I have a 6 month old, how much should her father pay in child support?

Question

Okay our daughter is 6 months old. I'm trying to keep things between us amicable. He makes about 80,000 a year. He pays me 200 a month for our daughter. I hate to ask for more money but it's frustrating when I"m pretty much doing it all on my own. I told him I'm trying to be nice and not go to court, but he laughs and doesn't think he'll have to pay more that the 200. Just as an opinion what do you think I should do? How much do you get for an infant? (I stay at home with her and go to school full time, so money is tight as it is. And whatever I have extra I spend on my daughter, I don't want her to go without anything!) And please no judgemental comments. Spare me okay? I'm just trying to do what's right for my daughter.

Answer 1

More than $200 a month! Way more. And he makes 80,000?? For the sake of everyone involved take it to court and get some official ruling.



If you two weren't married no matter how amicable it is he still has full rights to her (without a court order.) That means he can at any time come in and take her and the cops can't do anything about it because there is no LEGAL custody arrangement. We just has a situation in my town where a dad took his daughter to TX and he was deported (he was in the US illegally) and they sent his daughter with him even though she was a citizen because there was no custody arrangement and her mom (who is a US citizen was back in WY.) Courts/LE can't do anything about it.



As far as money goes, my BF's ex pays him $600 a month for their little boy and she makes around 90,000 (in MT.) He should be paying you way more and the fact that he is not willing to pay you more even though he has it says so much to me. He doesn't deserve it to be amicable. Take his lazy a** to court and get what you and your daughter deserve! Plus, you don't want him to later down the road decided to try and take her from you.

Answer 2

Ok first of all, from experience, let me say that there really is no surefire way of keeping things amicable lol You really should go through the courts just so there is a record of him paying support and he can't try to skip out on paying you... plus THEY decide the amount... Not to mention that if his job at any point offers healthcare then he will have to provide that too, and that's another thing you wouldn't have to worry about (and if you have a medical card, you can still use his insurance to pay for anything the medical card won't). I tried to be civil with my daughter's father but then some months he'd say he couldn't give me money because he had to pay for something else and it was just a hassle. Meanwhile I was working 2 jobs and doing everything on my own while he was making 50,000 a year. That said, for our 1 daughter he had to pay 350 bucks a month for her. So for someone making 80000 it would be a lot more than that, maybe 650 a month? Your getting jipped at 200. Like I used to tell my (well now he's my husband, but we didn't used to get along) boyfriend at the time... child support has to pay for more than just diapers and clothes... it needs to pay to support her... that means help with the rent to put a roof over her head, help to pay the electric and gas to keep her warm, help wiht groceries to keep her fed, etc. And that all totals a LOT more than 350 a month, so really he was still getting the better end of the deal... Anyways, you should really consider having a child support order put into place. It takes some of the stress off of determining an amount and having to argue with him when you need money. It's really the only fair way to do it, and it will save you in the long run, especially if he gets with someone else down the road and decides he doesn't want to be around anymore. Good luck either way, it's difficult to do because you feel like your being a B$tch but your just doing what's right for your baby :)

Answer 3

Child support is calculated by how much he make, how much you make. They us gross income and expenses are not taken into the factor. child support is to off set the income level differences. If your income and his are the same then he will pay very little if there is a big difference then the support will be bigger. If he is a real man he should step up to the plate and pay at least 1/2 of the actual expenses. This is true for CA if you are in a diff rent state then the law may be different. I make just under 80,000 year and I'm looking at 650.00 a month in support. That is because she's reporting a lower income than she makes. When the truth comes out and she states the true income which is close t mine I will pay 200.00 - 300.00. He will also be responsible for 1/2 the day care if you work and he may have to provide your child with health care. It's expensive but I recommend an Attorney .

Good luck

Answer 4

Im in a similar situation. Except my child's father earns A LOT less than that a year and he's paying $215 a month court ordered. You should be getting at least $400 a month if not more. It doesnt really matter too much how old the child is. Child support is generally the same no matter how old the child is when the child is young. I would take him to court anyway. At least then he's court ordered to pay child support and if he doesn't, actions against him will be taken. You should take him to court. It would be right for your daughter and in her best interest. I also dont work. I stay at home with my daughter full time.

Answer 5

Most states have a formula set up on child support. The guidelines take into account the difference between one parents income and the other parent. If the father is making 80,000 and you are in school full time, this should be a factor.



Don't let him bully you into NOT going to apply for child support. He has a good thing going, and I'm sure if you can prove your income vs his, you are entitled to more money.



Call your local county courthouse to speak with someone there about child support guidelines. If you want what is best for your daughter, that should help you give her the best.

Answer 6

I completely agree that you should be getting more Im not sure where you live, but here in nyc $200 is like $2 Children are expensive so he better get a grip on reality



If I were you I would add up every single expense for a month from diapers to daycare food, I mean EVERYTHING & tell him exactly how much it all was The number will probably be the average amount of money that you spend on her each month He should be paying half of that because she is half his If he cant get with the program I would take him to court to get the maximum I have no patience for men (or women) who dont fully understand the cost of a child. I dont care if he has to bus tables on the side You deserve more for her

Answer 7

First of all, kudos to you going to school full time. Not many young single mothers can do what you are doing.

Second, $80,000/$200 per month doesn't add up. This is his daughter, not a gas bill. The average child costs approximately $300,000 over the child's 18-year lifetime.

