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How to deal when you’re a mom who pays child support or alimony

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The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.

Increasingly, it is moms who pay their exes child support and alimony, and their vitriol about the matter is often far more acute than when payer and payee fall along traditional gender lines.

According to a survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 54% of attorneys report an increase in the number of mothers paying child support during the past three years, and 45% have also seen a rise in women being responsible for alimony.  “While men have almost always expected to pay alimony, many women still have a very difficult time accepting that this financial obligation might fall to them,” said Madeline Marzano-Lesnevich, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Do women pay child support?

How child support works

How is child support calculated?

How does child support work if the father or mother has no job?

15 ways to deal when you’re paying for child support

Do women pay child support?

Yes, women pay child support, contrary to popular (and sexist) beliefs. Child support law and calculators are different in every state, but typically, the lower-earning parent is entitled to child support payments from the higher-earning parent. 

Many moms report they successfully negotiated out of paying child support and alimony by way of a mediated divorce, or out-of-court negotiations. Working out the agreement between the two of you, in the most low-conflict way possible, is highly advised. Not only will this save you untold thousands of dollars, heartache, time and anxiety, but less drama now means lower stress long-term, and a better co-parenting relationship for the duration.

Hiring a skilled family lawyer can be one way to go. Other families successfully negotiate and file their own divorce and family court settlements, sometimes with the help of online divorce products. Or, you can learn more about filing your own court papers for divorce online, as well our review of the most trustworthy companies.

How child support works

Each state has a child support calculator or a formula applied to one or both parents’ incomes, and the number of children they share. Household income can be considered (including if there is a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, grandparents or roommates) living in one of the homes. 

Child support calculators can be adjusted if the paying parent has children with another parent.

There is often an income cap for one or both parents combined. For example, in Texas, the noncustodial parent’s income is capped at $8,550 per month, though a judge can order additional child support based on the parents’ income and the child’s needs.

If you are the mother and want to take the child's father to court for support, you may have to prove paternity. You can buy a home DNA paternity test online through Walgreens or CVS.

What child support covers

Typically, child support payments are intended to cover the basic living expenses of the child. These include:

  • Housing 
  • Food 
  • Clothes 
  • Utilities

What is not covered by child support

Usually, family courts separate these basic living expenses, with “extras” for which another calculator applies, to make payment of these expenses more equitable, based on a percentage of each parent’s income (the higher-earning parent paying a larger share).

In some states, these expenses are lumped together with the basic child support payment. In other states, these are calculated separately, or the parents are expected to work between themselves to track, divide and pay for these items.

Extra expenses might include:

  • Childcare — daycare, nanny, after-school care
  • Medical/health insurance
  • Out-of-pocket medical expenses (doctor and hospital co-pays)
  • Therapy
  • Extracurricular activities like sports, theater, music, art classes and teams
  • Camp
  • School fees, including private school tuition

How is child support calculated?

Again, every state’s child support calculations are different and often include the discretion of the judge.

If you can settle your child support payments outside of court, either through an attorney or directly with your child’s father, the negotiating parties can decide whatever sums they please.

However, child support guidelines of the state in which you reside are usually a starting point in any discussions, inside or outside of court.

Child support payments nearly always are paid from the greater-earning spouse who does not have primary residence, to a lower-earning spouse who has the children the majority of the time, also referred to as “primary custody.”

Typically, these delineations fall along gender lines:

The higher-earning father has the children every-other-weekend, and the mom has the children the rest of the time.

Think that is sexist and uncool? You’ll enjoy my manifesto calling for 50-50 shared parenting and no child support.

There are many places around the United States where child support payments are tied to the amount of time spent with the children. In other words, if time-sharing is equal, no one pays any child support. Or, (using gender stereotypical roles here) the father chooses to spend more time with the kids, he is then ordered to pay less support, on a sliding scale.

Other states, like New York, require a higher-earning parent to pay more to the lower-earning parent, no matter how parenting time is divided.

Here is an example of how one New York family’s child support payments were calculated, even though they have the same income.

Sarah and Omar have four children.

Sarah, the custodial parent, and Omar, the non-custodial parent, have identical annual incomes of $67,500.

Their combined annual income is $135,000.

Per the state guidelines for four children (detailed above), Omar and Sarah multiply their combined income by .31 (31%). The result shows their basic child support obligation is $41,850 annually.

Sarah’s income is 50 percent of the combined parental income.

The amount she is expected to pay as the non-custodial parent is calculated by multiplying the combined child support obligation of $41,850 by .50 (50%).

Sarah must pay Omar $20,925 annually or $1,743.75 per month in child support.

Child support calculator

You can find your’s state child support calculator here.

As one example, here is New York’s child support guideline calculator:

  • 1 child: 17% of combined income
  • 2 children: 25% of combined income
  • 3 children: 29% of combined income
  • 4 children: 31% of combined income
  • 5 or more children: at least 35% of combined income

In New York, when the combined parental income exceeds $148,000, the court does not have to apply the child support formula to the entire amount. In these cases, the court usually follows the formula for the first $148,000 of income, then adds additional support based on the custodial parent’s ability to provide for the children.

Child support payments and enforcement

In every state, you can have child support paid through a central payment center, or child support enforcement services. This is advised in most cases, as it documents all the payments from one parent to the next, keeps tally on arrears, and can be set up to automate payments from a bank account or paycheck. Benefits include documentation and ease of use. Also if you choose to pursue unpaid child support, your state’s child support enforcement bureau can use this system to withhold funds from paychecks, tax returns and be used to revoke a driver’s license or even enforce jail time.

Some parents are able to work out child support payments amongst themselves. They may choose to transfer money between their bank accounts or through a paper check mailed or handed to the other parent in cash.

Even if you use child support enforcement to receive or pay regular child support, out-of-pocket expenses like medical care, extracurricular activities and childcare may need to be reimbursed for regularly.

Often, parents track these expenses through a co-parenting app, email or Google docs.

