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How can I reduce child support payments when you live in another state making minimum wage?
“Lee” makes $6.00 an hour and is ordered to pay $514.00 a month for child support and doesn’t even get 40 hours on the job. The order come from Illinois and “Lee” lives in Mississippi. “Lee” appealed last year and was given a telephone interview she knew nothing about. 2 of her checks was $0.00 after support was taken out. The child turned 18 in July and is away at college. “Lee” doesn’t mind paying the support, but she can hardly get her bills paid. Does anyone know of a lawyer (maybe a legal aid lawyer) that sides with the parent paying support to get it lowered?
Child support payments usually end at age 18. The amount is figured using a standard scale and is dependent upon income levels of the parent that is paying. How do you have a telephone interview if you don’t know about it? That part doesn’t make sense. She needs to appeal again.
Youre lying or being lied to.
First, they wont take more than half the money (slightly over once fees are put in). They cant legally do it. If you dont make enough that half of your check covers it then it just goes in as unpaid support and you make it up later.
Second, child support always ends at age 18.
edit: Thank you for the correction—we were told that in all states it ends at 18, but at the time it looked like we were going to get custody, so Im not surprised we were lied to.
I cannot believe they took more than half her pay for support. Only way to get it lowered is to appeal in the State it was ordered in. Tell her to read her paperwork as far as how long she must continue support payments. Some stop at 18 or graduation from high school and others go longer for college. Doesn’t matter who the attorney sides with, it’s the judges decision. A little hard to have an interview you know nothing about. Most times, this is set up by attorneys and the judge.
First of all, The state of Illinois will mandate support until the age of 19 if the child is continuing High School or past that age if by agreement.
Secondly, by statute, the minimum percentage of support for 6 children is 50% of Net so you are either, as one person said, lying or being lied to.
And finally, the case of your FRIEND is most likely because she owes arrears and that will continue until the amount is paid in full.
The ONLY solution for her is to either hire an attorney or get another job. Because frankly, I don’t believe a word of this story.
EDITED TO CORRECT A FALSE FACT:
Child support in New York continues until the age of 21. And in all states, provisions in the statutes allow for support to continue (in some cases) for the life of the child.
Support does NOT automatically terminate in ANY state at the age of 18. There is either a statutory allowance for a motion to terminate or the order must be written into the support decision at the time of the court’s issuance.