Lastly, if he laughs at you again, tell him you're going to take him to court and see if he laughs then. Tell him you don't want to be mean, but you and he have a child together. The child needs you both, but that raising a child is a full time responsibility and that $200/mo isn't going to get her the barest of essentials. You both need to sit down and do the math together to come up with a reasonable amount if you want to keep it out of court. If he's reasonable, he'll look at the numbers, compare it with your expenditures and his/your income and come up with a doable amount for the child.

$80,000/year is nuts. Most middle class ppl don't make that much on their own, especially during such depressed economic times. The fact that you're in school full time should say a lot to the baby's father. This means that in 4 years time or under, you'll then be able to provide half to your child. I hope that, given his supposed smarts, he's able to figure that out.

Sit down and do the math together. Numbers talk, BS walks.

Good luck.

Answer 8

My ex makes about 40K and pays 800$ a month plus helps me with extra expenses for our 2 girls (13,15) as far as school activities, color guard things, band camp, etc. Also helped pay for our older daughters braces. I know I have it good with my ex, he is a remarkable father both emotionally, physically and financially. We discuss EVERYTHING when it comes to the girls. I think if you can reach a $$ amt between the two of you without going to court to pay the attorneys more $$ than they should be getting in the first place that will benefit you both. If he understands that he will be benefiting the child as well as yourself and struggling where the child is concerned and he is any kind of a father, he'll agree to the increase in monthly income. Oh, as a single mom going to school I am assuming you applied for grants for school, if not look into them. There are alot of grants out there for single moms. Sorry to rattle on here but as a mom of 3 (5,13,15) I've found that time is "what you don't want her to go without anything" is actually time and not material things and I learned that the very expensive way! Going to school will benefit you both and studying when she is asleep and spending quality time with her when she is awake is the most important thing you can do. When she see's how dedicated mommy is to school that will benefit her as well, especially in the long run! You sound like an awesome mom so you are already doing the right thing and I wish you the best of luck in school! Trina

Answer 9

If you want to keep things out of court, then you will have to come up with a number on your own, or with him. I would write down every expense that she has... like how much you spend weekly on food, diapers, clothes, etc.... then divide it by two.... it doesn't have to be exactly in half but what you think is fair. take this figure to him and see what he says.. if he is still not willing to work with you, i think you should just file court papers. It's hard to say how much you would get, chances are more than $200 a month, but its up to the judges discretion, and it differs state to state, and w/ different situations. honestly it would probably be in your best interest to go through the courts. it sounds like he isn't wanting to work with you much anyways, and that way you can have custody divided up and all at the same time... which may save you some stress in the future... sometimes its better to be safe then sorry.. you never know if he gets mad at you one day and decides not to pay for that month... then your daughter would go w/o and it seems to me that is the last thing you would want. Good luck!

Answer 10

Alright, I am doing a hypothetical for you to get an idea as to how to figure out a guesstimate:

Fathers Gross income: 80,000 + Mother's Gross income: 20,000 = 100,000.

Father has 80% of the income while mother has 20%.

Now, what the child support office will more than likely do (they do this in PA) is take into consideration normal expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, etc.....not cigarettes, vacations, etc) and deduct that from BOTH gross incomes. Let's say the deductions are even (which I am pretty sure they will do simply because if he is paying $1500 a month for rent/mortgage and the average cost in the area is only $600 he would most likely not receive the credit of $1500). Now after these calculations he would most likely be responsible for 80% of the allotted amount to care for a child, let's say it's a thousand just to keep our figures less confusing for now, then he would be responsible for paying you $800 monthly.

Now if you are unemployed, the state would most likely assign you an income in which you should be making which usually is min wage at 40 hrs a week.

Here in PA min wage is $7.15 so annual gross income would be: $14872

Father's Gross income: 80,000+Mother's Gross income: 14,872=94,872

Your portion is approx 15% while ex's is approx 85%.

Again, just a figure to play with, $1000/month is figured for care of child making his responsibility $850/monthly.



Again, they will take out for expenses but you can also push the issue of medical coverage and child care expenses as well.



Best of luck.

Answer 11

You say you are a full time student but not what income you have. That would make a little difference but based on his income if he has no other kids to support it would probably be upwards of $800 per month depending on day care costs and health care costs which he would also have to help with. Do not let him slide like this while you are struggling. It is his daughter too. Please for your sake and especially the baby's get a legal order for how much he should pay. Good luck!

Answer 12

Child support is based on his income. If you were going thru the court he would be paying at least $200 a week. If you allow him to pay such a small amount under the table now, he will only continue the pay that amount as the child gets older. And we all know the bigger they get the more expensive. If you can settle it outside of court then do so, but if not you have to look out for your child and go to court.

Answer 13

I understand how that is for you. I am a single mom and my ex-boyfriend refused to pay any child support, so I took him to court, they ordered him to pay 605 $ a month for our daughter, than he quit his job so he wouldn't have to pay. Moved in with his parents so that he would have no expenses. And that was just unbelievable, I couldn't believe it. He still doesn't support our daughter but his behind will be going to jail if he doesn't. But I work full time and I am in school and since I am considered a low income family, the government does help me for my daughter, I get about 600 a month for her from the government even if I work 40 hours a week. So maybe look into government assistance. We all want what if best for our children and some times the government can help.

Answer 14

If yoiu do go to court, the court will award child support based on the father's income. It has nothing to do with how much it costs to take care of the child. It has everything to do with the lifestyle that the father is capable of providing. Chances are that if his income is in the $80,000 range, he should obviously be paying significantly more than $200 a month. That's barely above the poverty line.

Answer 15

I think most laws are that 25% of the income that the non custodial parent makes is what is paid in child support. $200 a month is ridiculous if he makes $80,000 a year.

I would look it up on the internet for your state, or call family courts and find out. I think that you're getting a bad deal.