What you need to know about uncontested divorce

Is child support taxable income?

Child support is not considered income for the recipient. In other words, the child support payor pays regular income and other taxes on their income, and then pays a portion to the other parent.

What single moms and dads need to know about tax returns

If I have my child 50% of the time, do I pay child support?

In every state, the child support calculator applies to separated and divorced families, with the higher-paying parent typically paying the lower-paying parent support, and/or a higher percentage of out-of-pocket add-ons like child care, health insurance and extracurricular activities. In some states, the parent with the lesser sum of parenting time pays child support, regardless of who earns more, and in some states child support is a sliding scale based on income as well as number of overnights monthly.

Typically, even when parents share parenting time equally, a court will still apply the child support calculator. However, increasingly, parents are choosing to forego child support en lieu of a more equitable, amicable co-parenting relationship.

How does child support work if the father or mother has no job?

Most states require a non-custodial parent to pay even a minimum child support sum, regardless of income. Often, based on a parent's education and past work experience, an income is imputed, or estimated, based on what that mom or dad should be expected to earn.

Imputed income in a divorce: How does a judge impute income for child support or spousal support?

A parent's earning capacity is determined by the following factors, which a judge can use to impute a parent's income for purposes of child support or alimony:

  • Age
  • Ability/health
  • Education
  • Work history/resume
  • Income history
  • Child care responsibilities

Sometimes, other sources of income are also imputed in family lawy. These factors outside of the child support calculator can include:

  • Income of new boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife, who is contributing to the household expenses.
  • Financial support from other relatives
  • Pensions and retirement plans
  • Social Security benefits
  • Unemployment benefits
  • Veteran's benefits
  • Interest on investments
  • Rents from real estate properties

Note that both spouses'/parents' income can be imputed for purposes of child support and alimony. Divorce and family court judges know that it benefits the payor and payee to make their income appear as low as possible to either minimize or maximize payments ordered.

How to decide whether or not to get divorced — pros, cons and how to tell your wife or husband you want a divorce.

15 ways to deal with resentment if you are a mom who pays child support or alimony

Come to peace with paying your ex alimony

Tell yourself: “Within one year I will have accepted that I must pay him, and have adjusted my mindset, budget and career goals to make this work for me.” Then, write down actions steps how you will do this.

The more you earn may mean you pay him more, but also that you will earn more! This will not only mean more money, but also that you will achieve career goals, take on more interesting and high-profile projects, interact with more successful and high-profile colleagues and fulfill your potential, living within your power, and not mired in resentment.

Are you stuck? Not sure how to break the cycle of bad habits, negative thoughts, beating yourself up? You’re not alone! Therapy can be a big help, and if cash and time are in short supply, consider online therapy.

9 signs of toxic parenting

Stop talking about it.

Women paying alimony to men is a controversial and compelling topic, and your friends, family, nosey neighbors and prying colleagues will be enthralled. They will have all kinds of nasty things to say about your ex, and many of them will be very sexist— if not completely satisfying to hear in the face of your own likely anger.

While understandably satiating for a time, shut this cycle of complaining and validation down ASAP. Move on.

Minimize interaction with your ex

At a very minimum, automate any payments via automatic bank transfer so that you do not have to physically write and hand him a check, and you do not have to manually sending him the monthly sum. Offer to pay future support in a lump sum by way of equity in a home, investment accounts, or a single cash payment. One single resent-ridden payment is ultimately less painful and incites less hostility between co-parents than payments made bi-weekly.

In her mediated divorce, Sasha, a music executive, and her ex, a sculptor, calculated how much she would owe him in alimony and child support payments for the 10 years, when their three kids are scheduled to graduate college. That sum totaled her approximate equity in the home they shared, which she relinquished en lieu of painful monthly payments. “Sometimes I get really angry about it, especially since my family gave us the down payment for that house,” she says. “Even though I have to start over in my retirement savings and currently live in a small apartment, I am so happy to be out of that marriage.”

Don’t perpetuate the family court drama story

Family and divorce attorneys love child support and alimony. Why? Money is the No. 1 reason parents return to court time and again. This doesn’t benefit parents (fact, per Census: the average sum of child support ordered by family courts is $400, and less than 40% of what is ordered is actually paid).

Maintaining the tension with your ex by way of bitterness and arguing over money does not serve you, your kids’ father, or your children. Also: your friends and family are sick of hearing about all the drama.

Lawyers, however, pay their mortgages, car payments and vacations by way of all this drama.

Aim for low-conflict, even if paying seems unfair (and I believe you! It likely really is unfair!).

Accept that alimony/child support is the price you had to pay to get out of a bad relationship

Whether the split was your ideas or his, it matters not in the eyes of the court. What does matter is that it wasn’t working for you as a couple, and now you are free to pursue a life and relationship that does work. Good things often come at a price. In your case, this is a financial price. As one divorce attorney told me: “I often have men come into my office, having saved wads of cash for years in a box in the back of the closet in order to be able to finance a divorce. It’s like saving for a boat or retirement home on the beach.”

Related: 19 reasons why alimony is unfair and hurts gender equality

Ask your ex to fund the kids’ college savings plans.

Part of Jessica’s agreement with her ex is that she pay him 28 percent of her annual bonus. He agreed this payment goes into their two children’s college 529 savings plan.

If you truly cannot afford your current lifestyle while making these payments, downgrade your lifestyle. Yes, it may seem unfair, but accept that this is your situation, at least temporarily, and embrace it. Focus on the fact that that a smaller house is easier to clean, has a smaller impact on the environment, and teaches your children about materialism and your values. Replace resort vacations with road trips to spend time with family and friends, and appreciate how these relationships are deepened because of it.

Remember that alimony and child support were huge, wonderful feminist coups.

How would you feel about a situation like yours if the gender roles were reversed? While alimony reform is ripe for reform, our current laws were designed to protect women and children who really had few other financial options. As the system slowly evolves to reflect current opportunities for both genders, there is a middle, gap generation that must pay the price. Just as in any revolution. You are a revolutionary for this cause, a model for other women on how to divorce like a feminist.

