myfreedom

Well after AH decided to stay out drinking last week and miss another day of work, I decide I need to set something in stone, as to what exactly I want from him for our kids. We have 2 together. Right now he is paying my car payment because it actually is in his name. That is around $350. Cell phone has both kids, him and my oldest son who is in college. That is $280 a month and I have been paying that. So all he pays is car and if kids need something, he will help. I know support thru domestics would be prob around $700. What is fair of me to ask for before I would decide to do it thru the courts

hopeful4

I get the equivalent of what the courts would have awarded me. I actually sucked up some student loans that were partly his just so he would hurry up with a divorce.

Don't shortchange yourself, or more importantly, your children.

unsureoffuture

I live in an equitable distribution state so everything is split 50/50. My STBXAH and I worked everything out outside of court and just had the lawyers draw up the settlement agreement. Everything you can do outside of court will save you in legal fees. If you cant agree then you can involve the courts.

lillamy

Do it through the courts.
That way, you have someone who can enforce it for you if he chooses to not pay.
(Not that I would know anything about that...)

The courts in the US would compare your income to his, and compute based on that. So even if you had the kids 50/50, if he makes more money than you do, he'd be paying more.

OTOH -- I totally get that you don't want to go to court if you can avoid it, because that usually brings out the ugly in people...