[tatsinfla]

ok lets look at a scenario...a man and woman not married both have their own homes that they reside in...on current incomes they make ends meet with a couple extra dollars left over for entertainment...now they sleep together and oops a baby is born...the woman has custody of the child and the man of course is ordered to pay child support..the court looks at their gross incomes and determines that it costs 1200.00 a month (per the table) to support the child...the man makes a little bit more than the woman and is ordered to pay 800.00 a month in child support.... after taxes...insurance (which will go higher since he will undoubtedly be ordered to pay for that too)etc his net bring home is now 1200.00 a month if he is lucky....ok ya with me here...??...now the mother is probably netting around 2200.00 a month between her income and support...do you think the father or the mother if it was reversed can really survive any longer on 1200.00 a month considering todays costs....??...does it really take 800.00 a month to support a child...??...and before you say what about daycare i will add that in the state of florida the noncustodial parent usually is ordered to pay anywhere from 1/2 to all of that also....

[fleagle]

These are compelling scenarios but you do realize that you're presenting one side of the story here. I won't drone on about women who are left with a child to raise without the benefit of the father's support, be it emotional or financial. There are compelling scenarios on both sides of this issue.

I cannot say whether or not it takes $800 a month to raise a child. No one can. What you're recommending to fix the problem, of which we agree there is one, is to adjust the percentage required of the non-custodial parent to pay? I believe you have a legitimate point there. The standards of living of both parties involved should be a larger part of the equation.