Focus on how your kids benefit from this payment — and how you benefit by default.

Anne, who owns a seven-figure-per-year public relations firm, today successfully co-parents with the father of their two-small children, whom her ex had stayed home with full-time for four years. Before that, he worked in restaurants as a chef, earning barely above minimum wage.

Anne happily pays rent on her ex’s two-bedroom apartment, as well as monthly maintenance to him directly. “I see it as an investment in my children’s quality of life, as well as my own,” she says. “If I didn’t pay him, he’d be making $20,000 per year as a line cook, and my kids would be staying in squalor when they’re with him. This way, he continues to be very involved in their lives, which is great for them, and helps me enormously as I run my demanding business.”

Who gets what in divorce? What each of you are legally entitled to

Peel away the layers of resentment, which are rooted in what happened during the relationship.

Jessica recognizes that her ex had little motivation to build his writing career because she never demanded he be financially responsible to the family, including take over child care duties when he was between jobs. Resentment towards others is nearly always rooted in resentment for ourselves, and the role you played in co-creating the situation.

If are bitter about paying your ex, explore why and how the situation came to be, and own any part you played in it. Did you enable your ex’s lack of motivation? Did you co-create a situation in which you felt more powerful because you earned the money, or had the higher-profile career? Did you dream of saving your low-earning spouse from a flailing business? These are all common and very normal scenarios.

Aim to understand the root of what happened. Forgive yourself. And aim to forgive him, too — even if he cheated.

Then, find ways to move on. Sell your engagement ring. Learn to enjoy your alone time. Start dating again.

Find the advocates for alimony reform in your state, and get involved

If you truly believe you are paying too much, weigh carefully the costs of revisiting the issue legally, and do your best to approach this as a practical process, and not an emotional one. Ask yourself: Am I seeking reduced payments because I believe legally that is the right thing to do? Or am I really trying to punish him for being such a dickhead?

Likely, you truly believe that child support and alimony are sexist ways that have legislated women being financially dependent on men. You are an outlier that illustrates how messed up that is.

Find ways to be an activist for family court reform. Share your experience with other divorcing moms and dads and attorneys. Be part of the change you want to see.

Life after divorce — 3 things you can do now to move on

Don’t linger in family court.

If it is a matter of returning to family court to amend child support payments because your ex’s income has increased, or yours has decreased, or one of your kids has aged out of your agreement, make hasty work of the process, and calculate the time, energy, likely conflict with your ex and other negatives before launching a campaign for revisions. Likewise, if you are seeking to reduce alimony, consider the likely large legal fees and related time and stress in your future against the likelihood that payments will be reduced. In other words, apply the time / money / energy equation with a level head.

Never tie time with your children to payments.

In some states, child support payments are calculated based on how much time the kids spend with one or the other payment. That system is rife with issues, including that paying parents often fight for more time with their kids in order to owe less in support, but then fail to see their kids as ordered by the court agreement. The result is not only disappointed kids, the frustrated other parent, and a clogged family court. This system reduces kids to collateral. Do not be part of the problem.

Hard as it, do not threaten to stop paying your ex.

As you co-parent, there will be lots of reasons to fight. You may never completely rid yourself of resentment about paying him, and that is very human. But try your very, very hardest not to threaten not to pay him. There are likely serious legal ramifications if you do not. And there are definitely negative consequences to your relationships. In otherwise: Try your damnedest not to threaten.

Refocus your rage into fuel for earning more.

Vanessa was stunned to learn that after her ex left her for a much younger neighbor, she had to pay him nearly $70,000 per year in alimony and child support.

“During all the years of marriage, I always tried to support his tech business, encouraged him to invest my income in getting it off the ground, even paid his student loan debt. I eventually realized he had a really crappy work ethic, and was taking advantage. The kids were in full-time, very expensive daycare, and he didn’t do his share around the house. How is it fair that I supported him all those years and I still have to support him! Doesn’t he have any sense of being a man, and taking care of his family?”

Shortly after the separation, Vanessa was offered a promotion and is considering turning it down. “While this would be a huge career move for me, one that I’ve been working towards for a long time, it would also mean a lot more travel, which would be hard on all of us. Plus, the more I earn, the more I’d have to pay him, and that just makes me so furious!”

If you are a single mom who pays child support or alimony, it is very important that you never, ever hold yourself back professionally or financially to spite your ex with lower payments. Never illegally hide income (because committing crime is stressful, as is jail time, no matter how flattering orange may be on you!), or stall your career goals in order to be ordered to pay him less.

If you intentionally earn less to lower your child support or alimony payments, you live a smaller life rooted in anger by handing your power over to your ex. The world misses out on your talents, and you set a lesser example for your children. In the short-term, money may be tight as you support two households, but in the long-term, focusing on the big picture of growing your career and income will pay dividends in every single facet of your life, including your relationship with your ex.

In most states, child support and alimony payments are capped. When it comes to how much you can earn, the sky is the limit. I have seen so many fabulous cases of people who harnessed financial stress after becoming single moms to gloriously successful professional lives.

Make this your story. Earn and invest and build wealth with abandon.

After all, you likely have little control over how much you have to pay. But you have 100 percent control over how much you can earn.

Remember: Everything is temporary.

You could lose your job or ability to earn, and the financial tables could turn at any time. Kids age out of child support, and exes become far more successful than you thought he was capable of. Acceptance tempered with hope and kindness are your BFFs.

