I'm curious...my exhusband hardly pays anything for my 4 children. He doesn't help with school supplies or registration nor does he help with insurance or the medical bills. He lives 20 miles away and chooses not to see the children. I receive 125.00 a week for 4 children (two of which are in their "never a full stomach" teen years) the other two younger at 7 and 9 years old. What can I expect if I take him back to court and he says he doesn't make anymore than he did 7 years ago? Can't they tell him he has to step up to the plate and help more since I make no more than he does now and I hold ALL the responsibility? :confused:

The worst that could happen is that the courts don't do anything. I am in Indiana so I am not sure about the support system in Illinois. I would take him back for a modification. Surely he is making more money now than he did when support was first calculated. My ex-husband didn't make that much either but he was still held to 92 dollars a week for TWO kids, had to provide health insurance and then half of all other expenses. I think that you should at least try because you should not be the only one bearing the weight of raising four kids on your own. He helped to bring them into the world. Good luck to you :)

You were with him, so you know if he has the ability to provide more. It is not a good job market in some parts and fathers have to be left with subsistence. It may be that he really does not make that much.
I do not want to come off mean, but you know this situation and maybe you should stop wanting something you know is never going to come. You may want more money, but you cannot get what does not exist, and the court has to leave him with subsistence to live on, so he can at least live and work so you can get what you get now.

He has the ability to make more as he was never home to begin with when he was working for cash on the side. I suppose my only other question is...can a judge look at a man and tell him he has no choice but to help contribute whether it means picking up a second job or working overtime? I know I have to just to make things meet...why shouldn't he?

I know what you mean. I was getting $426 a month for 8 children. Tons huh. He took me back to court to try to get temporary custody. I then found out that he was making 4 times what he had been making. A unique situation. You can supenea his work records, I think his bank records etc. Talk to an attorney. The first visit should be free. If you know where he is working then your could do some free detective work and call Human resources at his job and ask general questions like if someone does this job and has been here this long then how about how much would they make. My ex stopped taking the kids also. Just think of it as no interruptions from him. There are some options to getting more food in the house. Try food stamps, many food banks are great, churches etc. Don't be too proud to do this. It can make a little or a big difference.
I just thought of something. I think you can supenea his pay check records and then there should be a child support worksheet that you can go through to see if it is financially feeazable to continue. Good luck!

There is a possibility that the judge will make him pay no matter what. It might depend on the father's history and things. I have had friends go to court with similar situations such as yours and the judge did not cut the father any slack. If you do not get what you need then please remember that there is always assistance available to help. A single mother that is not getting much help from the father should always explore all possiblities for help. It is out there, you just have to find it. Good luck to you.

I Have A Child I Never Wanted I Only Pay For The Ones I Wanted. I Could Not Have A Abortion Or Give It Up. A Man Should Have A Way Out Just Like A Women.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You Go All Men!!!!! We Have Rights At Least We Tell Women To Get Rid Of Them. We Dont Leave Them In Garbage Cans!!!!!!!!

I Know In Wisconsin Thay Dont Care About Other Children Let Your Husband Know To Work More Jobs For Cash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Have Two Children With My Wife Now And I Can Not Live With Out Them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Own A Horse Farm And Put Everything In My Wife Name Always A Way Out Just Study And Be A Investagater. My Wife Is A Lawyer

Doesn't someone on this site know how to track this guy and give him up to the state so he pays his fair share. I heard someone can do that. Be afraid.

First off they go by how much income he makes. If he gets paid under the table there is nothing they can do about that. Be happy that your getting what you are getting. Do you allow him visitation? If you do I recomend you split cus. 1/2 & 1/2. Them he can spend his hard earned money on them as well.

I believe that in IL you can go before the court and request that his job submit current pay information. If you believe that he is getting paid cash just to keep from paying you more, then that will be difficult to prove.

I am in IL and going through a divorce in MI, my husband is purposely not working as much as he has in the past 4 years to not have to pay as much in child support.

I know that it is hard on you raising 4 children alone, but be strong and believe tht your ex will get what he deserves in the end. When your children grow up and become wonderful sucessful adults, they will credit all of their success to their hard-working single mom who worked 2 job to feed and clothe them.

I know that does not make it easier but he may have more cash, you have your children.

I am in IL too, so maybe I we can exchange information on orgnizations that you can turn to for help even if it is just food.

Illinois is very slow with modifications unless you hire a private attorney it will take a while Mine is on going now for two years and they have supheoned his work income and the employer wouldnt fill it out completely, They did give his hourly rate but he works a great deal of overtime that he doesnt want the court to know about... So it really isnt that simple so it seems it shouldnt be this hard to do.
The next hearing is for contempt since he wouldnt produce the income information either so we shall see but we have had 8 hearings this year alone

GOOD LUCK WITH ILLINOIS!

Every state has certain guidelines meaning they can only take so much of someone's income. If you can't prove he's working under the table for cash then they (CSE) can't or won't try either. Some of the things you mentioned (school supplies and registration) are things that child support pays for so in essence he is doing that.

I'm sure after 7 years you are able to file for a modification but how much you get depends on how much he makes.