Need help with a budget - single mom

[Reggie]

I really appreciate the advice, but is it really worth it? His salary is half of what mine is. I'm going to go through all of that just to get a couple of hundred bucks a month. I would never take his car, how would he get to work? I'm not going to go for wage garnishment. I don't even really care since he's so far away. All I would do would be to totally piss him off and he would call his kid even less than he does now.

I will just let karma take care of him.

[shaggy]

File in the court where you and your child live to modify child support to the husband's current income. Properly serve the husband. Request and collect back child support for all the periods where his income was sufficient to pay child support.

There is a lot of money on the table here. File this now; with or without a lawyer, it needs to be done. The paperwork required is not difficult. The right to these monies belongs to the child, and you need to enforce her rights.

When you have an updated order, enforce it through sister-state processes. You can collect his wages directly from his employer for current support payments. After you have requested payment, you can levy his bank accounts or have a sheriff collect his automobile for back child support amounts. You can collect legal interest and costs of collection of the debt.

I completely agree with tulog here. You are your daughter's advocate, and her father owes her that money. The court will always decide in the best interests of the child.

[Petunia 100]

I really appreciate the advice, but is it really worth it? His salary is half of what mine is. I'm going to go through all of that just to get a couple of hundred bucks a month. I would never take his car, how would he get to work? I'm not going to go for wage garnishment. I don't even really care since he's so far away. All I would do would be to totally piss him off and he would call his kid even less than he does now.

I will just let karma take care of him.

It's a couple of hundred per month for the next 11 years. We aren't talking about chicken feed. Pursue it, then set the money aside in an account for your daughter. She can use it towards college or her wedding or whatever.

[shaggy]

It's a couple of hundred per month for the next 11 years. We aren't talking about chicken feed. Pursue it, then set the money aside in an account for your daughter. She can use it towards college or her wedding or whatever.

Yes.

Even at 0% interest, a quick calculation puts it at $26,400 total if it's an additional $200 a month for 11 years.

[WISEWOMAN]

I think you have the input you need. Take what you need and disregard the rest.

Good luck to you. Karma rules!

[Jillycd]

No need doe different accounts?

I think it is interesting that no one mentioned keeping the emergancy fund or savings in a separate account? I like to keep my savings in a different account to make it less accessible. Does anyone else do this too?