Rachel for a time received child support from her ex, but when she started earning more, and he lost his job, she was obliged by the courts to pay him support. She chooses to pay him more than required, even though the years when he paid were riddled with skipped payments, and snide comments about how his obligation was too much:



I pay more than what the state has mandated, and wrote it as such in my modified custody order. I also buy more things on top of that because that is my child, and I want her to have a certain quality of life. I can say without a doubt that going through this modification has set aside a lot of the resentment between my daughter’s dad and me. He understands how expensive it is to raise a child, and that support doesn’t go far. I have no issues about it at all and I am very happy to give more when I can. I think my ex also appreciates what it was like for me when I was struggling financially. Now that we traded places we have a much better and very flexible co-parenting relationship. And my daughter is so much happier because there is less hostility between us.

What do you think? Are you a mom who pays child support or alimony? How do you come to peace with it? Share in the comments.

Do women pay child support?

Yes, women pay child support, contrary to popular (and sexist) beliefs. Child support law and calculators are different in every state, but typically, the lower-earning parent is entitled to child support payments from the higher-earning parent.

How is child support calculated?

Child support payments nearly always are paid from the greater-earning spouse who does not have primary residence, to a lower-earning spouse who has the children the majority of the time, also referred to as ‘primary custody.'

How does child support work if the father or mother has no job?

Most states require a non-custodial parent to pay even a minimum child support sum, regardless of income. Often, based on a parent's education and past work experience, an income is imputed, or estimated, based on what that mom or dad should be expected to earn.

If I have my child 50% of the time, do I pay child support?

In every state, the child support calculator applies to separated and divorced families, with the higher-paying parent typically paying the lower-paying parent support, and/or a higher percentage of out-of-pocket add-ons like child care, health insurance and extracurricular activities.

57 Comments

My situation is a bit different. I have my children 64% of the time. I hold the health ins, pay all variables and am ordered to pay child support. I am from WI. Child support considers me the non-custodial parent because I am the one that has to pay. The system does not care who you are they just see numbers and put it in their little formula not considering anything else. Which is wrong in my opinion as everybodys situation is very different. This isn’t a one size fits all.

I am in a very similar situation. I studied for years to get my nursing degree. And now I feel that I am being punished for making the money that I make.

I just had to do my research I’ve been on child support since July 2021 and my taxes was just garnished. The court went back to 2018 and hit me with almost $9000 in back pay. I have 5 children but only one with this situation. At time of court I could not get legal aid due to an injunction someone else had on me. I was pregnant with my 5th child when I went to his attorney signed forms and pretty much set myself up. I only get my oldest daughter 2.5/7 days and only on certain holidays. Everyday I hurt just from knowing the so called man is using the only thing he has left against me because I just could not bare to be with him! This is the price I pay everyday and I can not afford a lawyer. I make 12.50 an hour and make less than 30 hours weekly! It’s so sad

I really dont come to peace with it…i just think what kind of man are you? To want to take money from a woman who you developed a relationship with when she was a child and you were already in your early 20’s? What kind of man watches her grow up and become something, then wants to take it all right from underneath her. What if his dad did this to his mom? Would he still feel entitled?

Having to pay permanent alimony to a gas-lightening, manipulating, narcissistic, physical & emotional abuser is really hard. Having to pay alimony to a “man” who is more educated than I am, a “man” who has the ability to earn more money than I ever could, a “man” who is under reporting his income is hard. This is an example of why alimony reform is important!

The system is so broken. I also pay my ex husband child support who is narcissistic, lazy now tells me he’s retiring at age 50. So now I’ll be paying more? I also believe he is getting paid under the table during summers building docks with his cousin. Theres got to be karma on my side for once in 10 yrs. On top of this, he isn’t covid vax, refuses and is on LOA from big three sitting on his ass , again on unemployment. Something has to change in our system.! It favors lazy lovers who take advantage of women.

Hello Im a mother who pays child support. My children were taken from me in 1999 but return to live with me in 2007 . But the order was never stopped in the State of Illinois. My children have their own children now. And I’m still paying . Yesterday I received a notice in mail of Child support Lien! Need help!

My ex was very abusive. Scared the hell out of me! I ran off with my daughter one night while he slept. She was 2 at the time. I went to my family to hid (so to speak). I was naive and didn’t have the money at the time to file for divorce. Making minimal wage I just didn’t have anything extra to spend. Unfortunately, my family wasn’t much help. My ex knew where I worked. I would take my daughter with me since I worked in child care. When getting out of the car he grabbed her out of my arms and threw her into his car and drove off. Then he filed for divorce and custody. I felt so weak I didn’t know what to do. He hide her for weeks/months until the divorce. I was so confused that I wouldn’t see her again so I signed divorce papers. Little did I know I signed custody over to him and I was to pay child support. I was so ready to see her and be done with him that I had no idea what was in store for me. When you are 20 you really don’t know the world and how bad it is yet. Today I’m still paying child support and my daughter is 17. I owe 30,000 in back support because I didn’t work for years when I was remarried. To this day he is still abusive and talks to me like a dog concerning our daughter. I really don’t feel like getting out of bed some days. And other days I just feel like dying. I have put up with this for so long. Being a victim of injustice does not discriminate. It can hurt both genders and it does.

This article is absolutely disgusting. Do you audacity to use the word sexist? I am a custodial father on Long Island in New York. The mother absolutely refuses to pay court ordered child support. Been going on three years. Her drivers license has not been suspended. The only time they garnish her paycheck, is if I find out where she’s working and physically deliver the address to the child support collection unit. Within two weeks of her salary being garnished she quits and finds another job and the whole process starts all over again. Her bank accounts have not been garnished. She has received every last penny from her tax returns. I have spent well over $10,000 filing violations. And the judge has done absolutely nothing but side with her at every twist intern. I cannot afford to live on Long Island and wish to move down south. Without my son‘s mother‘s permission? The court refuses to let me leave . The next step is me and my son are moving into a homeless shelter. So whatever angry bitter miserable woman, threw the word sexist into this article? You’re a disgusting pig

If you can’t afford to live somewhere and have to move to a shelter than sounds likes she should have custody

I googled this out of curiosity and see the word sexist belief. Double standards are very annoying.

