New England Newcomer

[mahhhty]

*********New update and need some advice on how to handle situation....

We have been doing lawyer mediation to work through the divorce, and we have been progressing through the process with very few fights or arguments. Until Child Support.

The mediation lawyer filled out the state's Child Support Guidelines form and sent us a copy before Thanksgiving, we never talked about the form during mediation and haven't had mediation since. The form identified me as the obligor, her as the obligee and at the bottom stated I should pay her $1,430 a month. As I started to educate myself on the guidelines I found a ton of areas of concern because I have the kids 50% of the time and we both make about the same (i.e. the amount, me being assumed the obligor, how can I afford this when I have the kids 50% of the time, errors in the data used, not understanding the form itself).

I tried to explain my concerns to her, but all she heard was that I didn't want to pay. She didn't her that I would actually be in the red, or that this would impact my ability to provide for the kids when they were with me.

However as a result of the stalemate, we both decided to speak to lawyers to get our concerns answered. She spoke with one and sent me an counter offer which was $250 less. I thanked her for the offer and asked her if she talked with the lawyer about any of my concerns to gain perspective. She did not answer.

My consultation with the lawyer was yesterday. The lawyer identified that 95% of the time she handles 50/50 custody cases two values on the form are subtracted from each other resulting in the payment. In this situation my payment would be $400 a month.

It isn't that I don't want to take care of my kids, it is the principal that she believes something so incorrect that it could bankrupt me.

How should I approach this with her? I am afraid all she will hear is that I don't want to take care of my family.