The Sprung Out - Oh, to be seventy again.

[deadlegion]

My first job paid $3.35/hour, which was minimum wage at the time.

$134 a week before taxes

That's pretty terrible dude.
I didn't pay taxes for my first job, or even the second iirc.
Don't think I ever saw wages that low

[Drageuth]

Got divorced 16 years ago. Had 2 kids, one was 5, the other was 9 months. Never paid a dime in child support, and actually RECEIVED support for about 5 years

Who got the kids?

I'm not sure what the differences between US/Canada are, but since Dallas was about 18 months old when we separated and she had been a full-time caregiver, there was almost no chance of me getting him. About the only way it was going to happen was if I proved she was an unfit mother, which I couldn't do, because she isn't (although she's a damn stupid one sometimes). I would have also had to be spousal support if she had taken me to court for it, which thankfully she either never knew about or thought she had more time, because her missed the time frame on that one. If she had wanted to, she could have had me paying $250/mn in child support and $400/mn in spousal support for about four years.

If I had gotten Dallas, because she had never worked and didn't have a job at the time, she wouldn't have had to pay anything in child support, or if she did it would have been a negligible amount -- for example, for an income of $15K/yr, which is ~30hr work week at $10/hr, she would have had to pay $97/mn.

[Sheik]

Noted, stay single forever.

Cutting off my ring finger.

If anyone asks, I've joined the assassins.

What if I said I should've joined while married, married military life to single military life is like comparing a Mansion to a Trailer home, guess which side I'm currently on?

[Sheik]

That's pretty terrible dude.
I didn't pay taxes for my first job, or even the second iirc.
Don't think I ever saw wages that low

You don't have money grubbing fucks inventing laws. Just very over-protective ones.

[Raype]

What if I said I should've joined while married, married military life to single military life is like comparing a Mansion to a Trailer home, guess which side I'm currently on?

Oooh, ooh, the one that sucks?

Eh, at least you avoid the arguments.

"YOU NEVER TAKE ME ANYWHERE"
"I was in the desert for the last 6 months getting shot at"
"YEAH, AND I'VE BEEN AT HOME. SO TAKE ME DANCING"

Not to mention the greatness that is all your "friends" hitting on her the second you're overseas.

Less need to shoot people when you can just tap random multinational ass.

[Raype]

You don't have money grubbing fucks inventing laws. Just very over-protective ones.

It's australia.

Paying $100+ for video games?

They've suffered enough.

[Sprung]

Who got the kids?

I'm not sure what the differences between US/Canada are, but since Dallas was about 18 months old when we separated and she had been a full-time caregiver, there was almost no chance of me getting him. About the only way it was going to happen was if I proved she was an unfit mother, which I couldn't do, because she isn't (although she's a damn stupid one sometimes). I would have also had to be spousal support if she had taken me to court for it, which thankfully she either never knew about or thought she had more time, because her missed the time frame on that one. If she had wanted to, she could have had me paying $250/mn in child support and $400/mn in spousal support for about four years.

If I had gotten Dallas, because she had never worked and didn't have a job at the time, she wouldn't have had to pay anything in child support, or if she did it would have been a negligible amount -- for example, for an income of $15K/yr, which is ~30hr work week at $10/hr, she would have had to pay $97/mn.

I had the kids for the duration of receiving the support. After that, we shared custody.

I don't know if Indiana is a spousal support state, but I would have went to prison first.

[Sheik]

Oooh, ooh, the one that sucks?

Eh, at least you avoid the arguments.

"YOU NEVER TAKE ME ANYWHERE"
"I was in the desert for the last 6 months getting shot at"
"YEAH, AND I'VE BEEN AT HOME. SO TAKE ME DANCING"

Not to mention the greatness that is all your "friends" hitting on her the second you're overseas.

Less need to shoot people when you can just tap random multinational ass.

For married personnel, you'd be surprised about how many would love to deploy. Trust and all that, but yeah.
Valid points, valid points indeed.
Oh yeah, Ding, Ding, fucking Ding!

[deadlegion]

You don't have money grubbing fucks inventing laws. Just very over-protective ones.

I wouldn't be surprised if we have had more taxation here than the US for quite some time.
It has only been in the last decade or so that they've really clamped down on cash in hand work.
When I was a young bloke it was pretty easy to get away with it...not now though.

But the other thing is that there has always been a tax free threshold for as long as I can remember (obviously it's higher now than when I was 18).

[Sheik]

It's australia.

Paying $100+ for video games?

They've suffered enough.

It's funny. We cry outrage over taxed, but eventually useful national healthcare while praising the countries who had it before us. US, why you so indecisively stupid?

[Raype]

I had the kids for the duration of receiving the support. After that, we shared custody.

I don't know if Indiana is a spousal support state, but I would have went to prison first.

Skimmed some info.

Looks like it is, but only if the other party is incapable of work or the marriage got in the way of employment/education.

She might be stupid, but she wasn't retarded. So you were probably fine on the alimony front.

[deadlegion]

It's australia.

Paying $100+ for video games?

They've suffered enough.

only idiots buy games at those prices. If you really want something bad just import it from the UK.

[Sprung]

Skimmed some info.

Looks like it is, but only if the other party is incapable of work or the marriage got in the way of employment/education.

She might be stupid, but she wasn't retarded. So you were probably fine on the alimony front.

Good thing, because prison would have been the only option.

[deadlegion]

We cry outrage over taxed

You aren't heavily taxed. Probably never have been.

[Raype]

It's funny. We cry outrage over taxed, but eventually useful national healthcare while praising the countries who had it before us. US, why you so indecisively stupid?

There's a good argument to be made here that it's not the taxes themselves but rather how they're spent. If this money was funneled into more useful channels there's plenty of room for national healthcare without any additional taxes. The issue is more with where all the money in the system is going. Our sales tax up north might be a bit insane but I'd probably be paying more income tax as an American, on top of the lower wages.

All it takes to fund national healthcare in the states is a couple good, solid, well thought out cuts.

Likewise, in the upcoming election the best way to grab my vote is some cost cutting measures that make sense. Starting with some serious decreases in the unpleasantly expanding military/intelligence budget in this country. Throwing some of that in the direction of education, foreign aid, and healthcare? Yes please. Bonus points: it'll help cut down on our ongoing black eyes we're getting abroad from taking a more active role in combat and "friendly nation" spy games. Which is pretty contrary to the shit we've traditionally been known for doing with the money that goes into those two things.

Actually, next election in Canada is easily up for grabs to the first person to say/do something about the senate. Seems most people up here are pissed enough that they'd vote out of spite.

For married personnel, you'd be surprised about how many would love to deploy. Trust and all that, but yeah.
Valid points, valid points indeed.
Oh yeah, Ding, Ding, fucking Ding!

"I need to get out of here. I love my wife and all, but fuck, I'd rather sit in a car watching out for Al Queda snipers than listen to her go on and on about celebrity gossip"