Man up? Man up. What about when HE makes six figures and YOU were the housewife and HE got the kids and YOU have to pay 60% of YOUR INCOME TO HIM??? And he won’t let you see them or talk to them and is pressing to throw you in jail and gets you fired from your jobs and you can’t afford a lawyer? THEN WHAT???

It’s not a topic HE, but it’s a topic of the other parent. HE or SHE or any other preferred designation – it doesn’t matter. It’s a topic of deciding to legally recognize a relationship and then dissolving it. And child reassignment is unfortunately one of the many byproducts of that. That’s why I advocate against “marriage” and having the government interfere with personal affairs to avoid these types of situations. There are several other ways that a couple can incorporate that recognize a relationship besides marriage. Just remember that there’s an entire industry devoted marriage/divorce (advertising, planners, legal) and this is shoved-down the throats of western society from an early age and becomes another social expectation. All the time, social norms from more traditional mindsets converge towards more revised or progressive standpoints of the current – marriage and the social responsibilities during (or after) it, just happen to be one of them.

In a situation like you’re describing, it sounds like you’re experiencing undo hardship with your alimony requirements. Just like loan payments, these are appraused by your current income or income potential. Speak with you legal representative. You should be able to have your alimony requirements reassessed to be reflective of your current situation.

This is deranged. Paying child support to the person who did not risk their life and permanently alter their body for the other parent to be a parent, who was not a good source for years of breastfeeding, racking up hours upon a hours of unpaid childcare labor within a marriage in a world where women do not have the earning power men have where women most likely had to take time off from their careers, lowering their lifetime potential earnings?
Alimony and child support were wins for WOMEN because of these contributions and the ramifications of biology necessitating that women make these contributions.
If you gave birth, breastfed, pumped, took maternity leave, cook clean laundry AND you made more money than your husband you did more than 50% of the partnership and you should be compensated for a marriage that ended where your labor was exploited.

I’m a mom who pays child support
Both my kids live with 19 and 17 I pay same amount as for both
Never change daughter turned 18

I left abusive marriage 10 months not with father kids

That time kids did not live with me I never mind paying then I had visitation loved supporting
I started over
Even lived with X husband family for 8 months
I supported my kids then all of us lived together
Got apt 2 months ago
Kids came
I hurt I should let it go

In Canada, Child Support amounts are federally mandated, and the goal is supposedly to equalize the income of 2 households so that the kids aren’t living 2 different existences and income brackets at either parent’s house. It’s punishing, I feel like I’m being punished. We are supposed to share annual income information every May, and then child support is adjusted for the latest income information. So, he continues to lose jobs, and makes less and less every year, so every year my child support goes up even though my income has remained the same for years. How do I change my life every year to downsize and accommodate my ever growing financial obligations that are beyond my control? Do I selling my house, move to a cheap rental and try to survive? And then the following year, my support payments go up, and I need to move again to find cheaper living arrangements and cut my budget more? Under this arrangement, I am basically forced to guarantee him a level of income, without any regard for my needs.

So, I feel justified in calling it punishment. It is a punishing way to live. And as much as this article tells you to adjust your thinking and carry on, well, I’m not sure how to buy groceries this week with $25 in the bank. Meanwhile, he bought the kids an expensive purebred dog and bragged that his new phone was nearly 2k, and is new-car shopping.

The only way out of this nightmare is to wait for my kids to turn 18. This is an awful way to live. I hope he spends all my money on his ridiculous life, and when the kids turn 18, he is going to have a shakey retirement without his “guaranteed” income. And that thought, makes me smile.

I’m also in Canada and despite have 59% custody, I have to pay him child support. I’m trying to move forward and not be resentful but I don’t know how after the years of emotional, mental, physical and financial abuse. I’ve worked very, very hard in my career to reach this level of success, often times in spite of him. I have never asked him for anything since our split and agreed that we would each cover our daughters expenses in our individual home. However within 2 weeks of our adjusted agreement that has him now at 41%, he sent a notice in regards to child support. It feels like a continuation of the abuse that I’ve worked so hard to get out from under. I have a big mortgage while he lives at home. I’ve had to sell my “toys”, things that became important for self care and socializing after we separated because I have to lower expenses to cover the cost of support. I don’t know how to not be angry and bitter about all of this.

This very same feeling of resentment is shared by men who are the majority of the ones paying child support and alimony. This article seems to make excuses when its time for women to pay up and if men felt this same way they get called deadbeats. I am glad to see the author pointed out two main points,however, the first that child support is really just a scam. The lawyers and judges make the money and everyone else involved is a victim of the system. Secondly, that this was the brain child of the feminist movement. That right there alone goes to show you we need to end it. It was designed to impoverish men by transferring wealthy by extorting them out of everything they have and could ever have. When they yell its not fair they get called deadbeat now its happening to women and they say the same thing! The system is just legalized extortion no matter who pays.

Bigger picture is instead of pointing the finger, hold yourself accountable. Given the topic is on child support, it’s about the child and the fact that clearly the two that had that child is no longer one. Whatever the reason is for doesn’t matter because at the end of the day, children belong to the fathers. The only cases the child is “supposed” to be with the mother is if the father deceased during marriage making her a widow, or if the father chooses to abandon his property/ belonging (the child) to the woman. It’s not complicated but when you try to put women equal to a man you get “child support” and “alimony” but no one wants to look in the mirror and own the fact that they picked that person or allowed that person to pick them. Which is only a reflection of yourself. If you don’t like what you see, don’t blame the other person because you picked them. you don’t get to have your cake and eat it too. Women, if your going to take a man’s child, you are responsible for that property/belonging. Why are you asking that man to help you take care of what is already rightfully his property? That’s a slap in the face because without him, you wouldn’t even be a mother.
Men, if you are going to take your child and rid that women, why are you asking for her to help you take care of your property/belonging? That makes no sense if you don’t wish for her to be apart of your household any longer why are you asking her for help and stay in your life any longer than she has to be? .
In other words, if you give somebody a car but then they ask you to give them gas and maintenance money every month, a fair question would be why did you take the car if you can’t take care of it yourself ?
So women, if you have a mans child and are done with that man; then you cut ties which means you give him all of his property and belongs and go your way. You’re not obligated to take care of his property or belongs any longer.
Yes it is shame you will have to carry for marrying the wrong one or choosing to Cleave to the wrong man and having his child if he not worth being with and feelings will be hurt but feelings don’t go before what is right. if that man is not upright or abusive then why are you helping him raise up and build his household? Helping him raise his child? That’s what your doing because at the end of the day that is his seed. You don’t get to have your cake and eat it too.
This system promotes and condones living in the grey area and providing excuses instead of holding people accountable. But don’t even realize how counterintuitive it is. Claiming they care about the “best internet of the child” when that is far from it.
Women need to own there shame and stop picking men who aren’t worth it then you won’t have to worry about leaving a child with a man who doesn’t really want to be father and raise there child uprightly
Men stop picking women who don’t really want to be with you (only with you for themselves) let alone help raise children uprightly or only want to be a mother but don’t want to be a wife. Which makes no sense because before anyone is a mother or father you gotta be husband and wife first clearly.