Best Wishes

Answer 16

I was in a similar position and worked an amount out with my ex. I felt lucky to have my child. When you let the courts decide it is not always a good thing. I could give you so many examples because I deal with this issue by being a stepmom and having an ex. There are a lot of greedy, spiteful women out there that want to seek revenge using their kids as bait. With this said I know that there are alot of dead beat dads. Whatever road you take it will be a long one and you want to provide a loving atmosphere for your child and not make her pick sides and make her love her dad less if he does the right thing by helping you out whether court ordered or on his own.

Medical, dental and vision should be considered, visitation has not been mentioned so this is weird to me. Any expenses he may incur for visitation.

If you do go through the courts any big changes in earnings either side can be reconsidered every three years in determining support.

Educating yourself on your options is the best advise. You can easily find a child support worksheet online for your state to figure out what he would be ordered to pay.

Either way - figure out what his role will be as the father. If the support is not court ordered he can frick with you every month on this. But if he is ordered to pay he may want to be a big part in his child's life - if not now, in the future.

Answer 17

That seems really low. $80,000. a year- 52 weeks in a year is a little over $1500. per week. You absolutely must ask for more money. He is giving you peanuts. You can barely cover diaper costs with $200. per month.

If you are going to ask him for money - without going to court- then write all your bills all, make copies-then add in all extras. Clothing for the year, diapers per month, doctors visits, bottles etc. Show him how much it costs to raise a baby.



In honestly, you need to go to court. Tell him you've decided to go to court because it will be best for him and you and most of all the baby. This way- he knows what he is ordered to pay is fair and you know you will get it each month. And baby has what she is entitled to.



I would say he will likely have to pay about 25% of his income. Maybe $375 per week. or so.



He's getting off so good right now with $200. per month. Wow.

Answer 18

Oh, if he makes $80,000 a year he'll be paying WAY more than $200 a month. Take him to court and let the judge decide how much he should pay. From what I've heard the family courts are very sympathetic of mothers who go to school. I don't think it's so much an amount as it's a percentage of his wages. See if he laughs after the judgment.

Answer 19

There are a few states that have calculators for figuring child support. North Carolina is one of them. They take his gross income, and they'll subtract so much for each child he has, if he's married, and then it will be a percentage of his adjusted income.



My ex had to pay $104.00 per month, however, he never reported most of his income, and showed only working 20 hours a week for minimum wage. Your ex should be paying much more it looks like.



It sounds like you're doing a great job looking out for your daughter!

Answer 20

He makes 80,000 a year and is paying $200 a month in child support? That is ridiculous. Go to court. He should be paying a whole lot more for support!

Answer 21

284 dollars is the standard rate here in oregon for an income of 1534 a month!!!!!

You recieve way less than that for an income taht is 5x higher.

The baby being an infant has no bearing on how much you will get for child support.

It is always based on income. Some states are 17% and I believe the highest they go for one child in other states is 20%.

So good luck.

I would file for it. He will end up paying somewhere close to 900 a month maybe even more.

Answer 22

We need a bit more info. here. First what state are you in?? Every state figures up child support differently. Some states like NY & TX use a fixed percentage model. In these states the paying parent pays an exact percentage of their monthly income, period. They don't even look at what the custodial parent (you) make. Other states like OH & OR use an incomes shared model. In these states there is a long drawn out worksheet where they look at BOTH parents incomes & applicable deductions & then come up with their number. In incomes shared model states, when you are unemployed, (like you are with going to school full time), then they "pretend" that you work min. wage full time (40 hours a week) & that is the number that they use for your income.



The fact that your child is an infant has nothing to do with the figures, you would get the same amount whether your child was 1 or 17. It's all about the worksheet that your state uses & the numbers that go into them.



Also as someone else mentioned health/dental insurance & daycare come into play too. Some states include money for those things directly into the child support payments. And other states order them seperately as a pecentage to be split between you two & paid directly to the other parent in addition to the child support payments. But again we need your state for that one as well.



When they figure up what has to be paid, MOST states do not deduct things like your rent or car payment. The usual applicable deductions only include things like taxes, other child support/alimony paid, union dues, other children living in your home that are not part of the child support order, insurance, etc.



Anyways, without your state I cannot tell you much more that will be helpful. I am SURE that he is getting away with murder by only paying you $200 a month making 80k a year before taxes. My husband used to pay $500 a month for one child making 30k a year. So "legally" I am SURE that you are entitled to more, I just can't be sure as to how much more. If you'd like, feel free to e-mail me through my profile & I can help you further.

Answer 23

I myself am going through this very same thing as we speak. Here in Illinois, the law states that if this is his only child & paternity has been established, he has to pay 20% of his net income in child support + health insurance. This is non-negotiable. If he's paying you only $2400 a yr, that amounts to roughly 2.5%. The average infant costs approximately $477 per month, so you're getting seriously short changed. I would absolutely urge you to file with your state immediately, because it can take up to a year to get the money your child needs.



You SHOULD NOT feel ashamed to ask for more money. This is money your child needs & it's up to you to make sure she gets it.

Answer 24

Its great to see a mom care about her daughter. With 3 children - 7, 5, and 4 ... My ex husband is only ordered to pay $350.00 a month. How crazy is that? He is over $5000 behind in child support. I do not even count on it. I, when I was a single mom, worked 2 jobs, and finished college... just to take care of my babies. You are in a very good spot that you get to stay at home with her. I am lucky now. I am now remarried, and have another child. I am now a stay at home mother. My husband and youngest son's(9months) dad takes care of all of us. I have fought to try to get what little support I was ordered, but its a lost cause. With him making that much money, You should probally be getting more. But good luck with the system. Its not a great one. Raising a child, on very little is tough. I commend you for going to school and trying to do what is right for your daughter. Good luck.

