Am I, the wife responsible for my husbands back child support? (Orchid: day care, attorney)

[Need Answer]

Step-mother in need of answers, PLEASE.
Someone please take the time to read this as I can find no answers. If I open a sole bank account can the state take MY money. They already froze and took out of our joint account causing it to overdraft. My husband is unemployed now due to injury for 5 years. I can no longer help him with child support. His two children are adults now and one is working already. Thank you in advance for any comments or replies.
BELOW IS MY STORY

I know this sounds crazy, but before I married my husband I asked him if he had a court order to pay a fixed amount for child support. He told me there was no court order but he paid her a few hundred in cash every other weekend when we got the children. I told him that I wanted to write a check or Money Order to keep record. He said no need, they were friends and it was just easier this way. I believed him because they were never married & after we had been married for 7 years, she never once told me he owed money or wasn't paying. She told me she told the courts that he only owed $50.00 out of the $150.00 a week he was ordered to pay. So my husband says the $50.00 was only to be paid while the children were in day care. Again, she never once told me any of this. She just told the courts he owed money. No notice from the court just a letter saying he owed back child support that she knew he could not prove paying. (in cash) She also knew we could not afford an attorney. She makes more money then he ever did. Back to my question cause I am so over this...am I in any way responsible for my husbands debt with child support. I have never once gotten a thank you from the mother for everything I have done for her children, and they never call now that they are older. I feel so used by both my husband and the mother of his children.

I am not an idiot but I thought because they were not married that they did indeed have a verbal agreement only. WRONG The following year his 16 year old daughter wanted to move in with us because she was not getting her way with her mother and knew she could walk all over her Dad. She wanted to be Home Schooled and she knew from staying with us on the weekends that I did everything for her. Cook, wash her clothes, take them to the movies, beach, shopping, etc. (there is a son also 14 then.) I did all these things without there father. I told her no she could not move in because I felt she need her mother's guidance, my husband is clueless when it comes to children and how they manipulate him. I would have been the one to take care of them 24/7 while working 7 days a week at home. I have my own son who at the time was going through a divorce. This is when I started getting phone calls from the mother for the first time. She informed me that there was a Child Support payment plan and that my husband was behind. I asked her to please send it to me twice. She never did. My husband finally admitted he never went to the hearing so she was granted way more then he could afford. My question is since I feel she lied to me by omission, and my husband just flat out lied to me before we married, am I responsible for his back child support debt? The children are now adults, age 18 and 20 (she is working full time) Mother is working full time. My husband is unemployed and I have been paying child support for him but it was a gift made to me and I cannot afford to pay for his children anymore. How do I protect my money in Florida. With the laws now it is unfair that I feel my only option is divorce after 11 years of marriage. I know there are other woman who would love to know the answer to this question since I can't find one on-line and I cannot afford an attorney. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME

[DodgeGirl78]

Your husband needs to have his support order reviewed.
https://taxapp2.state.fl.us/cse/review/

They cannot touch your money as long as it is separate from his.
Florida remarriage & child support

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by Need Answer

I cannot afford an attorney.

You can't afford NOT to have an attorney. Here is a listing of self help legal societies.

Court Programs - Self-Help Legal Aid

[Need Answer]

Thank you so much for the help.

[Need Answer]

Originally Posted by Momma_bear

You can't afford NOT to have an attorney. Here is a listing of self help legal societies.

Court Programs - Self-Help Legal Aid

Thank you so much. I feel better already. Have a great day.

[Need Answer]

I am just learning how to use this site, so thank you for the advise.

[Dragonmam]

You are not responsible at all for any child support your husband may owe currently or in arrears. You don't have to divorce him, simply don't pay it. It's his problem. Keep your money separate from his. If you file a joint tax return, be aware that they can intercept any money you are expecting back and apply it towards the arrearages.

[Need Answer]

Originally Posted by Dragonmam

You are not responsible at all for any child support your husband may owe currently or in arrears. You don't have to divorce him, simply don't pay it. It's his problem. Keep your money separate from his. If you file a joint tax return, be aware that they can intercept any money you are expecting back and apply it towards the arrearages.

Thank is great news. Maybe now I can have a good night sleep. Thank you, Dragonmam.

[Donna-501]

Keep money separate and if you file jointly put in the injured spouse form so they can only take what he is responsible for.

[Need Answer]

Originally Posted by Donna-501

Keep money separate and if you file jointly put in the injured spouse form so they can only take what he is responsible for.

Thank you for the great advise.