Anyone Please Help, My brother is drowning

Submitted by Concerned on Wed, 06/10/2015 - 23:15

My brother Albert's wife Erin is divorcing him.  This is fine, because their marriage was in shambles.  But Erin is a very angry vindictive woman, and the only reason she divorced him is as a tactic to get him to chase her.  Now that he hasn't chased her, she has vowed to do anything she possibly can to ruin his life.  She keeps telling him that if he comes back to her, she'll make it all go away, even though she's the one who left in the first place.  Now down to the legal part of it.  They both filed bankruptcy.  My brother is financially ruined.  He has lost his job as a maintenance mechanic and had his truck repossessed.  He now makes commission working with an outsourced contracting company for DirecTv, as a repair and installation service man.  He only makes about an average of $600 a week.  He had to buy a used truck so that he could maintain a job for the child support that he has to pay.  Albert has 3 children with Erin.  His child support was originally $900 a month.  Help me out with the math here.  His truck payments are $356 a month.  His house payments are $660 a month, electricity is $325 a month, water $45 a month, car insurance is $119 a month, house insurance is escrowed, cellphone bill is $119 a month, alimony is $100 a month, food is $400 a month, and gas is $700 a month.  So roughly he has to pay $2824, and that's not counting miscellaneous expenditures.  He only makes give or take $2400 a month.  He can't stay afloat.  He's behind on a lot of things.  No one will help him financially because he makes too much money.  But he's not making enough money!  He's about to lose the house and he is going to be homeless.  Erin took him to court for back child support.  He didn't have enough money to get a lawyer so he decided to represent himself.  During the proceedings the judge wouldn't even look at his legal paperwork.  Bank statements, income, and whatnot.  Albert wasn't allowed to represent himself and the judge says that when Albert bought a used truck after having his vehicle repossessed that Albert was putting buying the truck before paying for his children's child support.  He can't have a job with a vehicle.  He can't pay the child support without a job.  The judge raised his child support from $900 to $1100 a month.  Albert got stuck with Erin's attorney fees which were $2,500, and he had to find a way to pay $800 to stay out of jail.  My brother can't keep up.  According to what my brother makes in monthly money, the suggested amount of child support he's supposed to pay is $400.  He's now paying $1100.  The raise in child support was just a month ago.  Now Erin is taking him back to court for back child support.  He can't pay it.  He's got nothing.  The child support will be raised again, and he'll have to spend one week a month in jail.  He'll lose his job.  Someone, anyone....please.  Help.  Give me some advice for him.  He's so bleak.  He loves his children dearly.  He's a good father.  Help. 

Hi there.

I feel like your brother and I are in the same boat. My ex pulled a few stunts and I decided enouth is enough and walked away. This is after a bogus PFA suit at which time she also immediately filed for child/spousal support.  My parents helped with attorney fees and for the divorce she asked for $40,000 to divorce me. Attorney said: wait the 2 years. I have been fighting the system and loosing. Doesn't matter the state. Dad's can live in a cardboard box and be homeless as long as child support is paid. I'm to the point now of trying to find a way to sign the my kids over. I love them dearly but having to work to pay bills and keep my new life/wife happy is impossible. I'm drowning also and this is the only solution I have found. My kids know who I am and hopefully when they get older, they are welcome to seek me out. Ex is in contempt of her order of custody but I also don't have the money nor am I financially stable to take them (kids have some medical issues). Ex also plays the handycapped, unable to work (quack doc...) and thusly makes my case so much harder. I know your brother loves his kids but for his sanity sake, have him search his heart and give them up. It's hard to say as a dad myself but I know exactly how he feels. Best of luck, A friend in Pa.