Obviously if you’re worried about providing bear necessities to a child, you heart is clearly not in the right place because anyone can provide that. What matters is while someone providing for that child, how are they being raised? Who is raising them up and teaching them not to do what you did?
No child wants there parents divorced because you are there parents but when we are selfish, we don’t see let alone accept the consequences to being selfish is causing a child to be involved in that predicament. There is no such thing as child support or “co-parenting”. Either you are one or you’re not. If you both agree on how to raise a child, then that means you see life the same, so what’s the issue? why are you not together, that’s only a fair question any child would ask? If it’s not for the purpose of being unevenly yoked or a life or death situation (which clearly shows the yoke is not the same) then your not together for selfish reasons that have nothing to do with right and wrong but everything to do with what you want and shallow principles that this system promoted and condoned so they can make more money off of you supporting there system in some way shape of fashion.

When you don’t take your time and be patience to look in the mirror to be able to see how you really are and how others are before marriage or children then that’s when divorces and separations occur. while yes men get taken advantage of way more than women in the system,(because this system aids the woman more in todays time) women must own there shame in the men they chose to cleave to who are not father material causing and aiding men who don’t really care for being a father to build there houses to only have more people like
them in the world. Just like there are men who are not father material, there are mothers who aren’t as well.
It doesn’t matter who did what, at the end of the day no one is blameless because fatherless children could have been avoided. A divorce could have been avoided.
Women you are not equal to a man and never will be. You don’t carry seed; literally not created equal. But that doesn’t mean your role isn’t important but it just means stay in your lane and stop trying to be a man. If you stepped back for 5 seconds and put yourself in a brothers shoes, you’d realize there charge and duty is much more of a burden than how this system paints it out to be and what “protecting, providing and leading” really consist of that are no where near the societal views of how husbandtry and fatherhood should be. so of course brothers need your help, but they don’t need you to try and be them. There is a difference between being responsible and being “ms.independent” like you don’t “need” no man… uhhh last time one checked there would be no women without the man. So not sure why there are so many women on there high horses.
Men, you are supposed to be the head, how can any woman follow you if you don’t want to do your job uprightly and your okay with taking advantage of women who actually want to be a wife and mother uprightly or too lazy to lead and correct when needed? It only makes you look silly because women is only an extension of you, so In reality you’re only mistreating yourself. And being a jerk and over controlling isn’t the answer either and in fact only makes things worse.

Stay out your feelings and step back so you can the bigger picture. When you put your wants and desires before what is right then you get divorces and abused women and men who are belittled and called “deadbeats” but really just don’t want to deal with the triflin women who are okay with there own brothers being mistreated and use the child to get back at him or to get money which is just sticks (trees).

We all know that not every brother and sister is lazy or abusive or trifling but clearly those out populate the ones who aren’t.

When you allow your feelings and want to go before what is right you won’t be able to see while you may think “co-parenting” and seeing your child every other weekend is you making an effort and doing your best, fair question would be why are you not there 100% of the time? Why does that child have to update you on what happens last week or last month when you should be available and able to be there everyday? What child wants to live like that? Or better question what parents in there right mind would want there child to live like that? Your asking that child to live in the middle of the road. Your asking them to live on the fence. How is that fair to them?
But when you have so called “social norms” ways of living like this is deemed okay and acceptable.
Either you’re there or not. If you don’t think about these questions let alone care to, then what does that say you about and where your heart is at?
This is not for everyone. But hope this helps who it’s supposed to.
All knowledge and wisdom is His
(HaYaH HaYaH)

I feel that while I agree with some of your article and points made, I don’t think the child support system reflects the current generation. We tell our little girls, “go to college, get a job, earn money…” Are we also teaching them about prenuptials? Or what student loans mean if you are married while taking them out? Or what marriage really means as a whole and the legal ramifications of you do marry a man who turns out to be lazy? The child support system was set up 40+ years ago when women stayed home. While both men and woman are now working in our current generation shouldn’t child support laws be updated??? Why is it only based on how much income you make but not how much it actually cost to take care of a child such as a standard set cost. People both men and women are being taken advantage of. I would never advise my kids to marry someone that does not already have a career. And stop telling girls they can be and do anything. Let’s teach them about life and what not to do. My situation is similar to the Authors. Married a lazy man who is now more educated than me, a lawyer, and cannot earn a decent living. Seems women are becoming men and men are becoming women…

I will advise my kids to NEVER marry someone without a career of their own. Prenuptials should he mandatory. I will tell my kids my thoughts on prenups if they are ever in a position to think they want to get married.
I worked hard, built my career, and drove myself hard to achieve the next promotion, the next pay raise…and for what? So I can hand most of my salary over to him, my kids are miserable at his house and they spend half the time there. He refuses to do any of the real parenting (I.e. taking kids to the dentist, and it’s on my health insurance anyway). So, I have,essentially, a very expensive babysitter,and he’s not a very good babysitter at that.

