WV,
I am a 16 year old parent who is highly proud of my 6 week old daughter. I did work 2 jobs and tried to find time for my child. My daughter has great grandparents and family all around her including her mother and me. I have came accross a problem that I must ask for assistance. Being 16 and working a full time job (still in high school) I still make a lousy 200.00 a week MAX...
The story is this. We became in love and had our child. She is 17 and I am 16. During pregnancy things began to fall. We became seperated for a count of reasons. I felt exremely bad for all of this that I had seen the one I onced love go through tragic moments. I have always been the one in my family that is independent. So now I am here realizing why I've always heard that teens shouldnt have children. My past is done now my future is ahead and I'm asking for assistence.

What should I pay monthly by law with yearly earnings of 10,000? Is the amount 25% of my paycheck by month? I just need to know so I never have to worry about back pay and keeping family happy. Thanks

Hi Standing Tall. I just wanted to say that I really commend you for taking such responsibility of your child and still being a teenager attending high school. I don't know the child support laws in West Virginia because they all vary from state to state. What I would suggest to you, though, is that you go through the attorney general's office of your state to set up child support and visitation. That way, when you pay child support, which should be administered through the AG's office, they have a record of your payments AND you have a visitation order in writing. They should be able to tell you how much a month you should pay based on your income and with a visitation order, if in the future you should fall out of the graces of your ex or something of that matter, you know that you have a set visitation schedule. Also, there are a lot of websites online that offer child support calculations. Here is one of them and you can google "child support calculator" and a lot more websites will pop up...http://www.alllaw.com/calculators/Childsupport/west_virginia/default.asp
Good luck to you and your daughter and your family. :)

I have to say I as well comend you for such an effort at your age. To bad more young dad's couldn't be like you!!!!! Keep it up.

Hi, I agree with the rest of them, you are doing your the thing. Trust me, I've been there. I also had my daughter at 16, and i'm now raising her without her biological father. I can't answer your question but, you should go to child support to find out how much you have to pay so it would in the system what you are doing for your child. If not, make sure you have proof of what you give her by hand. Like, a money order, so if the situation arise in the future, you have proof of what you've done. ......Oh , and don't forget that money is'nt the only thing your daughter needs. Not only support her, but be there for her also. As she get older, she would appreciate that more. So keep your head up! you doing the right thing.............Shay