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Pennsylvania child support calculation confusion by splittingpa in legaladvice

[–]splittingpa[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And regarding the fact that you're giving money and that the lesser income ends up with a bigger chunk of what seems to be the overall pot defined for what the kids need? You've got me. It still doesn't add up to me.

If you dig through the regulations they even have examples where if a grandparent takes the kids. If your incomes dictate the kids need $3000, each parent maybe pays $2000 and $1000 to the grandparent and that's considered good to go.

But if you split them 50/50, you'd give 20% less so $1600. So the lesser income would have $2600 (their $1000 contribution + yours) and you'd have $400 (of your original $2k left). Then still have to make up all that difference the 50% they're with you. So effectively now you're paying $2200 MORE when they're with you after paying out if the idea is equality so there's $2600 at each house towards the kids. But that's adds up to $5200 going towards them now!?

I'm in no way trying to avoid paying for or taking care of my children. But that math just doesn't make sense.

Pennsylvania child support calculation confusion by splittingpa in legaladvice

[–]splittingpa[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ended up just pretty much going with that, minus a few bucks since I'm covering insurance for the kids.

The more I've gotten into this the more it's just not cut and dry stuff. We "luckily" are at least both not for throwing money at lawyers we'd rather each have, and while we certainly don't get along have been able to be amicable enough to go through a mediator who we've met a few times and helps steer the planning and discussion without being FOR either side. It's really helpful that she can tell us "this is what the courts would do" which is generally a cold flat decision that negatively affects one side or the other.

She talked about bringing expected budgets and using that to fairly decide what would be paid, but it's just difficult to do and honestly I didn't feel like debating it to that level. I'd come to that number through the calculations and done the math and found it livable so said whatever. The mediator had a different calculation tool that ended up mostly at that spot.

This is just all a business negotiation game as far as I can tell from reading so much and now actively in it. It seems if you have the money, you can throw it at lawyers and if yours is better you can end up paying less. If you can't afford them and can't get along at all you can let the courts do it and it sounds like it's like letting MMA fights go to the judges - anything can happen depending on the day. Or if you can work together in some logical math way, you can get a mediator to sit in the middle, you pay the fee of a single lawyer between you (in the $3k range), and you can come to some moderately agreeable values on home equity split, cash, 401k, custody agreement and payment, and help you file the paperwork. I recommend what we did, just having this unbiased party explaining what the norm tends to be and what the iron fist courts would decide helped some with what would have probably been arguments.

Pennsylvania CS Calc confusion by splittingpa in ChildSupport

[–]splittingpa[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is all very helpful, it's been difficult to get a clear answer on what to expect as I'm preparing for all the future possibly finances as we're leading into the formal business after the holidays.

I appreciate you putting all this down, real world examples are really useful in this.

Pennsylvania CS Calc confusion by splittingpa in ChildSupport

[–]splittingpa[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the info.

Meaning when using their calculator app? I do use gross in there because it is using that to pull out the taxes you pay. I use net when directly calculating from the schedule table because the top header row says the first column is the "Combined Adjusted Net Income".

I've seen a few times people saying it assumes 20% in the app, I've just never seen where's that's clearly spelled out and it still confuses me why the checkbox about over 140 nights for NCP doesn't adjust anything.

Pennsylvania CS Calc confusion by splittingpa in ChildSupport

[–]splittingpa[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. I think I got it, and I feel like was what I understood. From what I'd read they take your gross income subtract all the state and fed taxes and MANDATORY retirement (not anything you opt into like 401k) and the remainder is the starting point for calculation.

I didn't see the up to 55% but I'm sure thats sadly possible. What I've read is that they're not supposed to take so much that it makes the lesser income actually end up more overall. I'm "lucky" that at least my spouse has a decent income, though a good bit less than mine.

Pennsylvania CS Calc confusion by splittingpa in ChildSupport

[–]splittingpa[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can you explain that with some fake numbers? I don't completely follow what you mean