Spending Freeze 2.0, Child Support Shocker.

[arakboss]

I am getting back on the spending freeze bandwagon Feb 1st. My son turned 18 this month but is still a minor (for child support purposes) until he graduates. After he graduates from high school his new status will be Child Attending School (community college). At that point he can file for a modification to the current child support order whenever he feels like it. I did the calculations on the Oregon Child Support Calculator and if/when he files for a modification my new child support rate will increase about 325% over the current rate. This new amount will be equal to about 26% of my after tax income.
My plan is to go ahead and start saving the difference of what I am paying now and what I would be paying if/when he files for a modification.

February 1st my latest effort at saving money begins. I am going to forget about buying a new car until after my son turns 21 and child support obligations end. I am going to have to baby the beater and hope it keeps going strong for another three years.

Edited: for math errors.

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[Certaindeaf]

Put him to work in a coal mine and take his paychecks.

 

[BBQ Guy]

I am getting back on the spending freeze bandwagon Feb 1st. My son turned 18 this month but is still a minor (for child support purposes) until he graduates. After he graduates from high school his new status will be Child Attending School (community college). At that point he can file for a modification to the current child support order whenever he feels like it. I did the calculations on the Oregon Child Support Calculator and if/when he files for a modification my new child support rate will increase about 325% over the current rate. This new amount will be equal to about 26% of my after tax income.
My plan is to go ahead and start saving the difference of what I am paying now and what I would be paying if/when he files for a modification.

February 1st my latest effort at saving money begins. I am going to forget about buying a new car until after my son turns 21 and child support obligations end. I am going to have to baby the beater and hope it keeps going strong for another three years.

Edited: for math errors.

Are you kidding me?

Once he is 18, he is a damn adult. You shouldnt be paying for anything unless you volunteer.
So is he going to ask for the modification?

 

[arakboss]

Are you kidding me?

Once he is 18, he is a damn adult. You shouldnt be paying for anything unless you volunteer.
So is he going to ask for the modification?

In Oregon "kids" can continue to get child support up until age 21 as long as they are attending school at least 1/2 time. My wife says 12 credits is considered full time so I guess he will need to take at least 6 credits a year to continue receiving child support. I have no idea whether he will request a modification or not and I don't really want to discuss it with him at this point. My oldest son did not request one but he would not have gotten much of an increase since I was still paying child support for his little brother. I am no longer paying child support for my oldest son, as he aged out.

The worst part with the modification is they will garnish it out of my paycheck. My ex and I had the option to keep the original support payments out of the State's hands and I just paid her every month. With a modification you don't get that option, it has to go through the State's hands, which means garnishing out of my paycheck. Not sure what that might do to my credit score (maybe nothing)?

First world problems I guess. I hope they come visit me in the nursing home.

 

[BBQ Guy]

In Oregon "kids" can continue to get child support up until age 21 as long as they are attending school at least 1/2 time. My wife says 12 credits is considered full time so I guess he will need to take at least 6 credits a year to continue receiving child support. I have no idea whether he will request a modification or not and I don't really want to discuss it with him at this point. My oldest son did not request one but he would not have gotten much of an increase since I was still paying child support for his little brother. I am no longer paying child support for my oldest son, as he aged out.

The worst part with the modification is they will garnish it out of my paycheck. My ex and I had the option to keep the original support payments out of the State's hands and I just paid her every month. With a modification you don't get that option, it has to go through the State's hands, which means garnishing out of my paycheck. Not sure what that might do to my credit score (maybe nothing)?

First world problems I guess. I hope they come visit me in the nursing home.

Wow.

I had no idea. How crappy that is that the state thinks they need to intercede?
Especially when you are doing the right thing.



My dad got behind when i was kid. He got it caught up. Then i moved in with him. He never went to court to have it adjusted.
My mom tried pulling some crap once with him. He threatened her with going to court and having the support payment adjusted to reflect the years i had been living with him. It would have meant her paying him thousands of back support. She dropped the issue at hand and let things lay.

 

[72scoutman]

Have him send me a DM, I can help him with the paperwork for a cut.

 

[TTSX]

The state gets involved because of deadbeat dads. Unfortunately, the ones with good intentions get to suffer, too.

This is proof of the saying "it's cheaper to keep her"

 

[Certaindeaf]

The state gets involved because of deadbeat dads. Unfortunately, the ones with good intentions get to suffer, too.

This is proof of the saying "it's cheaper to keep her"

The important thing is to be not happy?

 

[TTSX]

The important thing is to be not happy?

