Looking to have your child support lowered? Here are 17 quick rules to follow to help you lower your support payments to your ex-wife after a divorce or separation.
1. Know that there is actually a difference between paying child support and physically supporting your child.
2. Don't listen to negativity that others provide when you are going to court to lower your child support.
3. Don't be intimidated by anyone. Not your ex-wife, not her attorney, nor the Office of Support Enforcement. Be confident and stand your ground.
4. Skip the Office of Support Enforcement and go straight to the courts to get a judge's opinion on the situation.
5. Don't let your ex-wife make you feel guilty about financially supporting your children--remember that if you can't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else. Skip the guilt trip and understand that you need to put yourself first!
6. Make sure that you use all the proper forms needed in your state to lower your child support--most of these are free online.
7. Tax savings can help lower your child support. Make sure you get the tax exemptions for the children every year, so you can take advantage of some tax savings.
8. Know the deviations allowed in your state for the standard support guidelines. This may include payments that you are paying already for other children, exuberant personal debt or long distance transportation allowances.
9. Don't include overtime, bonuses, or extra payments that you received from your employer--base your income on your standard wage and nothing else.
10. Note any other household income your ex-wife may be obtaining from other sources to help offset her income and help adjust the amount of child support you are paying.
11. Don't call it child support--call it maintenance or alimony. This is because maintenance and alimony are paid from pre-tax dollars, not your out-of-pocket take-home pay like child support. This can save you a ton in the long-run.
12. If you recently had an increase in salary, average your income over a period of a few years. This can be to your advantage, showing that this is not a typical income for you, and can help lower your child support payments.
13. Be sure that when you submit your financial information to court that you figure in your basic monthly income and also your current cost of living, including any hardships you may have, such as personal debt or other extraordinary circumstances.
14. Have proof of how high child support can create a financial and economic hardship for you.
15. Use bullet points and create an easy-to-read, to the point declaration for the judge and the court systems.
16. In your statements to the court, be sure to avoid negative accusations and personal opinions about your ex-wife. This is a pet peeve of most judges.
17. Consider your ex-wife's employment--if she is purposely underemployed or voluntarily unemployed, you can use this against her to lower your child support.
These simple guidelines will help assist you in lowering your child support payments and easing the financial burden that high payments can cause to one's personal budget and standard of living. Don't let your ex-wife take advantage of you and your wallet!
