My ex and I have been separated x 1 year, she is in nursing school for one more year. I have been paying her household bills so she can do school, she makes less than 15K /year currently . My daughters are on Medicaid and my college age student is currently without insurance because her Mom had to drop her and she was too old for caid.
I am starting a new job in a few weeks, will have the opportunity to put the girls on my insurance. My ex wants me to wait until she finishes school to file divorce so she can continue to receive food stamps and doesn’t have to make co-payments on medical issues. She also wants me to wait because she knows her household bills are way more than what she would get in child support and possibly PSS combined.
I could save about $500/month by not putting them on my insurance and get my oldest a basic plan.
Is there any legal ramifications from not putting them on my insurance?? I could save that money and put them on my insurance when we finally file divorce. (someone said the state may be able to come back and charge me what they spent on healthcare if I don’t put them on my insurance…is that true?)
2nd question: Is it possible to file divorce and put off the financial and custody portions to a later time or do I have to do it all at once?
Thanks…
Your friend is correct. If the state provides public assistance for children, the statutes regarding child support allow the state to recoup those expenses from the non-custodial parent. You should do what is best for you financially.
You want to make sure you have handled the division of property prior to having a divorce granted or at least have a claim for equitable distribution pending at that time, but the issue of child support can be filed post-divorce. Alimony is also a claim that is lost if not filed before the divorce is entered.
Soo…If I understand correctly, I should put them on my insurance ASAP if I am going to be responsible for what Medicaid has paid out. There is long term fincancial concequences to having them on Medicaid. My ex was practically begging me to keep them on medicaid I’ve spoken to 2-3 attorneys about my case and NONE of them told me that… I didn’t qualify to put them on my insurance until February, and again now again with the new job. How can they hold me responsible if I was unable to do so?
I can’t say for certain that the state will file a claim of child support against you, but they have a right to do so if your children are obtaining public assistance. They have the right to hold you responsible because you have an obligation to provide support for your children.