Men paying child support don't look like happy men to me

 

[Certaindeaf]

Men paying child support don't look like happy men to me

Boy, you must be something at parties.

 

[72scoutman]

Just think, latex would have cost you less then a quarter. Choosing the right one to begin with woulda been free.

Don't worry OP I'm just given you grief for the benefit of the crowd. Between my wife and I we have three boys, none of which are with each other. So I get it more than some.

 

[made in china]

The worst part with the modification is they will garnish it out of my paycheck. My ex and I had the option to keep the original support payments out of the State's hands and I just paid her every month. With a modification you don't get that option, it has to go through the State's hands, which means garnishing out of my paycheck. Not sure what that might do to my credit score (maybe nothing)?

I recently took a new job.
One of the more interesting "rules" about my new job is that they reserve the right to terminate my employment if my wages are garnished more than 5 times in 5 years.
Never seen that fine print before!

 

[Cavedweller]

The important thing is to be not happy?

Happiness is a state of mind. That's what my Indian guru says, anyhow.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Happiness is a state of mind. That's what my Indian guru says, anyhow.

True. I was saying it's not a state of pocketbook.

 

[Cavedweller]

After he graduates from high school his new status will be Child Attending School (community college). At that point he can file for a modification to the current child support order whenever he feels like it. I did the calculations on the Oregon Child Support Calculator and if/when he files for a modification my new child support rate will increase about 325% over the current rate. This new amount will be equal to about 26% of my after tax income.

I presume then he will be paying his tuition, fees, and living expenses out of that money. Please don't tell me you have to pay the increased child support and foot the bill for college too. If he's covering his college costs with that money then you are really not coming out too bad. I put 2 kids thru college and it was a financial kick in the butt. Just have a discussion with him (if you can) about selecting a major that will bring a financial return. We don't need any more ______ (insert any PC category) studies majors.

 

[arakboss]

I presume then he will be paying his tuition, fees, and living expenses out of that money. Please don't tell me you have to pay the increased child support and foot the bill for college too. If he's covering his college costs with that money then you are really not coming out too bad. I put 2 kids thru college and it was a financial kick in the butt. Just have a discussion with him (if you can) about selecting a major that will bring a financial return. We don't need any more ______ (insert any PC category) studies majors.

As far as I know he will be paying fees out of the CS money.

 

[Alexx1401]

I recently took a new job.
One of the more interesting "rules" about my new job is that they reserve the right to terminate my employment if my wages are garnished more than 5 times in 5 years.
Never seen that fine print before!

This used to be fairly common for employers to terminate people who kept getting wage attachments. The Co felt like it was not up to them to keep the book for people who just refused to pay bills. Now I suspect something like Child Support would not count on this. Reason being many places its set up by the courts to come this way. Wife does payroll as part of her job and people who get bills to the point the courts order wage attachments are a HUGE PITA for her. Other than Child Support every time one comes along she has told the person the people will work with them to just get the money and its FAR cheaper to set up payment plans. Some listen, others just refuse.

 

[Alexx1401]

I presume then he will be paying his tuition, fees, and living expenses out of that money. Please don't tell me you have to pay the increased child support and foot the bill for college too. If he's covering his college costs with that money then you are really not coming out too bad. I put 2 kids thru college and it was a financial kick in the butt. Just have a discussion with him (if you can) about selecting a major that will bring a financial return. We don't need any more ______ (insert any PC category) studies majors.

THIS!! Last couple times I was in school an amazing number of people were there flushing money down the crapper. They would take courses that when they finished did nothing to help them gain a good job. Now of course those are the ones screaming to have the loans they took out paid by the rest of us who work.

 

[arakboss]

Yesterday I got more motivation to start my spending freeze. I was looking through my checking account online and discovered two purchases that weren't mine. One was for Draftkings and one for Spirit airlines. The total for both was about $900. I immediately went down to my local branch and filed disputes but they said it could take 10 days to get the funds restored to my checking account. I very rarely used the debit card attached to this account for online purchases so I think the debit card info was snagged locally.

From now on, I am using cash or a credit card for purchases and I will keep a close eye on credit card statement.

 

[Alexx1401]

I long ago started using a credit card like checks. Just use one for everything. Debit cards are a PITA if someone gets into the account. Many banks will let you set up alerts to help. The accounts my pay goes into and both credit cards I use have this. Any charge on the cards sends a notification to my phone. So at least if something happens I know right then not later. When I am at the store the phone notification goes off while I am still checking out.
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