How does child support typically work in the state of Pennsylvania?

Question

My children do receive from their father a modest weekly sum for the basics. However, he has paid for no extras (birthday party gifts, hockey dues, gifts from Santa, softball registration, etc.), no medical/dental bills, and no prescriptions. Be aware please that I provide my children's insurance. In essence, we are struggling to make ends meet. The only extras he has paid for are the two toothbrushes the kids use during the 96 hours a month they see him. I realize the weekly support is more than some single parents can rely on, and I apologize if it seems I am being petty. It's just that it's occured to me that perhaps I'm not making use of some of the standard child support practices out there (ex. I've heard that some parents split the insurance deductible, for instance)

Answer 1

My ex pulls stuff out of the dumpster for presents for his kids. He would like me to believe the divorce caused him to live in the poor house- which sometimes is the case with divorces but not his reason.
The kids are teens now and they "get the picture" but still want a relation with him...
Does you weekly come through the court clearing house? It should. The days of mailing a check are over. Was the amount calculated by your court calculation system? It is all done by formula. You can contest it any time esp. if you happen to know he has a second income or is not declaring all his income or has gotten a raise. Are you sure there isn't a statement about reviewing W-2 every year in your initial divorce decree?
The state custody calculation worksheets should be down loadable. Print some out and fill in your portion. Make note of all the expenses and take him back to court if you think he is hiding something.
As for making him buy stuff- you can't really do much about that. He is making his statement and the kids will soon learn he is a cheap skate.

Answer 2

When i was divorced, everything was written in the divorce decree regarding insurance, child care, and sharing of expenses (such as the co-payments for dental and medical which came out of pocket). My ex didn't bother following the order, but at least it was there.

Your ex doesn't have to buy anything for the kids if he does not wish to do so. It's a shame, but it's true. My ex bought the cheapest, junkiest crap he could find for our son on holidays and birthdays (scared I was going to take it if it was good? that's all i can figure... what a jerk!).

if you can talk with your ex about help with extras -- like the sports and medical bills, for instance -- then do so.

I speak from experience, though -- you can't get blood from a turnip.

Answer 3

My wife left me took the good car her job and income, left me with two kids, all the bills, ad a brand new day care bill. I got nothing in child support.

So I spent my time getting my life, finances, and career in order. I very sucessful and my kids are doing great. Thank god I didn't run around wasting my time trying to get her dirty fithy money.

I learned that lesson from my mother. She never wanted wanted a dime of my fathers money and I learned how to make it on my own. Seems funny now that I grew up in a low income neighborhood and I'm the only that has survied and prospored.

But then again Iall the other kids were stuck with fueding no good parents.

Answer 4

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????????

This is EXACTLY what is wrong with divorce and the child support issue.

The child custody removed him from being a father to being an ATM. Four days out of the month that he gets the opportunity to be with his kids and I’ll bet that it is over the weekends too. So you’ve removed all parental responsibility from him, you’ve stripped him of needing to be there to make dinners for the kids, get them ready for school at night/in the morning, help with homework. You’ve turned him into nothing more than a distant relative.

However, if you (like so many divorce cases are doing) fought for custody and this was the arrangement that you won…then be happy with your selfishness and deal with the financial obligations. He gets to see the kids for 4 full days a month. While being a parent definitely has its trials and tribulations, they don’t make songs like “There goes my life” by Kenny Chesney because childhood lasts forever. You were AWARDED the memories of being a parent. DO NOT FORGET THAT OR MISPLACE ITS VALUE!! It is difficult to be a single parent but at least you get to create that bond with your kids of being the one that was there for them. You are going to be the one with all the pictures, the memories, the smiles, the hugs in the mornings, the “I Love you” s at night.

I’m so sickened by the dollar figure assigned to kids in a divorce case and not the emotional factor of what is more valuable. My ex wife cheated on me numerous times and I wanted nothing more than for her to be out of my life…forever. But my children need their mother just as much as they need their father. We structured our lives around our children as it should be. We live in the same school district and we keep our kids one week on and one week off. They have the same friends, same school, same daycare, and the rules at one household are the same at the other. It is called “looking at the bigger picture” aka your kids.

HOWEVER to clarify, if the above arrangement is voluntary on his part, he chose only 4 days a month then disregard my entire response as he removed himself from the parental role himself and should at least provide financial support since he doesn’t wish to provide parental support. If you chose the arrangement then quit complaining as you stripped something from him more valuable than money, fatherhood.

Answer 5

those are things you should of had worked out before the divorce was final. if you want those things now i would thing you would have to take him to court for that.. but if your ex is willing and you can talk to him about it then just ask him.. some exs actually get along and can work a lot of this out together.. others need a judge.. good luck

Answer 6

The insurance absolutely should be halved and the clothes for school.. Christmas.. Boy this guy is a bum if I ever saw one... I think I have a place for you to go to... check with deadbeatdads.com maybe they can help.. Good luck me dear lady