Child support question

• FatHobbit

  

  For anyone that pays child support.
  
  I have a 15 year old daughter. My child support was calculated based on my salary 15 years ago when I was still in college. (but working full time) I've had the same job the entire time but was just laid off last month. The amount of my child support has never been adjusted. I'm starting a new job at the end of this month and have not missed any payments because they came out of my unemployment. This week I received a letter from the child support enforcement agency that says I need to report to them in writing any changes in employment and there is a form to fill out where I am supposed to tell them who my new employer is and how much I am paid.
  
  My ex has never asked for an adjustment. We get along REALLY well and if she wants money for something she just asks me and I give it to her. I've tried to keep everything outside of the court because they have been a giant pain in my ass whenever they get involved. I've had the same job the entire time but have on at least four occasions been incorrectly sent letters saying I owed back child support. Once because they entered something wrong in the system it sent me a letter so I owed back child support for the entire amount I had already paid. (It was about 8 years worth of child support) I called them and they said they had entered something wrong in the system when they set me up. When they corrected the amount the system automatically sent out that letter. They didn't think to call me and let me know I was going to be getting that letter.
  
  Do I have to report my income to them and am I about to have a huge increase in child support? (I make three times what I made then and my ex is now a stay at home mom.) Should I just send them a letter telling them I am unemployed as of m/d/y and another letter telling them to start collecting child support from my new employer when I start? Should I talk to a lawyer? (I don't want to do that if possible) Will they not change my support amount if I send in the form? Or am I just going to be stuck paying a new amount and there is nothing I can do about it?
  
  Thanks for any advice!
• mcburg93

  

  FatHobbit;1472444 wrote:For anyone that pays child support.
  
  I have a 15 year old daughter. My child support was calculated based on my salary 15 years ago when I was still in college. (but working full time) I've had the same job the entire time but was just laid off last month. The amount of my child support has never been adjusted. I'm starting a new job at the end of this month and have not missed any payments because they came out of my unemployment. This week I received a letter from the child support enforcement agency that says I need to report to them in writing any changes in employment and there is a form to fill out where I am supposed to tell them who my new employer is and how much I am paid.
  
  My ex has never asked for an adjustment. We get along REALLY well and if she wants money for something she just asks me and I give it to her. I've tried to keep everything outside of the court because they have been a giant pain in my ass whenever they get involved. I've had the same job the entire time but have on at least four occasions been incorrectly sent letters saying I owed back child support. Once because they entered something wrong in the system it sent me a letter so I owed back child support for the entire amount I had already paid. (It was about 8 years worth of child support) I called them and they said they had entered something wrong in the system when they set me up. When they corrected the amount the system automatically sent out that letter. They didn't think to call me and let me know I was going to be getting that letter.
  
  Do I have to report my income to them and am I about to have a huge increase in child support? (I make three times what I made then and my ex is now a stay at home mom.) Should I just send them a letter telling them I am unemployed as of m/d/y and another letter telling them to start collecting child support from my new employer when I start? Should I talk to a lawyer? (I don't want to do that if possible) Will they not change my support amount if I send in the form? Or am I just going to be stuck paying a new amount and there is nothing I can do about it?
  
  Thanks for any advice!

  Nothing should change as far as what you pay. I would guess its for their records to know where you are working and your wages. I may be mistaken but I dont think the state can raise them unless your ex asks for a review and wants more money. I would go ahead and fill the papers out and be done with it. Sounds like you have nothing to worry about
• Pick6

  

  Why cant you say fuck whatever the courts say and make a deal with your ex? Thats what my step mom and her ex did. My parents did something along the same line as well. Mom only made my dad pay some mimumum. Apparently she could have got a lot more.
• dlazz

  I think the amount you pay is court ordered. They can't adjust it just because you make more money now...your ex-wife would have to request more money through the court system.
  
  The paper they sent you is probably just a formality.
• Crimson streak

  

  I pay nothing for child support and we split custody 50/50. If my daughter needs anything I buy it for her. It's nice to have a cool ex and we get a long very very well
• FatHobbit

  

  OK. My ex is cool and we (my wife and I) would be happy to give her anything she needs. I will probably just fill it out and send it in.
  
  Thanks!
• FatHobbit

  

  dlazz;1472484 wrote:I think the amount you pay is court ordered. They can't adjust it just because you make more money now...your ex-wife would have to request more money through the court system.
  
  The paper they sent you is probably just a formality.

  This is what I thought, but I wasn't sure if they would report back to the court and adjust it.