Answer 25

He makes $80,000 a year and you are afraid to ask for more than $200 a month? That is NOTHING. If he doesn't support any other children it is usually about 24% of their income. You should be getting alot more to support your child.



For all the people that say get your money, they need to understand it is the child's money and it isn't a punishment to get back at your ex. Fathers are supposed to support their children.



We live in the state of Washington and my brother came to live with us because our mom died and he didn't want to live with his Dad. I filed for support through DSHS (it might be called something different in your area) They put together an order of how much he should pay and send him a certified letter, if he doesn't pay when it is ordered through support enforcement than he can lose his drivers license or go to jail.



BTW we were getting almost $700 a month for my brother and his dad made approximately $55,000. So you should be getting alot more than what you get now that is for sure.

Answer 26

The state decides what he pays and has nothing to do with the age of the child. If you aren't going through the state and then you do all the money he has given to you will mean nothing and that's when back child support comes in. The Attorney General doesn't care if he can pay his bills they just decide how much he needs to pay you.

My husband pays child support on 3 kids and if we were not together he couldn't live. Eve though you need the support remember that he needs to live as well.

Answer 27

Go online for your area and printo ut the court papers fro child support there is a sheet that you put it all into and it will tell you what the court would giv eyou. You Don't have to file it, it would gust give you an idea of what they would award you.



If he dosn't wanna step up then take him to court. Because if you don't he can just stop sending money at any point and leave you high and dry till you do get to it. You should also have paper work done up as to visitation. Even if you just have it done and noterized.

Answer 28

Honestly with his salary you should be getting about $1000 a month. Typically it's about 13%. You want to keep things amicable but you also want things to be fair; which is the way it should be. I would recommend making a list of all the monthly expenses associated to caring for her and include everything down to the rent, power, daycare, etc that is required to care for her. Half of those expenses are his responsibility. If you rent an apartment you would consider the price difference between a 1 and 2 bedroom, in regards to power you can contact your local power company to see the average cost for both the 1 and 2 bedrooms in your complex to see the difference and being a stay at home mom still has the same monetary value as daycare so you can see what the going rate is for childcare for her age. Once you have created a detailed list I would take it to your ex and explain to him that you don't want him to pay more than he should but he is responsible for half of the expenses since she is his child. If he still refuses, contact a lawyer because your daughter needs to be provided for equally by both parents.

Answer 29

Not going to court is foolish. If he is the father he needs to pay more than 200 dollars a month. He need to have the child on insurance. Most courts set the rate based on a percentage of the father's income. But you also need to be aware that the court will not be easy on you. Being a single stay home mom, even if you are going to school does not shine well on you. If you do go to court make sure you are doing everything to present yourself well.

Answer 30

I beleive the courts require him to pay at least 20% of his income. As a parent he is responsible for half her living cost; a roof over head, utilities, clothing, eating, basically day-to-day living cost, etc. (And, yes this is what the judge told my child's father in court.) Which would entitle you to something like 1333.33 a month which is 16,000 a year which is about 20% of 80,000. So, if he doesn't want the courts involved and you want things to remain amicable. Tell him to be realistic about taking care of his angel and step up his game. At least a FEW $100 steps.

Answer 31

Well, I live in Michigan and I did a Google search for "child support formula" for my friend and a booklet PDF came up that breaks it down. Essentially they take into account (in MI) ALL income (including retirement and dividends from stocks and stuff) as well as property and costs of living. I think it should be more like $200/WEEK, if not more. My husband's brother made $8.50/hr and they awarded her $115/week back in 2002 and he had to maintain health insurance for him as well. I understand your desire to keep things out of court, but ultimately this man is NOT doing what is right for your baby and if he won't do it willingly, that is why they have FOC. It's unfortunate, but you may need to consider going that route. Look up the way your state calculates it and then approach him in a civil manner about increasing to that number. Then, if he laughs, you go to Friend of the Court and file paperwork, they will do the rest. Good Luck and Take Care.

Answer 32

It depends on where you live and whether he has to pay child support to other children via court order. They would take that into consideration. My advice to you is to go to court and get an Order that way your child gets exactly what she is entitled to. It takes more than $200.00 to raise a child and if he makes $80,000.00 he should be giving you more money. While its good to keep it amicable, he's trying to give you as little as possible and he probably will not give you anymore unless he is forced to by the court. He is not going to like it but you have to do what you have to do. Don't let him slide.

Answer 33

OK Seriously, just take this guy to court, because there's NO WAY that you're going to get less than $200 a month. I had to re-read your question, cause I thought you said $200 a week, and that's too little!!!



I truly believe you can get wayyyyyyy more than that. You should be able to get at least $1000 a month, if not much more.



Call his bluff, because once he sees an attorney, he's going to want to settle. An attorney will set him straight

Answer 34

One that that really hasn't been mentioned is that child support is NOT just for the child's clothes/diapers/food, but it's also for the child's portion of housing and utility costs, etc.



The best advice that you have gotten is that if you DON'T get it in writing, he can just stop paying you, and there isn't anything you can do about it. If there is a court order, he is in violation of that, and they can start garnishing wages/taxes, etc.



What kind of father wouldn't give the shirt off his back to give their children what they need and some of what they want?