I found this blog when I Googled “groups for women who pay child support”. Is there anyone interested in starting a support group? I currently owe $20,000+ in arrears, am not able to open a bank account or get a loan or apply for a rental property. Now without car nor job I live in my parents’ basement. It will be difficult to get out of this situation because I will pay child support without end because my child is handicapped. Could someone suggest some resources for me?

I would love to. I’m $32,000 in debt to child support. They take 60% of my earnings. I have two children in my care. I wanted adoption because I couldn’t give the child the life she needed. The father showed up to the hospital. I was railroaded into signing the birth certificate. I believed that we could make co parenting work. He took the baby home because the staff felt since I wanted adoption they weren’t comfortable. He filed with the courts the next day. I had the same job for 16 years. I made very good money I had all benefits paid and then three years later I was laid off. I can’t own anything because they take it
All of my retirement is gone. No matter what I make they take 60%
People say oh they can’t do that….but they do. I can’t do taxes with my kids socials they take it. It supposed to be for the kids so my other two get nothing while he lives rent free with his mom. Its absurd
Women typically make less than men I have two other children to support. I feel so hopeless. I want to die most of the time. I feel its all just about money anymore. They will benefit more from me being gone
And that’s a very scary feeling. I need a support group I need guidance. You are not alone I feel your pain anger frustration.

Unbelievable, because I was in the same situation. I have to pay child support for a lazy ‘man ‘ because my 14 years old decided lives with him. And I don’t have place to live, I don’t have a job. I have a 2 years old girl who has a very strong allergies. I can’t pay day care for her. And this man have 3 houses 2 cars a job and family for suport him. I m by my self . I have many things to pay after my pregnancy. And the medication is just for help him.

Why y’all keep saying the man it’s called child support so the man get beat across the head for not paying for the child and the same women who complain about the man now have a group too support each other on being dead beat mother’s for crying on supporting they own children men need to stop excusing this lil girl behavior and start holding these women account for or women love too see the men play the weak card when it’s rolls reversals on the very thing that scream we are equal half of the world is fake guess the half that made it that way

Thank you for writing this, Emma. Exactly the sentiment I was going through. Diverting the bonus money I need to pay him to college fund is a great idea. I am still not clear if I can ask him to pay the majority of child-related expenses with what I pay monthly? or I still need to pay 50:50 of all the expenses on top of monthly child support he gets. Is there a group with moms I can join to learn more about the best way to handle these kinds of situations? Thank you so much again!

I make $60k a year. My ex is a partner at a large Chicago law firm and he makes $600,000 a year. Illinois has me paying him 20% of my income, I owe back child support to the tune of $21,000. I have been in court for eight years fighting to get my kids in 50-50 time but because of the guardian at Litem role being a historical “racket” in family law, And given that she sided with my attorney ex-husband early in the case, I did not have enough money to continue on fighting in court to fight for custody of my kids in anyway. The characters in the family law sector have way more power and purview then they should ever have — namely the guardian at litem. I need the money I bust my hump to make in order to take care of my children in the time that I have my children. If anyone is interested in creating a support group for this you can email me at [email protected]
Family law is a corrupt sector of the judicial branch and it is horrific that it impacts single mothers with all of the auxiliary issues we have on our shoulders. My case may be an outlier but it’s a warning alarm to all other women considering divorce from abusive men, especially if they are attorneys. Corrupt.

My ex wife left the family for a child abusing felon, and two years later I filed for child support through the welfare department.
She sent me an email lecturing how the money should be spent.
Guess how much she pays? $5 per month per child.

Wow, so nice to see a woman getting nailed with alimony. So funny when the shoe is on the other foot. It hurts to see your ex just take what he is “entitled” to, doesn’t it. All those hours you put in to be successful at your job and then he just swoops in and takes his cut for the money your rightfully earned. I pay $5500 a month to my loser xwife and work 60 hours week and still raise my kids spending more than 50% of the time with them. I watch her posting to facebook how she is getting her hair and nails done, and going out to her fancy dinners. She doesn’t need to get a job cause she won the divorce lottery. Love hearing stories about women paying alimony!

“Ah yes, “divorce”. From the latin word meaning to rip out a man’s genitals through his wallet.” Robin Williams

I’m sorry but you must know men aren’t the only victims. My X placed an ex parte restraining order on me to gain leverage. I had no financial ability to hire lawyer and quickly found myself with supervised visitation and child support payments. I was able to obtain joint custody because our court psychologist validated my competancy, but I continue to struggle on a single income while he has remarried and completed his education. We revisit the order in 2 more years and hopefully I’ll have at least 50℅ joint custody. My head is still spinning when I think about how I ended up here. So, I empathize with many falsely accused and aggrivated men out there.

Responding to Kelly who posted on January 13, 2017 at 3:34 pm;

Kelly,

I volunteer for the National Parents organization NPO and we are working to pass a bill/laws of a rebuttable presumption of joint/equal 50/50 parenting responsibility (custody) in all states (what’s state are you from?). Surveys demonstrate that over 70% of adults support shared parenting and much social research has found that children do better the closer the custody time is to 50-50 with each parent.

We’re you falsely accused in the ex parte hearing?

Since the groups that are often opposed to Shared Parenting include womens/feminist groups as well as Attorneys we are seeking a collaboration with women along with Attorneys, researchers and mental health professional custody evaluators.

We are looking for women who have been treated unfairly by our family law court system to provide technical information and also to possibly testify in public hearings. Is this something you would be willing to do or do you know other women who may be willing?

Anyone willing to offer information support and consider testifying is welcome to respond.

Chris
[email protected]

Manning up is the problem. Men are supposed to care for us. These guys are not real men. They are men with too much estrogen in their systems. And you took care of him for that reason. NOW- if there was 1 ORGANIZATION that is woman owned and operated that tried to help you, I want to know about it. Something like a real “First Wives Club”. I am looking to help in a major way.

