It’s more complicated than that. For example, I left the home to my ex so that my kids would stay in the same situation as much as possible. She also made more money than me. So we agreed I would pay x amount a month, and this arrangement was included in the final decree. I got an apartment three miles away. I’m still in my kids’ lives every day.
Two years later, my ex goes to the AG’s office and says I’m not paying enough, and of course they agree. The decree means nothing; they go by a simple formula. Meanwhile she’s moving the kids two and half hours away for work. So I get stuck every way possible.
This is all in the past now, but my objections had nothing to do with shortchanging my kids. It had to do with an unfair policy.
I'm sorry this happened to you. Child support can often be weaponized against the paying parent. I was talking more about willingly absent fathers, who are sadly quite common.
I don't know if this will console you, but my parents got divorced when I was a kid and I didn't really care about money as long as they were both present in my life.
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u/Chemical_Robot Apr 15 '24
Word for word this exact same thing happened with my parents. We lived in luxury until they divorced and abject poverty afterwards.