r/ChildSupport

My ex husband filed a motion in September of 25 for a child support reduction due to loss of his job at 330k/annual. He lost the Job in June of 25 but received an 85k severance and also 10k unemployment, plus a mystery 25k check in October. Total around 260k income…. He is now employed again as of February 2026 with a 250k salary. I’ve had to hire an attorney to stop the temporary reduction and have simply tried to have the matter heard but for whatever reason my attorney is reluctant to bring it in front of a judge. The CS office (at the time) recommended a monthly amount based on his unemployment of 10k and his severance only. Since his total yearly salary was around 260k, his monthly obligation would be around $800 more.

At this date. My attorney is asking me to forgive arrears in the amount of $4,400 for four months. During a previous modification, my motion wasn’t retroactive as I was told that the judge wouldn’t back date the order. Now that it is his motion, it seems there’s a double standard.

How are temporary modifications typically handled in court? I’m also the full custodial parent and he only sees his daughter once a year because he is out of state. He’s never even taken his daughter to a doctors appointment or to school. I’m a SAHM with a small business and my daughter goes to a private school.

I requested child support through the courts, got awarded 700 a month. Ever since I have done this it has made the relationship with my co parent so awful. Constant fighting back and forth about it. We have two children. The second wasn’t born yet so the child support order is for one child only. Since my BD watches the kids while I’m at work the judge lowered guideline support for him. He was still very angry. His stance is, he watches them more than the regular standard visitation.. and honestly I have always felt icky making him pay. HE DOSENT actually pay it, which makes me mad, even though at times I feel bad for even requesting it. Now he’s 10k behind. Iv already forgave close to 30k in arrears this last time we went to court. I’m torn. I need insight. Should I just wave the child support all together and co parent with each other like civilized adults who just want the best for the kids? Or should I require him to pay, maybe be a little more financially stable BUT have a horrible relationship with my BD for the foreseeable next 18 years?

My ex randomly stopped paying for one of our daughters sports.

It's not in the order that he has to pay but we both agreed to pay half.

Can I adjust the support order to add this? Or take him for more?

I mean, I know I can TRY but would they do that?

I had my first child very young with a not great older person. We didn’t last long. And I met my now husband when my child was 1. I am currently a sahm.
Me and bio dad are both in different states than where the child was born. And he is unfortunately on the birth certificate.
I kind of want to file for child support because he was paying but not court ordered and stopped paying the past couple months.
It honestly makes me angry because he is paying his 2nd “baby mama” $1000 a month court ordered and is now married supporting 3 kids of his new wifes. I have asked bio dad if he wants he can just sign over his rights and he doesn’t respond. Would it even be worth it to file since I’m a sahm??
He has very little contact with my child. Rarely calls. Never texts or asks about him. Hasn’t seen him in person in almost a year. What would you do? I’ve also thought about just blocking him but could he come after me legally?

Hello, I’m just looking to see if others have been in a similar situation.

My ex moved over 1000+ miles away when he left my house to be with another woman from his home town. He got a job working for a relative’s business and is supposed to be being garnished. She garnished him exactly one time (the only payment I have gotten in 10 months) and never again. I don’t know why I thought garnishment was not optional to the employer but it appears that she keeps giving excuses to probation and then not sending anything.

We are in a very high conflict situation and bringing support up with him does not ever get me anywhere. I have the kids 97% of the time with him handling one overnight in my state every other month so I have no help physically or financially a majority of the time and we have 2 toddlers. If anyone else has been in a similar situation, what was your experience? Daycare is killing me 😩

I was wondering the possibility of including a provision in the child support agreement that I recieve my son's father's tax refund until the retroactive child support obligation is fulfilled. My son's father currently building an outstanding balance of $15,000, as no payments have been made since the child's birth. We are still working on an agreement. While I anticipate the court will mandate monthly payments towards the arrears, I am seeking to determine if it is permissible to request that his tax refund also be allocated towards the outstanding balance. I understand that he files jointly, and his spouse is not employed. He also claims one child, who is not ours, if that information is relevant.

Hi! I need some honest feedback. My son’s father freaked out on me this past weekend. He pays $720 a month in child support / $180 a week. He told me everyone he speaks to says it’s far too much. He only sees my son an hour a week to come watch him at his football games but he says to me it’s because he has to work so much. He works at FEDEX for close to six years now. I recently had a baby with my husband whom has been in my son’s life since he was 3. I want to be clear, I have always worked up until recently due to having a baby. I have also always encouraged my son and his bio father to have a relationship but it seems as though his father has never been fully interested. Everyone I know tells me he should be paying more since the child has never even spent the night at his house. But he says everyone should be paying less. I am looking for outside opinions. He stated he would rather me take him to court to get child support because he believes it’s far too much.

Thank you.

My child's father had another child in the last 6 months, and my child support went from $100 to $60 a month, and then from $60 to $30 a month. Now it's gone from $30 to $21 a month. I'm confused and a little irritated, $21 isn't enough to fill my gas tank these days.

From my knowledge, my child support shouldn't have been affected by the new baby, and even if it was I wasn't too concerned until it dropped under $25 a month. He's held the same two jobs for years, and the newest child's mother and him have little to no contact besides the required visits. I know I should call Child Support Services, but I'm hesitant because I feel guilty for putting pressure on the situation.

I've got a well paying job, it's just my kid and I so we're not sinking, but the extra money was always helpful especially when the gas tank is getting low or when the fridge starts to get low.

My friends child’s father pays child support on time every single month for the last literally 4 years. It still says on the homepage every month it says $67 arrears , haven’t they paid up by now!?!

