hexeliebe said:
O.K. let's see if this makes sense.
Rent of $400 a month (assuming you are still living with family) and your half would be $200. Groceries for small children is about $100 a week. Your half would be $50.
Clothes, toys, entertainment and the nice things of life cost approximately another $50 a week or your half $25.
So far we have $275 if you were still living together.
Now let's include utilities, phone, cable, taxes and other necessities just to live and you will be spending approximately $100 a week if still living together. Your half would be another $50.
Now we're at $325 a week.
Childcare for small children (which you did not mention) is approximately $125 per child a week (for a safe, qualified environment) so that's a total of $250 a week or, your half is $125.
Now we're at $450 a week.
Now let's compare. Living together with wife and kids you would be paying approximately $450 a week for everything. Living apart and insuring your children are safe and healthy $255 a week.
Is that fair? You decide.
Using hex's figures...
$400 a MONTH rent = $100 a WEEK, split in half = $50 a week per spouse.
Entertainment = $50 a week, split in half = $25 per week, per spouse.
Phone, cable, etc. = $100 a week, split in half = $50 per week, per spouse.
Childcare = $250 per week for 2 children, split in half = $125 per week per spouse.
NOW, let's add.... (And this is per spouse....)
$50/wk. for rent, plus
$50/wk. for groceries, plus
$25/wk. for "entertainment", plus
$50/wk. for phone, cable, etc., plus
$125/wk. childcare =
$300/week total if the man and his spouse were still together and splitting everything.
She wants $255 a week. On paper, it looks like he's getting a break of $45.
But lets be realistic here.... CS guidelines don't tell you to pay 50% of your income. Even in Georgia, where all they consider is the NCP's gross income a month, the highest percentage is 37% of gross income, and that's for 5 or more kids. In an income shares model, the percentage would probably be a bit lower than that.
So, is it fair? I dunno. Can't say without plugging the numbers in the state's calculator. But it seems a bit high to me based on a shared income guideline.
JMO