I am married and I love my husband dearly, but if we were to split up and he was to think that he wasn't going to help support our two children, I would slap him with a court order in a heartbeat. My children's wellbeing is far more important than not wanting to make him mad. And honestly, at that point, it wouldn't matter to me if he WAS mad, because apparently he wouldn't be the guy I think he is, and therefore, he wouldn't deserve for me to care about him in any form.

Answer 35

all infant should have WIC if you choose to qualify for,because it can really help you when it comes to feeding your child. the fathers baby should at least give 200 more than what he gives you currently. i am also a person who lived with my mother And my sister. my mom gave child support for my dad and my sister dad. by the looks of things what they are giving is not much help. so i understand your situation. going to school is a plus! so keep that up until you at least get a bachelor. ( so remember the higher the degree the higher the income). so you when you do get enough money and your daughters father isn't helping you enough for child, you should just move on, because you did not just lay down and made the child yourself. so you have every right to ask for more and if you have to, you can go to court.

Answer 36

he should pay at least half of everything. But if he don't want to then TAKE HIM TO COURT. They courts will make him pay a lot more than 200. That barely covers diapers for a 6 mouth old baby. Don't let him get away with not helping. he helped make her he should help support her. DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER

Answer 37

my ex pays me 300 a mth. my daughter is 9 (babies are less or more I can't remember) he makes about 35,000 a yr.

But it is usually based on several factors.

---How much he makes or if he doesn't work how much a man in his age bracket would be making *provided he is the average guy* if he were working.

---How old the child is *maybe only in some states will this matter.

---How much you make

--- If either of you have other children.

but if you are basically not working and he makes 80g a yr then I would think he is laughing in your face becuz he doesn't think you will take him to court. I would expect it to be no less the $350 a month. plus he would have to put her on his medical insurance and some states will make them help pay part of daycare while you work.

Why would someone judge you for this I thought it was a good question.

Answer 38

hahaha. That is not enough to cover the expenses that a baby has on a monthly basis and he makes good enough money that he should be paying more than that. You shouldn't have to be skimping when he makes that much money.



I would sit down and write down all the expenses- necessary ones during the month- food, formula, diapers, clothing, etc, extra for that trip to the Er, etc. I would also expect you to pay for some of this too which it sounds like you are doing more than your share.



I would take him back to court. I hope the judge finds in favor of you.

Answer 39

I dont know your financial income but I used his income that you provided and he should be paying roughly 200 per WEEK. I cant believe that he makes that much and only gives $200 a month. What a jerk, I understand that you want to keep everything cool between ya'll, but the bottom line is that it's not about you as much as your daughter. She deserves better. Take him to court so everything is laid out. It'll be better in the long run.

Answer 40

Child support goes by his pay.. He will definitely have to pay more than $200 a month!!! He makes that much $$ and only wants to give you that amount>?? Take him to court!!! You will get more!!!! It will probably be more like $800/month.. Doesnt he realize how much it cost to raise a child??? GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 41

You should deffenantly be getting more than that. When my parents split up, my mom was getting like $600 a month for me, i dunno how much my dad was making, but i was 10 years old. Babies are expensive, you shouldnt have to do it alone. Im glad your still finding time to goto school. You tried being nice about all this, and its obviously not working. now its time to get the courts involved. remember its not for you, its for your daughter, you know she deserves more. The courts will tell him how much he has to pay, and if he doesnt pay it, they will take it out of his checks before he even gets paid. Children come first. thats just the way it is, and should always be. Good luck :)

Answer 42

Oh Honey, he's laughing at you cause he probably thinks your nieve and wont take him to court for more money. He's obviously taking advantage of you hon, and if you want to do the right thing for you and your daughter, he needs to pay alot more than 200 a month!! How about 200 a week! Especially if your going to school, you probably arnt working full time. My ex hsband makes about 30,000 a year and he pays me $444.00 and they dont go off what I made at all. Thats for Texas. You should definitly ask him for more, and whatever you dont use for you and your daughter like food and bills and clothes and diapers, put away in a bank account for her, since you want to do what is right for her. Dont let that man laugh at you and take advantage of your kindness. 2oo a month would barely cover diapers and formula and basic needs! Forget about daycare, 200 is nothing compared to the 6,000+ he makes a month!! Think of it that way.

Answer 43

You should ring the Child Support Agency and they can give you a write up on how much you should be receiving. You can get child maintenance without going to court as well, my partner has 2 children from a previous relationship and his ex and him have never been to court, she simply contacted centrelink and. He pays a bit over 400 a fortnight for the children. Good Luck.

Answer 44

honey take him to court and let the judge determine the amount he should be paying I know that it is based on the income amount that the dad makes so see how much he will laugh when the judge gets done with him I really think it will be more than the $200.00 a month you are getting from him best of luck to you and keep up the good work and God Bless You.

Answer 45

Child support is based on his income not her age. You're going to have to go to court to get a judgement against him. He's not going to turn loose of his money freely. And being court ordered, he'll have to pay. Right now he could stop at any time without consequence.

Answer 46

Ha! He's most likely wrong. He acts like that in court and he'll end up paying 25% of his income to child support. My friends X acted like a jackass in court and the judge nailed his @ss to the wall. 25% for 1 child. It depends on the state and the judge. But the best way to figure it (so you know what you should be getting) is to write down her monthly expenses. Food, diapers, clothing, childcare, medical insurance, and divide that total in half.

Answer 47

In most states child suppport Laws vary in some degree or another; However, this one precept is pretty much the same. the ammount of child support is determined by several factors. Monthly income, Number of children, And Monthly Deductions, (bills). Basically it breaks down to how much he makes a month and what his Financial obligations are.



If you have serious questions often times you can look in the phone book and find soliciters, who will at least do a free consultation with you that way you can find out what some of your options are.

