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child support for separated couple

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 01/21/2011 - 23:37
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I have been separated from my ex for over a year with a pre trial conference coming up. I have been making child support payments to her based on the mass calculation sheet, but she is trying to nickle and dime me on every issue and I feel I should be able to claim them as exemptions as well. Do i need to pay her if I have the kids multiple nights a week ?

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child support/tax exemption

Submitted by allan@baronlawm... on Sat, 01/22/2011 - 12:04.

It seems you are asking 2 questions. What is the appropriate amount of child support and what does it cover/not cover? What are the rules regarding tax exemptions? There is information on line from the court about the child support guidelines, how they are calculated and what the payments generally cover. It would be important for you and your wife to decide prior to the judgment what expenses are anticipated for the children and how all these will be paid with caps where appropriate. Be as specific as possible and include college expenses or at least a formula to figure out at the appropriate time how that major expense will be paid.
 
As to the second question, there are IRS rules as to who may take exemptions but either party may release their exemptions to the other parent. You may want to have a financial person run the numbers both ways to see the benefit to each parent as it related to their tax return.
 
Attorney Allan Baron
Disclaimer:This is for information only and should not be considered legal advice and no attorney client relationship has been formed.

my apologies, First question

Submitted by wlondon23 on Sat, 01/22/2011 - 17:33.

my apologies, First question is how and when should I pay child support. I have been giving her money every week based on what she wanted. Then my unemployment ended and I received an extension so I found the mass guide lines for child support. I have been giving her the amount but I from the time we separated in July of 09 until September of 2010 I had the kids 4-5 nights a week. In July of 2010 I found a job and have been working since. In September I had to work second shift due to the nature of our work ( I work in schools) I could no longer watch them every night. So now I have them Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. I said I am done supporting her when I have bought the kids everything for school, was watching them all those nights and was even taking my step son as well. I asked her to show me what she makes, and all the other items that the mass guidelines look for. She said she wont do it until the court tells her to. I said ok, she then stated that I dont get to see them until I pay.

So I am stuck in this puzzle. After being out of work for over 15 months I am quite in debt and unable to find a lawyer so I am trying to research myself.

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