I was pleasantly surprised by this article. As I victim of a very gender biased system, I have spent tens thousands of dollars on lawyers and pay a Ludacris 2340 a month even though I have my kids 40 percent of the time and have joint custody. Personally I recognize a small need for child support payments in smallers amounts that actually represent the care of the child. Taking into account income differences and time spent caring for the childs economic needs. Still as a man I have an uncontrollable urge to be a breadwinner. I really enjoyed your gender neutral views but the goal should always be as close to 50/50 as possible. Thank you again

I find the mere fact that the author considered a statement like he should be a man in any way appropriate in this context more telling than anything.

In fact, as I understand it, only a small portion of men who would qualify for alimony actually apply for it. In my country, Sweden, often praised (and lambasted) as a feminist Utopia, alimony was abolished thirty years ago, shared custody is the default, and child support payments minimal.

Yet, the recent drive for alimony reform in Florida and other places were driven by advocates from among the 3% of alimony payers that are female. Sure, we hear men moan about it all the time, and there certainly are cases of egregious abuse of the system, but look at the top concerns of one of those men’s rights web sites, and onerous alimony does not even make the top 20.

In fact, I would guess that feminism only started supporting alimony as a result of the inherent contradictions in supporting gender equality and acting as a lobby for women. Famously, NOW supported shared parenting upon separation in the 1970s, only to succumb to the pressure of many of its members in the early 1980s and oppose it. Giving women equal representation in public life involves both sticks and carrots. Avoid using the stick, that is give women the ability to continue living off a man’s income without social condemnation, why would we expect anything resembling equal outcomes?

“Doesn’t he have any sense of being a man, and taking care of his family?””

I might have been inclined to sympathize with Vanessa if she hand’t said this. Telling a man to “be a man” is no different than telling a woman to get into the kitchen. The days of traditional gender roles and the ability to shame people who don’t conform to them are gone. There is no longer a definition of “being a man,” so her saying that suggests, at least to me, that there was more going on in this marriage than she is telling. Most likely, she was saying similar things to him all of the time and though I don’t condone his affair, I have to wonder if the “much younger neighbor” gave Vanessa’s husband the support that he really needed rather than chastising him for not “being a man.” I could be wrong, but that is my hunch.

I’m of the feeling that whichever party opts out — especially if that party has a new person in mind — forfeits all claims to alimony, period. If there are kids involved, then child support is the only payment that the “left” party should have to make, since child support is for the child, not the other spouse. It’s absolutely ridiculous that a woman (usually) can decide to cheat on her husband, leave him for the other man, and collect thousands of dollars per month in support for herself. The law needs to be seriously examined.

The problem with child support is that it isn’t “for the child.” The person receiving it is free to spend it however they see fit. That needs to change in my opinion.

No-fault divorce became the norm decades ago, thank goodness. Domestic violence and suicide among wives plummeted when it did. No going back.

I find this article hilariously ironic. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, and it is she, not he, who has to pay ludicrous amounts of money to an able bodies spouse otherwise capable of earning a living it is somehow wrong, and needs to be corrected. Men have been dealing with this since the advent of the faultless divorce. Some, such as in the east are currently condemned to a life of financial servitude to their ex until they retire or die. Perhaps now that it is happening to women too more frequently this inequity will finally receive some actual attention, and be addressed.

No matter the gender, paying for a spouse in some cases should be a very limited affair, in most it should not happen at all. There is some merit to child support where custody is not divided equally. However, this is also gender biased, and needs to be corrected with assumed 50/50 custody unless some compelling reason is found for this not to be the case. In short, child support should also be mostly negated as well.

Our current family law system is horribly corrupt, biased, and is in need of a massive overhaul. Until such time as it is overhauled men will continue to be abused by it, and now more frequently women too.

My sister is a SAHM to three children under 5 years old. Her physician husband, who she supported through medical school and residency by working as a teacher, makes $300k/yr. She recently found out that her soon-to-be ex husband cheated on her with a woman 10 years his junior. Sure, alimony isn’t always fair but this is the kind of case that it was designed for and he is going to end up supporting her for a long, long time.

Why is it fair? Because your sister’s feelings were hurt? Because your sister made bad financial and career decisions?

Why is it fair? Because when one partner invests in the other’s career and explicitly foregos their own career in furtherance of their partner’s career, the supported spouse holds an interest in the supporting spouse’s income. In my sister’s case her husband asked her to quit teaching after their first child was born so that he could invest more time in his medical practice. She was nervous to give up her teaching tenure and pension because she knew that she’d be vulnerable if they ever divorced so she had him put their agreement in writing before she quit.

Fwiw my wife and I have a similar arrangement, although it isn’t in writing. I run my own business and she takes care of our three children. Having my wife at home to take care of all of the stuff that comes up with the kids is what allows me to do what I do. If I had to drop what I was doing everytime the school called because one of the kids was sick (2x just last week alone) or ferry the children to school and activities I would not be as successful. Furthermore, she worked in the early years of our marriage before we had children and provided the regular income and insurance that we needed when I was getting my business off the ground. Our marriage is a partnership and it would be unjust if I were to divorce her now with no acknowledgement of the investment she’s made in “my” business.

Your sister is an able-bodied individual. Divorce sucks, whatever the reason, and everyone gets hurt feelings. Her soon-to-be-ex husband should have to pay child support if she gets custody (which she will, because this is how these things work). Otherwise, she should be on the hook for supporting herself and her fair share for the kids.

Women have long had an overabundance of power in the Family Court System. It’s time it was ended and made fair. Just because your ex is rich doesn’t mean you *deserve* a piece of it.

Alimony shouldn’t be used as a punishment. From someone who’s husband pays to a cheating ex wife, how would you feel if your spouse cheated and then you had to pay them for the rest of your life. Alimony should be to help someone get on their feet and that is it. Not permanent servitude like here in Florida.

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