Answer 48

ok, well first u dont wanna b greedy or he'll wanna stop paying. so do something reasonable. like maybe $400 a month, if he can afford it, but if he cant $100 a month wouldn't b so bad. cause she is young, (toys, food, clothes, shoes, diapers, crib, etc.) but, as long as u have enough 2 take care of her, then...



or tell him, if he buys all the stuff she needs, and takes care of her sometimes, he can skip paying 4 that month. but that doesn't mean 1 day! so ask him, is he willing 2 do that?



make sure he's not going 2 b working or leave her with a baby sittier, u cant trust every1, or his new gf. so try that.



good luck sweetie.

Answer 49

You need to get a court order for child support. They determine what he should be paying. Where I am, I have a friend who makes half of what your Ex makes and he pays $450 a month for 1 child.

Answer 50

my ex has always worked for about minimum wage for the longest time. and yes they go by his income. i get more than $200 a month and thats with his miimum wage jobs! so ud definately be getting way more. also child support will make him reemburse u if u pay for her health insurance. and if u have medicaid they make him reemburse the state. also theyll get him for back child support that will add onto ur monthly checks. but if hes been giving u money ever since then the back child support will be less

Answer 51

If he is that calloused about supporting his child then you will have to bit the bullet and take him to court. Child support is calculated on a percentage of incomes so if you have no income he is liable for 100 percent of the cost of caring for his child. But be careful he could ask for more visitation rights or even try and get custody. i would consult an attorney before I did anything

Answer 52

solid good fortune, my son is 7 months previous and that i purely have been given my first new child help fee final month, my different 2 youngsters have a distinctive father and could pay each and every few months and he's now contained in the 0.33 degree of contempt and he's finding at penitentiary time, i desire fathers have been extra prepared to help there little ones, they desire to adhere it contained in the hollow yet dont desire to pay the implications afterwards lol.

Answer 53

My ex still pays childsupport for 18yr old and 19yr old because he did pay for about 3 years. I get $448 a month. He has one other child from someone else and so do I.

Answer 54

He is a cheap sob. He should be paying much more than that. My sisters husband makes about the same and pays $2,000 per month. This is in California.



Payment depends on your state. Either way he isn't paying his fare share

Answer 55

you got some good answers so I won't repeat. The courts will also consider the fact that you don't work. They will not see it right that he is the only supporter of that baby, By rights if he is expected to pay $200 or 400 or whatever a month then they'd expext you to be able to contribute some.

Answer 56

With one child, most states call for child support to be:



1. 20% of his take home pay after taxes



plus



2. He pays the cost of his child's health insurance and the cost of this can be deducted before calculating the above



plus



3. Half of any out of pocket medical expenses and unusual expenses such as day care or summer camp as she gets older.



He's laughing since you aren't going to court and he's getting off really cheap.



He should be paying about $1,000 to $1,500 per month.

Answer 57

He should be paying about $200 more at least. He does make alot of money and should realize how much is on you since you are taking care of the Child by yourself. Have you gone to Social Security?

Answer 58

I get about $265.00 for one child and he makes alot less than your ex. If I was you I could ask him for about 100-300 $ more and see what he says?As they get older they want and need lots more so right know would be the good time to ask for more! The worst thing he can say is No! If he says no than you next step would be to go to court!

Answer 59

With him making 80 grand a year-he should be paying probably closer to 200 a week! My ex- is ordered to pay 200 a week and he makes close to that. (Not that he does) Good luck-I hope that your ex will pay willingly and not dragged through the court system.

Answer 60

well my daughters father by birth had to pay 450 a month and he made about 35,000 a year so let me just tell you, your getting screwed. i understand trying to be nice but if being nice means your daughter gets the short end of the stick, screw that. i was a single mom for years until i met my husband. my daughters birth dad never paid his support and currently owes us 18,000 and my daughter is only 10. please get a handle on this now for the sake of you and your child. your a mother, it is not your job to be nice, it is your job to see that your kids have what they need. if he is pissed off he probably isnt that great of a dad anyway. if and when you get married to a man who can financially take care of your child then you can cut his support down. my daughters step dad for all practical purposes is her dad. he is the one that goes to work to put a roof over her head, to pay for soccer, and basketball and he is the one that reads bedtime stories, we dont ask for anything from her other dad but we havent released him from his child support order either which he doesnt pay... ultimately its his child and he shouldnt be let off the hook. good luck to you and your child.

Answer 61

in the state of virginia you can get up to 40 percent of his monthly income if you go to to court and ask for it and if he makes that much a year that is alot per month i am looking at a whole lot more a month i would say they would require him to pay over a thousand dollars amonth





also you need to go to court and get it in righting that he is paying child support cause he does not have to pay you a dime and he can stop at any time so that would be bad so go to court and get it in righting

Answer 62

Thats for lawyers to decide...there are different laws in different states(or countries), but 200$ a month seems so little when he makes quite a nice sum of money. In my opinion, you should be getting AT LEAST 200$ a WEEK. Anyways hope this helps! =)

Answer 63

http://www.alllaw.com/calculators/childsupport/ has a free child support calculator for each state (if you are from the US) which takes into account different variables. It is not 100%, but it is close to what is required in your state. Just enter your information into the form and you should get some figures to work with.



Good luck.

Answer 64

I am going through the same thing. My ex said he made less than what your ex does, and I was quoted as getting at least double that a month. If you are just trying to be nice, tell him you are struggling and that your last resort is taking him to court to get a fair amount.

Answer 65

It's best to get a court order, that way you will always get what is fair and they have a way of making sure he pays. He should be paying way more than $200.

