Child support modification in Maine

[DadinMaine]

Hi All!  New to the site.  I am the non-custodial father of a 9 year old daughter and have since re-married. (almost 2 years ago)...My ex and I divorced in Washington State in 1998, and she moved to Maine right away.  So I followed to be closer to my daughter.  I recently filled out paperwork to get the CS order moved from Washington to Maine so i could try to get CS reduced.  By far, I am NOT trying to get out of paying CS, BUT I make a considerable amount less than what I was making when the order was established, and my ex makes ALOT more now that she has gone to school and became an RN.  And because of her demanding schedule as an RN, my current wife and I have my daughter minimum 50% of the time, sometimes more!  I love the fact that I get to spend more time with her, but I also incur more expenses having her alot more as well.  I pay more in gas taking her to and from school, I need to buy more food for her meals, and snacks at school, and i make sure she always has her own toiletries and clothes at my place!  I also spoil her to death with extra things when i can, just like her mother does.  My ex thinks because I am re-married, she should be getting more CS.  So, needless to say, she will be fighting the CS modification.  I cannot afford an attorney, and she is having her millionare father help her get one, so I will be filling out the motion to modify and child support worksheets on my own, but on the worksheets, they want my income and my ex's..So, on my part, when they want my salary/income , do I include my current wifes in that?  I have heard from a few people that I should and I shouldn't.  I want to make sure i am filling this out correctly, as i cannot afford to mess up and have it take longer.  Any advice on this?  Thanks!

[ocean]

Nope. (at least in my state) Her income should not be handed over to the courts. Even if you file joint tax returns she can white-out her info and the totals,  and her SS#. Then when you go to court only bring those copies. Child support is on a formula according to your state. There are state caluculators on-line where you can see what the number should be around and then you can offer her that in wiriting to her lawyer and see if they agree. What do you have down on paper regarding visitation times? Sometimes you will be get credit for the amount of time you have her but you have to have evidence of all the times you have had her in the past couple of months/year. (you can make calendars for the past year with the amount of time you have her for each month, make it easy to read with the bottom-line number at the end of each month, then the total for the last year) You "may" get credit for that...up to the judge. Good luck!

[DadinMaine]

I have been keeping track on a calender of when we have her, when her mother has her, and when her grandmother (my ex's mom), has her for about 6 months now.  Because I have her more than the parenting plan says I should have her, and time is spent ALMOST equally, we have to fill out a second form for the child support worksheet, and unfortunatly, that one is  alittle more difficult, so I am trying to find someone to help me out on that.  I wonder, though if it would be easier to have DHS help me or if I should just go through the courts, since DHS seems to be more into me having topay for everything.  Any advice on that?  Thanks

[ocean]

Make a copy of the paper and sit with someone from child support and see what they say?? What questions are you having trouble with? That is good that they gave you the second paper to prove the time spent. The time with grandma will probably be included in BM's average though....