Re:She files for assistance.... sourpuss: how are you paying your support to her? with cheques, bank drafts or money orders, i hope? something traceable, provable? if you gie her cash, do you get reciepts?
if you're not, start doing it that. money you can't prove you gave to her is money that never existed.....
and if you buy "items", crib, car seat, etc, in lieu of cash, keep those receipts.
She files for assistance.... fiz: What happens when she does this? I have been paying more then what we agreed on(this is on paper and giving to the government) for child support but she has been having trouble keeping a job. If she files for assistance what is going to happen? Ive been told stories about them coming after me for that money plus raising my child support and everything. Going to court to decide who has legal custody all that nasty stuff. Neither of us want that but she has no other choice to keep from being evicted right now. I could save her if only I had a few more days maybe. We are both so afraid about this.
Just some info:
We are in polk county, florida and she is my exgf of 6+ years and we have a son together. My name is on the birth certificate and everything.
Re:She files for assistance.... WhiskeyGirl: Check out this link....you can figure out what you will be required to pay in child support. It is based on your income so it may not be as bad as you think.
http://sun6.dms.state.fl.us/dor/childsupport/guidlines.html
Re:She files for assistance.... aint_mis_bhavin: I can only relate to you using my experiences...
When she files for assistance, they will demand that she give info regarding you. (its required in ALL states, that ALL welfare recipients file for a child support order, if they do not already have one) Do you have a court order stating what you are supposed to pay each month for support? If not, the county will work with you both to establish this...the county does not take your word for it basically, they need something in legal terms stating what you are to pay and want to be sure that you will pay each month (this will lessen what they have to give her in cash, food stamps, medical)..they will require you to pay for medical if it is available to you and affordable to you...she can get assistance without establishing who has custody, but it all goes back to getting a court order for child support..clearly if you have to pay her for support, then the court and the county know she has custody...
The county will base what they give her each month as far as food stamps, cash aide, and medical..on her income...right now, your child support is her only income. But its not enough to support her and the child. As long as you clearly pay your support each month through a court system, you are doing your part in supporting your child. Your job is NOT to support her, but your child. They will not make you pay for any assistance that they give to her, but they may make you pay a portion of the medical for your child should she get medical through them. (that would be seperate from your support, and probably only if you cant get insurance through your employer)
Keep in mind that child support and custody are 2 different issues. They are NOT combined in any order, unless its a divorce decree. Since you werent married, you will have to have a seperate order for custody and visitation. Your child support order is based on how much time you spend with the child, your income and other factors. If you have the child 50% of the time, your support payments will be lower than that of a father who spends 20% time with his child.
I hope I was of some help!!
Re: She files for assistance.... starzluv: her getting assistance throught the state, may not really help her. i have delt with assistence for a while now, and when it comes to cash assistence, the set a certain amount that the state will give depending on how many children, they do not take into account how much money she pays out in bills. not only that, but she has to turn over her child support check to the welfare office. some states will take what they pay her out and give her the rest, but not all, in arizona they tell you ahead of time that if you are getting more money in child support then cash assistence will give you then not to apply because they will only give you so much and they keep the rest and i know when i was still in arizona on cash assistence i had 2 kids and a third on the way and i only recieved about $200 a month. not enough to do anything with. and if i was getting child suppoprt at the time and it was more then $200, then i was screwed out of money.
