Male
2 children 5 and 8 years old.
Washington state
My soon to be exwife left the home took my kids, and acts like she is the gatekeeper to them. There was no abuse, no affair. As it stands I have close to joint custody of the children ( i won't settle for less). At one point we were in agreement to have the children every other week. However my counsellor said that wouldn't be good for the children and that they would never feel "established" in either home. My stand has been consistantly what is best for the children. I'm not a dead beat dad nor have I ever been. I have just as much of a right to custody of the children as my ex. However here is what is coming down the pipe at me. I met w/ a lawyer and we went over the child support worksheet. As it stands I will have to pay 1/2 my income in child support and daycare expenses. This is absolutely not possible, it just isn't. I don't have a bunch of credit card debt, car payments or anything. I pay rent, food, utilities, gas etc. Thats IT!. There just isn't anything to cut to make this possible. If I the end I have to pay that much, I basically would have to work so much that I wouldn't see my children. It's not drama, just a fact.
What I need is simply this. A good lawyer that will work w/ me based on my income. I will make payments or whatever. My back is up against a wall, and I just need REAL answers, not speculations.
Thanks.
2 children 5 and 8 years old.
Washington state
My soon to be exwife left the home took my kids, and acts like she is the gatekeeper to them. There was no abuse, no affair. As it stands I have close to joint custody of the children ( i won't settle for less). At one point we were in agreement to have the children every other week. However my counsellor said that wouldn't be good for the children and that they would never feel "established" in either home. My stand has been consistantly what is best for the children. I'm not a dead beat dad nor have I ever been. I have just as much of a right to custody of the children as my ex. However here is what is coming down the pipe at me. I met w/ a lawyer and we went over the child support worksheet. As it stands I will have to pay 1/2 my income in child support and daycare expenses. This is absolutely not possible, it just isn't. I don't have a bunch of credit card debt, car payments or anything. I pay rent, food, utilities, gas etc. Thats IT!. There just isn't anything to cut to make this possible. If I the end I have to pay that much, I basically would have to work so much that I wouldn't see my children. It's not drama, just a fact.
What I need is simply this. A good lawyer that will work w/ me based on my income. I will make payments or whatever. My back is up against a wall, and I just need REAL answers, not speculations.
Thanks.