Why do feminists differentiate between child support and alimony
arguing that "alimony is a thing of the past" when both is money that the ex wife can spend at her leisure and child support has been increased to compensate or even overcompensate the alimony that is no longer issued ?
Percentage wise it DID increase by the time alimony got awarded less or eliminated.
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Because it is the TRUTH. The law is clear. No question can change the letter of the law.
Because they are two different things.
"Percentage wise it DID increase…" It increased because the cost of living increased.
You have some mommy issues, don’t you?
First of all, feminists are not the only group to distinguish between child support alimony. The courts and the government do this as well, as do anti-feminists, for the simple reason that they are not the same thing.
Alimony is support for a wife who has given up her right to work and decided, with her husband, to enter a traditional marriage as a homemaker. Because she is considered dependent on the husband, in the case of separation, such women are sometimes given alimony, or spousal support, as a dependant. This can happen whether there are children involved or not because in this case the spouse is considered the dependant.
Child support is an amount awarded to the custodial parent, to cover the basic financial needs of raising a child. This amount is usually less than what the non-custodial parent would spend on a child if they had custody, and does not account for the full cost of raising a child. Therefore, as custodial parent, the parent receiving child support, in the cases when it is awarded and successfully paid the custodial parent must still spend their own funds on supporting the child. The custodial parent bears sole responsibility for all the costs related to housing, feeding and caring for the child, and that includes many things that are not accounted for in child support amounts, such as toys and entertainment for the child, post-secondary education later in life and the cost of any specific medical treatments that are not covered by insurance.
The issues here are completely different. One is of support for a dependent spouse and the other is of financial compensation for the custodial parent who takes full responsibility for the child.
For the record, child support payments are not a rental fee for visitation time. They are given to the custodial parent to offset the cost of keeping that child alive as a single-parent. If a working custodial parent spends any money "at their leisure", it is their own money, since child support payments don’t cover the full cost of raising a child anyway and even if they do receive their payments, in most cases they must contribute financially as well.
Child support stops when the child in question finishes school and I do agree that sometimes it’s just way too much. I know a dad who’s paying $2500 per month for 2 kids, the mother works, got the house, has moved the boyfriend in and he still has to pay for all the extras (sports, dentist, school trips etc.) That’s pretty outragous. I will not agree however that this is the norm.
Let’s face it, raising a child is incredibly expensive, and it is unfair to stick one parent with all of that expense. Men, too, recieve chld support from their ex-wives.
Alimony was more appropriate when women made a full time occupation of making a home for the husband and their children; but I believe they were fully entitled to alimony when that was their career.
Child support has not been increased. It is based on income. That can be different according to every individual. And it will not bleed a man dry, either. The median for Child support in the US (according to the US census Bureau) is about $280.00 a month (Those below the poverty line, the median child support payment is $125 a month). Between diapers, housing (which has gone up), food (Which has gone up), utilities (which have gone up), health care, insurance, school, and clothes…children can cost anywhere from $300.00 /month to $800/month (Sometimes more). And that’s if you have ONE child. I think that if you shove the kids on your ex wife you SHOULD pay her money, because it isn’t likely she’ll be able to work for the first little while and the Child should have everything s/he needs. Working as a single mother is difficult, because you need to have flexibility. It doesn’t happen very often. Single mothers are the face of poverty. It isn’t like they have money to spend at their leisure. They’re spending it on basic needs.
are you irritated that your ex-wife bought a new dress???
shame on her…
Child support is to help the mother with expenses for the child. Whether she puts it towards rent or clothes or whatever…those children need to be taken care of. Who are you to say it isn’t enough?
Children are expensive…and it takes a lot to support them. EVERYONE should consider what would happen if they split before having children and not resent any payment to take care of the children. Whether the money is to take them to the zoo or get shoes or whatever….it is YOUR children…YOUR responsibility and there is no reason for resentment!
Allimony on the other hand is for the wife…that is entirely different.
Believe me…there are MILLIONS of men out there getting out of paying child support because they know how to work the system..and they laugh about it. You are cheating your children of what is due them….
The ones that do pay child support…HALF of them only pay part of it…because they want to punish the wife…and that is all they are concerned with..not their children. Hatred and resentment are childish…THINK OF YOUR CHILDREN FIRST..and stop thinking of yourself!
Alimony is tax deductible for the man who pays it and taxable income for the woman who receives it.
The man can not deduct child support payments from his taxes nor does the woman have to report child support money on her tax return.
Guess which situation feminists and Big Government would rather have?
I hate to burst your prejudiced little bubble, Cassius, but the vast majority of women who receive child support (that whopping average of $250 per month) use it "at her leisure" for things like daycare, food, clothing, school fees, doctor’s bills and rent.
Please do the human race a favor and don’t ever breed, M’kay?
Simply because it’s a self-serving "argument" for them to make.
Alimony is necessary for traditional marriages. Where the women gives up all education, career and works for him and the family. That is what she does right, she is employeed by her family….however employers dont really see it as such. Therefor your average traditional wife, is likely to end up flipping burgers for min wage.
Yes she is going to need help, think of alimony as back pay.
Child support….support his child which is still the father of and still has rights and responciblities to.
How is this that hard to understand.