PDA

View Full Version : Dont know what to do - father's rights issue


wagoof
02-26-2006, 04:19 PM
Hi all,

I am lost and confused and hoping for some educated help! I have a 5.5 year old daughter living in Washington state while I live in Wisconsin at the moment (moving across the border to illinois this summer). I have had nothing but trouble since my divorce, lies from the ex, problems with visitation, and incongruety with anything she says. When we initially divorced I was very naive and believed a vague parenting plan and divorce decree would be ok - we could change anything we needed to later - DOH!! This question pertains to child support as the visitation issues are so large I wont even get into them.
Here goes - I am an 9 year vet of the Navy and am about to get out to go back to graduate school (my lifelong dream). My ex gets $850/month and has never had a missed or late payment. She always promised me we could lower it when I decided to go back to school. The problem is that I am now remarried, as she is, and have two young kiddos (both born in the last year!!) to support. When I am in anesthesia school, I can work for the first few months, but eventually I will not be able to work and will be living on my GI Bill, my residency stipend and any income my wife can generate (cant be much with 2 kids to take care of while Im in residency of 60+ hrs/week). I figure this amount will be about 2200/month tops. I absolutely cannot maintain 850/month at that time. Who could? To top all this off, my lawyer is WA never returns my calls, forgets to pass messages from her lawyer to me, etc. Am I up a creek? Is there any chance I could get my child support lowered? I love my little girl and want to take care of her, but putting my two kids currently in such a precarious situation leaves me little wiggle room. I have been told that since this is a "voluntary" drop in income I may get told - "deal with it." Is that true - how could that be? My income after school will be magnified 3x and the schooling will only take another 2.5 years. Cant a judge see that? Help!! Please?!??!? Thanks a million for any advice yall have.

wagoof
02-26-2006, 04:35 PM
I forgot to mention that I asked her to reduce it and she refused. I am ready and willing to pay, but I figure she thinks that by forcing me to come up with it she not only gets the money, shell get me to be unable to see my daughter (e.g. cant afford to travel). She already asked me to give up my rights 2 years ago.

As an aside - isnt it horrible the games that people play with children? :(

Complete Labor Law Poster for $24.95
from www.LaborLawCenter.com, includes
State, Federal, & OSHA posting requirements