I've been separated from ex for three years. We have four kids, 12, 9, 8, and 6. We have never gotten around to divorce, but we have a parenting plan. He was paying me $1200 a month, and did so faithfully until last year. He had some back problems, quit working, etc. He got an insurance settlement, so I asked him to pay for six months in advance, which he did. That took us to last July. Since then, he has paid me "what he can". One month it was $400, last month $1000, the rest in between. He is collecting unemployment and working part time (he could be working full, if he wanted to).
We filed for divorce in May. Our papers say he has to pay $1400 a month, based on what he has historically earned. I want to stay with that, because he is working, so I don't think his back can be in such terrible shape anymore. He was cleared by a doctor to go back to work about six months ago. He's had a year off. He's not looking for a job, and in fact seems to be enjoying his free time quite a bit.
I'm paying $600 a month for school/ child care for the kids. One of my kids is in a part time program, and I'm staying with her/figuring out where she's going to be because I don't have any more money to pay for child care. I'm a full time student, so this is very tricky. He's not helping with any of these expenses, and has only agreed to take care of A two extra days a month.
We started out with an 80/20 custody schedule, but he has them more now- it's more like 70/30ish. He thinks his extra time with the kids should count for a discount in child support.
It looks to me like he just wants to have his cake and eat it, but what do you all think? Should I renegotiate with him and accept a lower child support payment? Can I anyway, with the kids on medical? At this point I can just file the final papers and leave it up to him to revoke his joinder- he actually already agreed to the $1400 a month.
We filed for divorce in May. Our papers say he has to pay $1400 a month, based on what he has historically earned. I want to stay with that, because he is working, so I don't think his back can be in such terrible shape anymore. He was cleared by a doctor to go back to work about six months ago. He's had a year off. He's not looking for a job, and in fact seems to be enjoying his free time quite a bit.
I'm paying $600 a month for school/ child care for the kids. One of my kids is in a part time program, and I'm staying with her/figuring out where she's going to be because I don't have any more money to pay for child care. I'm a full time student, so this is very tricky. He's not helping with any of these expenses, and has only agreed to take care of A two extra days a month.
We started out with an 80/20 custody schedule, but he has them more now- it's more like 70/30ish. He thinks his extra time with the kids should count for a discount in child support.
It looks to me like he just wants to have his cake and eat it, but what do you all think? Should I renegotiate with him and accept a lower child support payment? Can I anyway, with the kids on medical? At this point I can just file the final papers and leave it up to him to revoke his joinder- he actually already agreed to the $1400 a month.
