Petition for "second" families and child support reform

[dadtotheend]

Originally Posted by Nathank

How does everyone feel about this...I am a GREAT dad and have shared custody (after spending $8000.00 in lawyer fees) I am currently paying my ex girlfriend $900.00 a month in C.S. let me remind you, I have our daughter for 15 days a month and she has her for 15 days a month..she gets child tax...tax breaks..and she gets the refund from day care...(i pay 75% of day care). Please dont give me that "you have to pay or your a deadbeat". I provide my daughter with a home, cloths, food, and almost everything she needs (i cant afford everything as you might imagine since that $900.00 falls outta my pockets every month). In my mind this doesnt make sence. Why do i have to support my daughter when i have her and when i dont..when my ex doesnt have to worry about finacially supporting her daughter ANYTIME!!! who is the deadbeat in the eyes of the child?????ME because I cant afford everything she wants because I dont have the money...Imagine that hey.....the only answer......childrenwith2homes.ca

please give me all your opinions i mean all of them, I want the other side of the story as well.....your more wise having worn someone elses shoes!!!

Parents in situations like yours pay child support based on a set off arrangement prescribed by the CS guidelines, which recognizes the shared parenting arrangement you have. Presumably you earn far more than your ex which is why you pay so much in CS. Your CS payments are more designed to equalize your daughter's standard of living in both homes than to support her when you are not with her.

Regarding the child tax benefit, you should be sharing those benefits on a rotating six month on six month off basis, given your parenting schedule. See Shared Eligibility.

[Nathank]

What you are describing is called "ALIMONY".It is NOT fair the way the guide lines are set out.

www.childrenwith2homes.ca

Please have a look at this site and read the First chapter its a real eye opener.

[got2bkid]

The Netherlands, seems to have come up with a fair system for all the children of "blended" families:

"All non-resident parents in the Netherlands must support their children. Where possible, parents are encouraged to arrive at voluntary arrangements for child support. If an agreement cannot be arranged, a child support liability can be decided upon by the District Court, using the TREMA tables. These tables contain complex formulae for the assessment of maintenance, and take into account the following factors:

1.assessable income, which is calculated by deducting amounts for living expenses (based on social assistance rates) from gross income;
2.allowance is made for the non-resident parent's costs of setting up a new home and the costs of contact with the children;
3.where the non-resident parent has a second family, assessable income is reduced by around 50 per cent, in recognition of the belief that people should be free to form new relationships;
4.whether the resident parent has entered into a new relationship, the decision about liability for maintenance between a step-parent and a non-resident parent is based on an assessment of the relationship between the child and the non-resident parent. Deliberations canvass issues such as whose surname the child bears and how frequently contact occurs. "

Hopefully Canada will follow suit and make an allowance for "second family" situations.

Canadian Child Support Guidelines are Unfair to "Second" Families Petition