Q: My child support is $134 a month, I make over $4000 a month, I just bought a house in the same gated lake community...
...where my daughter lives with her mother, step father, and his children with my ex.
I would like to get a court order for visitation, but I’m afraid I will get hit hard for more child support. My daughter needs braces and I can definitely afford that, but again, my court ordered payments are so low I would be a fool to step into a courtroom to modify the support order. How do I rectify this matter without getting raked over the coals and hung out to dry?!
The only order by the courts is that I carry her on health insurance, and pay the measly $134 couch cushion change a month, I don’t have any other paternal rights at this time and she just turned 12.
I just want to know my kid and I’ve worked hard as a truck driver to position myself in this 3D game of chess.
What are my options here?
A: It may depend on which is a greater interest to you - keeping your child support low or making sure you have visitation. Often greater visitation closer to joint custody can lower your child support compared to less time, but it also depends on the other parent's income along with any other support obligations.
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