Marriage Builders
Posted By: lifeismessy Not done yet- but emotionally exhausted - 09/25/07 11:56 AM
I filed for divorce after I caught my H in his second long affair 5 yrs after the first one. Both times he's moved in with OW- the first one he moved in for a month then he filed for D on me and came home and we reconciled. 5 yrs later I found out he was in second long affair with his married alcoholic chainsmoking office manager and they both were laid off. I didn't find out about that one till last Nov. as he hid it really well for 6 mo. I filed right away as I was afraid he'd file on me and block my credit cards and I have been SAHM for 20 yrs. Irelocated 6 times to other states for his career- selling our houses each time and moving with 3 kids. My atty filed paperwork to make him move out- he moved right in with OW but continued to come back to the family home to see the kids as I wouldn't let him take them over there- and he was quite verbally abusive to me when he came over. I am now 30K in legal bills and just exhausted. He fought me for 50/50 custody and that finally got worked out- he's getting two long wkends a mo. and one night a week but he had to get his own condo. But now he's filed for reduction of child support and we aren't even divorced yet. We had started a franchise biz together one year ago when I didn't even know he was in second affair so now he claims his self -employed income is two thirds lower than what he had been making in his corporate job the past 3 yrs. I am in night school as I haven't had a career job our entire marriage. I just need some encouragement that I'm doing the right thing. I have had to hire a forensic accountant to go over his biz books as he is so secretive. Now my atty said we'll probably have to go to trial for me to get his income set where it should be. I am worn out!
Posted By: newly Re: Not done yet- but emotionally exhausted - 09/25/07 03:50 PM
You will be even more worn out sorry to say!

It's a long drawn out process and self employed tend to understate their income because they don't feel you deserve any of it.
I knew accounting and has spreadsheets of prior years income and profit and loss statements, and still X said his income was 1/3 of that shown.
I met with a forensic accoutant but the cost was too high for what little additional income I could get him to agree to.
So, why to I write this? Because you need to get him to agree to an "imputed income", which is what he is capable of making based on his experience, education, etc.
Be realistic, and have documents to support your case.
I finally got my X to agree to say he made nearly what I proposed (ok, it was 17% less, but still 250% of what he was claiming to make). And it did take some negotiation of household furnishings.

So, be realistic, have documentation and negotiate.
PS, lawyers don't want to go to court, they just want to threaten court to get their clients to agree. Then the deals are made on the courthouse steps.
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