Should we try to lower CS or leave well enough alone?

[stepmom2morgan]

Hi.  We live in Ohio.  My DH has a new lower paying job (DH was laid off from the other one and there's no decent paying factory jobs around here anymore) and child support is now taking exactly 1/3 of every paycheck after taxes.  It's killing us financially.  We would like to get it lowered but we don't want to end up worse than before.

Here is how our situation has changed since we last set up CS.  When CS for DH's DD was set up 5 years ago DH had a job where he made $11 an hour and now he has one where he makes $9.50.  We were not married now we are.  DH and I now have a child together.  What hasn't changed is that the BM still stays at home and lives off child support and her husband's income and we still have just your normal run of the mill EOW, EOH visitation.

Will they take my income into consideration now that we are married?

Will they take into consideration DH has our child to support as well as DD now?

Will they take into consideration that DD's health insurance is through DH (BM doesn't carry it on her), actually it's through my health insurance which allows me to carry step-kids?

Will they take into consideration that we pay rent for a home big enough for DD to have her own bedroom and she also has her own wardrobe and toys at our house (and always has)?

Is it worth trying for?

Best Wishes,
stepmom2morgan

[sherrie ohio]

We also live in ohio,when our son was born they did take him into consideration.It was very close to a $3000.00 deduction in how much they had him makeing.And as far as health insurance,do you pay into it on a regular basies?If you do for her they take that into consideration to.I have no idea about the house deal.On the form they gave him to show how they determine the amount he should pay,it had the following deductions.1.for other B-children he may have.2.City Taxes he payes.3.Insurance payed/provided for the child in question.4.Eny day care payed/provided for the child.I dont know if theyll consider your income or not.I know they wont Step-dads,unless its real high.Ask for a hearing through the child support office,in hopes of avoiding paying court cost.Best of luck!!  

[joni]

Will they take my income into consideration now that we are married?

--no, the stepparents income is generally not included in the calculation, this works on both side of the fence.  if mom married a millionaire, you would not pay less for it.

Will they take into consideration DH has our child to support as well as DD now?

--most states reduce your salary by x% for any new children for the noncustodial parent.  in michigan, 10% comes off my DH's salary and they figure the child support on the reduced income.

Will they take into consideration that DD's health insurance is through DH (BM doesn't carry it on her), actually it's through my health insurance which allows me to carry step-kids?

--is there any out of pocket on your premiums?  many states give you some sort of income reduction for that amount.  is your premium calculated per participant?  get a letter from your human resources person at work confirming the child on your health insurance and the amount of your out of pocket contributed to that child.  if it's a base amount, ask the HR person to divide that amount by the number of people on the plan if it's not per participant.

Will they take into consideration that we pay rent for a home big enough for DD to have her own bedroom and she also has her own wardrobe and toys at our house (and always has)?

--nope

Is it worth trying for?

[sherrie ohio]

They will also consider overtime/bonuses if it happens on a regular basies.