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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 feel that it is total crap to expect all parents to pay for their kids' college educations.  It's ridiculous.  I used to work for an attorney who also acted as a financial consult, and he told me if you have the choice of either paying for your kids' college education or saving for your retirement, the smartest thing you can do fund your retirement.  There are many scholarships, grants, loans, etc. available to kids for college.  They need to exhaust all those options before looking to their parents to pay for it.  And, the idea that only divorced parents are forced to pay for their kids' college is so biased and discriminatory!  This post-secondary education subsidy should only be done in private actions at the request of the parents, not mandated by the state.  It's totally ludicris.  

We hired a family law attorney here in Sioux City.  She just started practicing here - she moved from Lincoln, NE.  She agreed that the EX should be imputed.  We have our hearing next Wednesday, and our attorney has subpoenaed a Workforce Development rep to testify as to the wage of legal secretaries in this area (to avoid the heresay problem).  Our attorney is going to send a settlement letter to the EX's attorney, offering $750 per month (instead of $946).  That way, we will still be able to do activities with the kids, buy them toys, games and other things that they want, take them to movies, etc.  If we have to pay the $946, there is no way we'll be able to afford any extras, and that isn't fair to the kids.  We just figured we'll either pay the money to the EX or an attorney, so we're taking our chances.  Wish us luck!

I really don't think you get the big picture.  Seriously - I am not trying to bust your hump, but my God.  I can't believe some of the things you are saying.  You are basically saying "tough luck, suck it up, and pay the CP whatever you have to because your kids deserve every penny you make."  And yes, I agree that I should give everything single thing I can to my kids, and I do that every single day I get up and go to work.  I have an 18 month old daughter at home, and two step-children that live with their mother.  The thing is, the ex-wife WILL NOT work, but lets her current husband and my husband support her.  She plays the system.  The kids DO NOT see a red cent of the support she receives from my husband.  They go without many things, leaving it up to us to make sure they are cared for.  We would NEVER let them go without.  But, she uses us.  She uses the child support to do whatever she wants with - she and her husband are not hurting for money AT ALL.  And the kids walk around in ratty, dirty clothes.  Actually, my husband JUST called me, and she is going on a "girls weekend" trip in two weeks, so we are keeping the kids.  She does this all the time!  So, I don't care what anyone says, there is no reason to increase my husband's support amount.  We provide for the kids' needs.  Plus, the more we pay his ex, the less we can provide for the other child we have at home!  And if we can't care for her, who is going to do it?

Seriously, I just laughed outloud.  Thanks for that one.  It's very true.  Some cases are just ridiculously biased, and this is one of them.

She files for a review every two years, as per the statute.  She does it to be vindictive.  She told my husband she doesn't care about the support, she doesn't need it.  She just does it because "he's a bad person and he deserves whatever he gets."  It's her punishment to him for their divorce.

I don't agree that "someone else has been supporting those kids."  My husband and I are very much involved in everything the kids do.  Besides the child support we pay, we pay 100% of their unreimbursed medical expenses.  And my step-son has ADHD, so he has substantial medical bills and prescriptions.  We also pay for extracurricular activities (sports, dance, etc.)  These kids are 7 and 9.  They don't have any daycare expenses (if they did, we'd be paying them anyway).  They live on an acreage.  They raise all their own vegetables.  They have chickens that provide eggs and meat, as well as turkeys.  They also raise goats for the milk.  They have hogs that they butcher as well.  They even buy a steer once a year to have butchered.  They don't buy any produce or meat in the store.  Their grocery bill is nowhere near mine.  Their mother buys all their clothes at garage sales or gets hand-me-downs from friends.  Now, don't think they are poor by any means.  They drive a new suburban and Honda Civic.  And, they just got back from a week long trip to Mexico, and a week long fishing trip to Canada.  I am not out doing these things, I can't afford to.  Another thing you aren't considering is the fact that while child support recovery unit won't look at her husband's income, they should be.  He is supporting the X since she won't work.  He is her income.  And, my husband and I have another child that we are trying to support at our house.  No one seems to care that we aren't going to be able to give her the things she needs.  And I've read some of your other posts wherein you think we should all work 2-3 jobs.  That's all fine and good, I've worked up to 3 jobs at one time while I was pregnant.  But if my husband works a part-time job, that money just goes in the X's pocket.  What good does that do us?  Child support isn't supposed to be a punishment for a failed marriage, but in this case, that's all it is.  The support my husband pays is basically welfare/alimony for his ex-wife.  The kids are no better for it.  They come to our house dirty, wearing holey clothes, in need of baths.   And if we paid $2000 a month, the situation would be the same.  We've been through the court system, we've done modifications, paid thousands to lawyers, called child protective services, etc.  Nothing ever comes from it.  So I don't buy in to your logic in this case.  I know child support is necessary, believe me.  I came from a divorced home where my father never paid a dime of support, and I suffered for it.  So I've been on both sides of the spectrum, and I can tell you, this situation is not right.

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!

UPDATE:  We received the computation from CSRU, and they want to raise our support payments from $502.40 to $946.00 per month, and the X once again claimed zero income on her financials.  I spoke to an attorney in Des Moines who said we can have her wages imputed at the median wage for a legal secretary in our region, which is $13.36 per hour, BUT the judge is likely to then factor in child care expenses in her favor.  So, it may be a wash anyway!  This is just crazy.  She intentionally remains unemployed or underemployed to manipulate the child support system - we are basically providing this woman with welfare.  Her husband makes more money than my husband does - but that doesn't seem to matter.  I'm not sure what we're going to do now.  Any suggestions?

I found an attorney in Des Moines willing to impute the X's income on the CSRU worksheets.  He is optimistic that a judge will agree - he does this on a regular basis.  I can't understand why no Sioux City attorneys would do this for us?