Answer 66

GO TO COURT AND GET IT IN WRITING THROUGH THE COURT!! He does need to pay you alot more than that. If you continue to be nice, he is going to start being late with payments, then missing a few payments, then no payments at all.

Answer 67

It sounds like your child's father will do as little as you allow. If you want what is best for your child, and you feel he should pay more, there are plenty of web sites that calculate the amount of child support a non custodial parent is to pay. Look into it. Unless you share custody, you are probably entitled to more. No judgment regarding your situation on my part, I have my own problems! :)



,,,,,coming from a mother of three, whose husband has to pay for his illegitimate child

Answer 68

He should pay half of whatever it cost to care for her... Why should he have to pay for more than his half? I think $400 a month (his 200 your 200) is more than enough to care for a child..

Answer 69

Every state is different. Take him to court and at 80K a year you will most likely get 500-800 per month.

Answer 70

That is a question for the courts to answer. But if he is making that much $ then he should be able to give you more than $200 a month! He should also be providing health insurance for her!

Answer 71

My son is 8 months old. He was ordered to pay $672 a month. I'm sure its different for each state though. I live in a higher cost of living area.

Answer 72

Well if your child can be a pain in the butt then I would sugest paying at least $8. That also is depending on who's watching. Since you child is really young though they can be a handfull so about $8 should work.

Answer 73

ROFL!!!!!! $200??!?! Try this calculator:



http://www.alllaw.com/calculators/childsupport/



I ran it for Georgia, assuming $400 a month in non-custodial family insurance. It came up with between $1,133 and $1,533 a MONTH. $200 is laughable. Tell him that if he wants to stay out of court, he better start paying $1,300 a month, or else leave it to a judge.

Answer 74

Ha, I have a friend who recieves child support and gets $150 a month from a guy that doesn't have much income, you should be getting more! Court time!

Answer 75

You don't have to worry about it - the court will decide for you with a computer program - it's right in the courtroom. You don't have a say. They take your salary, his salary and punch in the numbers - voila! Child support!

Answer 76

that is no enough. My ex makes probably half of that and I am entitled to almost $100 a week. I only take $75 because he is with him some of the time. You need to be getting more than that honey. Dont feel bad about it either.... you need to do what you need to do for your little one.

Answer 77

At $80,000 a year he would be paying about $400-500 a month in childsupport depending on your state guidelines. My ex pays $400 and he makes $25,000 a year but that is for 2 kids. They do take into factor how much you make as well, daycare costs as well as insurance (if he pays for it or you do)

Answer 78

He should be paying more. I live up in Ontario, and my dad pays $350 a child, and he probably makes $40-50k a year.



Take him to court! Don't 'be nice', fight for what you deserve!!

Answer 79

the men always think they know the court system. He makes plenty of money, he needs to be paying more than his pocketchange for his child. Call his bluff and call the courts and find out if there is a chart or something you could look at. If not, file for child support on his butt...I really doubt that he is going to quit a good job like that to dodge child support. according to my calculations his gross income is more than $6500 a month...he can darn well afford to give up his daily starbucks to provide for his baby. he is just trying to be mean to you. even at 10% of his gross income ( and I think here in OH it may be 12% of gross per child) it would be closer to 3x what he is giving you. My friend was paying child support on her 2 older kids a few years ago....they figured her "income" (even though she was hugely preggo and unemployed) on minimum wage and she had to pay $50 per week

Answer 80

If he's making that much he should be paying more. My husband is paying 260/month for a child and he makes a h*ll of a lot less then what your ex makes. They go by weekly income and they take out a certain percent a week. If you go through a court, which is your safest bet you will be getting at least doubled what your getting now, if now more. I know someone who is paying $560/month and he makes about 40,000/year.

Answer 81

It depends on the state law.. I only get 51 dollars a month on child support on my four year son and that not really enough. My 6 year old son was 51 dollars and going up because his father isn't paying child support.

Answer 82

In 1993, my ex husband was paying me $450 a month, and made $40,000 a year.



What you are getting is not enough.



The courts use a formula to figure out child support -- they take both parents' income into consideration.

Answer 83

An uncle of mine has 3 children (by 2 different women). He makes $45,000-50,000 per year and has to pay $800/month for his two pre-teen boys combines (so $400 each) and he pays $450/month for his pre-teen daughter.



That's A LOT of money to be taken out of his check, yeah, but he made his children and its his responsibility to pay for them.

Answer 84

add up the cost of dipers,milk,juice,and baby food she goes through a month plus an extra $50 for clothes because she is always growing then u should have all u need!!!

Answer 85

You are not getting enough but don't bother asking him for more since he thinks its so funny just take him to court so your daughter gets what SHE deserves.

Answer 86

Well I'm pretty sure an infant costs more than a 17 year old. My dad makes about 60-70 000 a year and he pays $625 a month and I'm 17. He also has 2 other kids and a wife (but they still take that much) And he'll have to pay even when I'm over 18 if I am still living with my mom (which I will be). You should get quite a buit since you don't have any income if you stay at home with her and go to school full time.

I live in Canada though, so things may be a bit different.

If he is being like that then you should just take him to court. Like you said, you want the best for your daughter right? And if financial support is needed then you are going to have to fight for it. Get a lean on his house or car so he can't refuse to make any payments (or they just take those things away). If you do this while she is young then she won't know about it and it won't affect her like it would if you had to deal with these problems over and over again. My dad abandoned me after my 16th birthday and the whole money battle was just the icing on the cake for me!



Good luck. And don't listen to what people say, just give your baby the life she deserves!

