Many of you know that for some time my wife and I have been seperated awaiting a divorce or dissolution of marrige as we could not agree on the matter of the custody of our children. During the past 2½ years I have been religously sending my wife $350/mo plus clothing as they are still very young and growing quickly, even during my 3 month unemployment streak as I find the well being of my kids very important.
This morning a got a certified letter from the Alaska Child Support Enforement Agency wanting my income figures of last year so that they can figure out how much child support I should pay as my wife filed for child support. This came as a great shock to me as we had both agreed that until our divorce is completed, neither one of us would file for support. I went to a divorce attourney with my W-4's and calculated that my monthly child support payment would me $368, which I found to be acceptable as that is only a few more dollars then what I send anyways. I found no need to pursue a lawyer based divorce and continue to try working out a dissolution of marrige. At the end of our talk, he asked me one question that had not occured to me. That was if my wife is on welfare, or any kind of state financial aid. I answered yes to both as she is collecting welfare and food stamps. After which he asked me to wait a second while he looked through some legal books. He found what he was looking for and recalulated that based on the answers I gave him, my child support payment would then become $561/mo. I verified his findings on the Alaska's web site and with two other laywers as a 'browse-around' thing. I found this to be totally unacceptable as my monthly income (after taxes) is $1700+/- ~$50. Not including the money that I already send down to her, after rent / utilities / food / transportation / misc needed items, I have roughly $435 left over. I already been through budget, and found that it is already as tight as it gets. The only real 'entertainment' I have on my budget is the internet. Since I don't watch TV, I do not have cable. I no longer have any money saved either from that breif period of unemployment.. just a mere $170
I asked the attorneys how much they want to take my case up. They are all roughly the same price, $7500-$7900. The first attorney I talked to has the lowest up front cost of $2500. They all have payment plans should I win the case, if not.... they require a 'bond' unless I pay half their fee's up front. Since I am not a home owner, the only thing of value I have is a 1999 chevy pick-up which I require for employment. In this case being it is for an important cause, I am willing to sign it as a bond since I can not afford full price. They all offered the same thing, which seems to 'hold a lot of water' in my book as well as theirs. Which is upon first payment, they will file a motion in court for a protective order based on the unability of my wife to financially take care of our kids until our divorce is complete. At which point, the child support division will not be able to make me pay child support since during the time, I will have immediate custody of our children. The odds of it being overturned (the protective order) in a retalitory or motion to waive is very small being she is unemployed and almost unable to support our kids.
Alaska has a 3 year lifetime welfare act if the person is physically/mentally capable of gaining employement. As of now, my wife has used up 2 years and one month of that time. Now don't get me wrong, my wife is a really loving person who treats our kids most excellent. They are always in a good mood and smiling (unless the sqallers are fighting each other ) and she has the best of intensions of being the best mother she can for our kids.
But she always had a look out on life that other people need to take care of her as she very rarely holds jobs, and when she does.... only for a few months before she becomes house wife again. I know what I am asking for sounds exactly how she acting. But I on the other hand am gainfully employed, have never taken on welfare, foodstamps, unemployment or anything of the like. I simply do not have the funds needed for a divorce.
What I want is help getting the up front costs that the attorneys require to take my case. Unlike her, I am not going to be greedy and want full custody with limitted visiting like she wants. But more of a joint custody as interaction with both parents would be very healthy for our kids. I figured since I sent some money in the past for various DC projects and helped on many others. It would never hurt to ask here where we all share the same spirit . Any monies that that you can spare can either be sent to me by either by cash/check/money order/paypal.
While I do not know if the mods will like this post is beyond me, but if you feel like flaming, I ask that you please have the repect to do it in PM's instead of open forums.
Best wishes for all
-Tony
This morning a got a certified letter from the Alaska Child Support Enforement Agency wanting my income figures of last year so that they can figure out how much child support I should pay as my wife filed for child support. This came as a great shock to me as we had both agreed that until our divorce is completed, neither one of us would file for support. I went to a divorce attourney with my W-4's and calculated that my monthly child support payment would me $368, which I found to be acceptable as that is only a few more dollars then what I send anyways. I found no need to pursue a lawyer based divorce and continue to try working out a dissolution of marrige. At the end of our talk, he asked me one question that had not occured to me. That was if my wife is on welfare, or any kind of state financial aid. I answered yes to both as she is collecting welfare and food stamps. After which he asked me to wait a second while he looked through some legal books. He found what he was looking for and recalulated that based on the answers I gave him, my child support payment would then become $561/mo. I verified his findings on the Alaska's web site and with two other laywers as a 'browse-around' thing. I found this to be totally unacceptable as my monthly income (after taxes) is $1700+/- ~$50. Not including the money that I already send down to her, after rent / utilities / food / transportation / misc needed items, I have roughly $435 left over. I already been through budget, and found that it is already as tight as it gets. The only real 'entertainment' I have on my budget is the internet. Since I don't watch TV, I do not have cable. I no longer have any money saved either from that breif period of unemployment.. just a mere $170
I asked the attorneys how much they want to take my case up. They are all roughly the same price, $7500-$7900. The first attorney I talked to has the lowest up front cost of $2500. They all have payment plans should I win the case, if not.... they require a 'bond' unless I pay half their fee's up front. Since I am not a home owner, the only thing of value I have is a 1999 chevy pick-up which I require for employment. In this case being it is for an important cause, I am willing to sign it as a bond since I can not afford full price. They all offered the same thing, which seems to 'hold a lot of water' in my book as well as theirs. Which is upon first payment, they will file a motion in court for a protective order based on the unability of my wife to financially take care of our kids until our divorce is complete. At which point, the child support division will not be able to make me pay child support since during the time, I will have immediate custody of our children. The odds of it being overturned (the protective order) in a retalitory or motion to waive is very small being she is unemployed and almost unable to support our kids.
Alaska has a 3 year lifetime welfare act if the person is physically/mentally capable of gaining employement. As of now, my wife has used up 2 years and one month of that time. Now don't get me wrong, my wife is a really loving person who treats our kids most excellent. They are always in a good mood and smiling (unless the sqallers are fighting each other ) and she has the best of intensions of being the best mother she can for our kids.
But she always had a look out on life that other people need to take care of her as she very rarely holds jobs, and when she does.... only for a few months before she becomes house wife again. I know what I am asking for sounds exactly how she acting. But I on the other hand am gainfully employed, have never taken on welfare, foodstamps, unemployment or anything of the like. I simply do not have the funds needed for a divorce.
What I want is help getting the up front costs that the attorneys require to take my case. Unlike her, I am not going to be greedy and want full custody with limitted visiting like she wants. But more of a joint custody as interaction with both parents would be very healthy for our kids. I figured since I sent some money in the past for various DC projects and helped on many others. It would never hurt to ask here where we all share the same spirit . Any monies that that you can spare can either be sent to me by either by cash/check/money order/paypal.
While I do not know if the mods will like this post is beyond me, but if you feel like flaming, I ask that you please have the repect to do it in PM's instead of open forums.
Best wishes for all
-Tony