in deciding what school SD will go to. But now our attorney says that since we were involved in the decision, we should pay half of it Sad

We have 50/50 custody right now and still BM makes decisions on her own and only consults DH when there is money involved..If she know that we dont have to pay her for the school fees, she would not even ask us before making major decisions Sad Its so screwed!

And I am so confused with all this..I am sure we will eventually figure it out but right now its too stressful since we are new to all this:(

mother goose's picture

Submitted by mother goose on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 10:41pm

That is ridiculous!! DH is ordered to RECEIVE $25 a month!! bm hasn't paid in a LONG time! She had the nerve to ask if she paid half of swim lessons ( $16) if my DH would write her a receipt!
She has stepped up and bought school supplies and says she is going to buy him school clothes, she'll probably think that is CS! Why are some of these bms so stupid?