Answer 87

It depends on the state but you can get up 10.000 if you wanted



I would go for more



heres a site that help with child support



and if he refuses they will help you



http://www.supportkids.com/?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=yahooChild%20Support%20Collection&OVRAW=child%20support%20payments&OVKEY=child%20support%20payment&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=12918467021&OVKWID=134020086521



try it see what happens



good luck

Answer 88

honey, being nice gets you NOWHERE! - you can get 25% of his weekly salary, at the very least and make him pay for health insurance. - depending on what state you are in, if he is married to someone else, you can also get child support from THEIR spouse. - he's laughing his *** off at you paying only the $200.00.

Answer 89

Try to work it out so he pays you $350 a month. that is fair, plus you both will not have to spend a bundle in legal fees.

Answer 90

Average out all his bill and expense & you should get your answer. You should be getting at least $600-800. But the courts will decide that for you.

Answer 91

i am sorry but he has to pay more for example 400 a month and just go to court if he can't be bothed to pay more

Answer 92

Without knowing what state you live in can't figure for sure but it is a hck of a lot more than what you are being paid.

He should almost pay that much per week on his salery.

Answer 93

r u having a laugh, go court and get him by the balls hes taking you for a idiot.



if its true you know what to do first thing in the morning now dont you.

Answer 94

Maybe you should let the baby go live with he dad on the weekends so he can pay for some things she may need.



And it is good for the kid

Answer 95

In new york state it is 25% of your income before taxes. I would check this out he could owe you nearly $1000 per month.... Don't let him get away with this....

Answer 96

he shouldefintiely be paying you more that $200 amonth if he's on $80k a year!

take him to court, then see whos laughing then.

Answer 97

let the court decide that..depending on the bills he has to pay,and what your child really needs ,the judge might give you a little more

Answer 98

i don't think you're getting enough! And i know babies are expansive! you could go to your local court house and try asking someone there who could help you.. .look online for your state guidlines, and it might tell you a % of their income for however much they make...

Answer 99

you will be getting a total of $2,400.00 for the year, all you have to do is ask him to pay up for the child support, if he doesn't pay up I think that you should take him to court and explain it to the judge and he can make her father to pay for the child support.

Answer 100

it depends what state you live in.



in mine it's AT LEAST 25% of their income. but at 80,000 he would be maying way more than that monhtly.



GO TO COURT. not just for you....but for your daughter! also, if you ask, the court can get him to pay for your lawyer and other court costs.



its not selfish.its for your child. im sick of deadbeat dads doing nothing or the bare minimum!

Answer 101

The right thing to do is get every penny due from him in maintenance. Even if you can manage on less, save it for your daughter's future.



http://www.csa.gov.uk/

Answer 102

he should be paying alot more than that, call ORS in your state and they will foot the bill for court and it will come out of his paycheck before he even gets it, not only that they will decide how much he pays and wont be so nice!

Answer 103

it's 17% for one child where i live. and 25% for two children and so on... it really just depends on where you live. search child support % in the state that you live in. that should help. then just get a calculator and figure it out from there.

Answer 104

Well my mum recieved $150 a week for two girls that were toddlers if hes earning that he should be paying atleast 600 or more a month :}

Answer 105

i say 600 moolahs. then keep adding 100 moolahs for every month or just 50 or 20. yo choice man. sorz

Answer 106

wow! You need to take him to court! He should pay alot more than that!

Answer 107

that is horrible that he only pays u that much! IT should be at least double that but not much more.

Answer 108

Girl go to court and get ur MONEY!!! Best Wishes in Court!!!

Answer 109

200 that is a JOKE on you and slap to your child.



Unless you make 250K a year.

Answer 110

get a job AND CHILD SUPPORT IS NOT BASSED ON THE AGE OF A CHILD

Answer 111

1 billion punds have a nice day :)

Answer 112

I TRIED THE SAME WITH THE FATER OF MY CHILD...TAKE HIS *** TO COURT!!! STOP ALL THE BS, BECAUSE HES GONNA START SKIPPIN PAYMENTS ON YO ***. TAKE HIM TO COURT, GO TO LEGAL AID AND THEY WILL HELP YOU, PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!

Answer 113

20% of his salary monthly

Answer 114

I thought that you had to apply for a child support order and that they determine how much he pays based on his income assessment?

Answer 115

that should really be settled by the court system, they have guidelines they go by.

Answer 116

if he was a nice guy, and you left him.... then he should be laughing cuz u were after the money....



but if he was a jackass i respect that, then take his *** to court...





it all depends on whether youre a gold digger or not.......

Answer 117

I'm not tryin to be rude,but 200 isn't a bad sum for child support. Technically he is not suppose to be paying for your living expenses just your daughters...and with you being a stay at home mom and going to school it just makes it seem like its not alot. My brother pays 77 dollars every 2 weeks and his X is a stay at home mom too...she tried to get more money off him and the judge denied it for the simple fact that she was tryin to pay HER living expenses also. They usually only take into consideration the age of the child and the amount of stuff they would need such as diapers,food,etc...the rent and bills are on you which sucks being a stay at home mom and having to do it all on your own but that is how the courts see it. If you are able to raise the payment it probably wouldn't be by much if anything at all worth raising a fuss over.

Also I know the feeling that you want your child to have everything she wants but you'll soon learn that it doesn't always work that way and sometimes a sacrifice must be made. In order to budget the money you are receiving now in child support you can't buy tons of stuff that she really doesn't need.

All in all you can take it to court and try to get the payment raised but its doubtful they will approve it

Best of Luck

Answer 118

ok....Approx. 33% of his weekly income