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Here's an update on our child support review hearing.  I am so thankful that we decided to retain an attorney, we'd have gotten killed without her.  

CSRU's review stated that the guideline amount of support should be $946 per month, with my husband paying 100% of unreimbursed medical expenses, since his ex's husband carries the medical insurance and the ex has no income.  

Our attorney argued that because the ex voluntarily terminated her employment as a legal assistant, she should be imputed at the median wage for a legal assistant in this region, which is $16.02 per hour, or at the median wage for a legal secretary, which is $13.36 per hour.  We offered $790 per month in support, with the ex paying the first $500 of unreimbursed medical expenses, and each party paying a proportionate share thereafter, as the guidelines state.  The ex's attorney stated that the ex is, at best, only capable of a $7 an hour job, stating that she has no skills, etc., and that she should only be imputed at $7, which would make the support $890.00 per month.  Incidentally, CSRU is giving the ex credit for her husband carrying the medical insurance (she wanted it that way), and there are 7 people on the policy – she should only be getting credit for 2.  

The ex's attorney stated that they would accept our offer of $790.00 per month if we also agreed to let the ex home school the children!  Our attorney said no way.  The ex barely graduated from high school, she has no qualifications to teach anyone anything.  By her own admission, she is only capable of a $7 an hour job – she's not qualified to teach.  

We couldn't come to an agreement, so the hearing had to be continued until next month.  Hopefully we can get something settled then!

I need some help.  My husband has been notified that a 252H review hearing has been set in his child support case.  His ex-wife is seeking an increase in support.  The CSRU's decision was to increase his support obligation from $502.40 per month (2 kids) to $946.00 per month.  The ex does not work (voluntarily quit her job as a legal secretary) but is remarried to a man that makes substantially more than my husband does.  The ex is claiming zero income – we are arguing that she should be imputed at the median wage for a legal secretary in this region ($13.46 per hour) since she is capable of working, and that was her last documented job.  CSRU refused to impute her, so we are having a hearing on Nov. 8.  We can't afford an attorney, so my husband has to represent himself.  We have no idea what to expect, or what documentation we should have with us.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  This is a Woodbury County, Iowa, court matter.

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum.  And I desperately need advice.  My husband was married previously, and has two children, ages 9 and 7.  His ex-wife was a legal secretary, and her boss did her divorce work for free.  My husband was in school and not working at the time of the divorce, so he couldn't afford his own attorney.  There was no distribution of marital debt – he got stuck with over $100,000 in debt she helped him accrue, and he got stuck paying $502.40 per month in support.  Her attorney based it off of my husband's last job before he started school, telling him that if he claimed no income, the judge wouldn't let him see his kids.  

His ex got remarried two months after their divorce was final, and was already pregnant again.  As soon as their divorce was final, she quit her job and hasn't worked since – that was six years ago.  We have gone through every legal battle imaginable with her, including custody disputes because she refused to let us have visitation.  She has five kids total now, and stays at home, even though 4 of 5 kids are in school all day.  

She is now claiming financial hardship, even though she gets support from us, and her husband makes more than mine does, but she still refuses to get a job.  This is a woman who just went on a week long trip to Mexico.  My husband and I both work full-time jobs, and we have a 16 month old daughter that we have to send to daycare full-time, which is not cheap.  

We received paperwork from the child support recovery unit two days ago stating that his ex is seeking an administrative review and adjustment.  Because she has no income, my husband pays her 35.7% of his net income.  I did the child support estimator online, and I show that his support is going to go from $502.40 per month to $872.00 per month.  This is going to kill us financially.  We are already in the process of selling our house because our ARM interest rate just went up 3% and we can't afford the payments.  We can't refinance because my husband had to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy last summer to get rid of all the debt his ex left him with, so his credit is bad.  We are going to end up renting an apartment now.  

I contacted a lawyer and asked if we should contest the child support findings and request a hearing, but was told it won't do us any good.  Judges always go off the numbers pursuant to the guidelines, even though we will be living in poverty.  So, his ex can sit at home all day and not work, but we have to bust our butts to pay her more money, and our little girl is going to suffer now?  No one cares that we can't adequately support our child because his ex refuses to get a job and help support her own children!   I can't find anyone to help us!  This can't be right!