I think my ex got smart (I know it’s a stretch for him) but I normally get his tax return already. If he went to Jackson Hewitt or HR block where they do that same day refund loan, would it be flagged for child support? He did have a referral for federal offset in place as of 5/8/26.

Mother filed for child support because she is on FMLA and not making any money. They have 50/50 custody. Now she is no longer asking for child support, but we are unable to cancel the hearing tomorrow because now the state is trying to get child support from the father because the mother is going to be on cash aid?? How is this legal? The government seems like they are double dipping and trying to take his money. Is there any way around this? Father will lose his home if he needs to pay child support.

My child's father is asking me to pay child support for my son and my daughter. I have no issues with paying. However, he is denying me any sort of parenting time with our son and my daughter, who will be 18 in less than 60 days. I have reached out many times requesting just a phone call from my son and never receive a phone call. Recently, on Mothers day, I requested time with our son/a phone call and received no response. In today's mail, I received the request for child support payments...dated Mother's Day. What legal action can I take in this situation.

My and my child’s father have a 3 year old and another baby due in December. We broke up and I’m currently staying at a friends house until I get back on my feet. He takes her Friday-Sunday and pays me anywhere from 90-110 dollars a week. I really don’t care for the child support I would just like a set parenting plan in place through the courts as it seems we can’t co parent without me getting threatened with court for full custody every so often when I bring up court and a set parenting plan. I am in a pretty shit situation I left my apartment because he refused to leave a rent a room out else where. So in considered homeless but have started the process to receive help from the state. Part of that process is that I file for child support to have a set income in place to help me get into our own spot so I’m able to put her in daycare and work again. He will not let me take any steps made for moms in my specific situation without threatening me with full custody. I have been our daughter’s primary care giver sense day one everyday she has spent with me every sick day I missed work every appointment I take her too my daughter is my entire world. She truly is my reason to keep fighting even when he makes me feel as if I have already lost this battle. I’m just looking for any advice really. Can he take full custody just because I’m technically homeless even tho my daughter doesn’t lack anything with me other than our own address which I’m working on getting for us?

Been in a long battle with my ex. They are represented. I am pro per now. Judge ruled in my favor that x needs to begin support. Judge has been extremely annoyed with my X’s inconsistent narratives. I was so thankful the judge saw what he’s been doing. I digress….X is adamant that he needs to review the orders with his attorney before he will begin paying. My ex has lied through this whole process including saying we separated years ago, he just moved out. I need this support, I’m already on welfare, but it’s not enough. What are the ramifications if he doesn’t pay. He’s almost 7k in just arrears! I’m certain he will try to prolong or fight this.

Im on here looking for a way forward if anyone has it. I have two children with my ex wife 7 & 11. Ive been paying child support for the last 8 years but for the last 5 year my kids have been living with their great grandmother. Fast forward 2026 my son is getting in trouble at school. Throwing chair hitting children. my daughter asked to live with me because she want things out of life her mom won’t accommodate like cheer & other extra curricular activities. Her mom said no. So I have recently retired due to disabilities in the last year or so. Which gives me complete free time & my pension is enough to many mu home and my kids. I made a petition for custody due to them not living with their mon who had custody & the school issues with my son and lack of exposure for my children. We go to court and the judge leave her with custody even though she doesn’t live with them and only see’s them on the weekends I dont have them. Im still paying her child support also even though they dont live in the house with them. My lawyer tried to appeal his decision but he denied the motion. Is there anything I can do? Im at my breaking point plus my ex wife is very disrespectful.

My son recently has turned 18 and my understanding is I have three years left to pay child support as in New York State you have to pay until the 21 years old. In my original Support order it states that I would have to pay until his birthday in the year 2029. I would like to know if this will automatically stop or will I need to contact the child support enforcement agency or even worse, hire an attorney to put a stop of it because I have heard stories of child support, continuing and father’s not realizing in paying additional child support for several years.

I divorced my ex for cheating in 2012. It was finalized in 2013. I won by default because he didn’t show (I asked for primary custody, he would see her on his days off which at the time were the weekends) He was also court ordered to pay $100/mo in child support. Shortly after, I closed the child support case because his gf at the time forced a strict 50/50 schedule so I wasn’t entitled to any support. Fast forward to now, I think I’ve only gotten child support for maybe 6 months from him. Our daughter is now 17.

All my family and friends think I’ve been way too lenient. I’ve always tried to keep the peace because he would threaten to take me to court to fight for custody if I asked for child support. For years he was much more well off than me so I was terrified he could hire a fancy attorney and win. And I’d lose the most important thing to me— my daughter. I’ve also let him claim her on his taxes every year even though for the last I don’t even know how may heats, my fiance and I have been her primary caregivers 99%. He only sees her 4 days a month (every other weekend). He does help every once in a while for bigger purchases like her prom dress, but does not send money regularly to help financially support her. I have the habit of letting people take advantage of me to some degree if it means to avoid confrontation and keep the peace. However like I said, everyone close to me says I should get him for child support for this last year before she turns 18.

Why do I feel so guilty? Another thing too is someone told me recently that since the $100/mo court order was never changed to $0, he may be owe me arrears for over 10 years, since 2013. Is this true? I’d like to open the child support case again and update it but also don’t wanna ruin his life if he’s gonna have to owe thousands.

Thanks for reading . Idk what to do

Anyone aware of any probone attorneys out there that might be intereted in helping with an insanely biased corrupted family court case and potentially suing DSS, CPS and HGS? Detail and evidence can be givin. I have a years worth currently.