# Can a mother ask for more CS if dad's parents are wealthy, but dad is not? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2016, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317 "2016-10-12T08:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/21 "2016-10-13T09:37:44Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > He’s still working as a pretty prominent voice actor. Plus his walk on in TFA [apparently netted low seven figures](http://www.egotastic.com/2015/12/star-wars-force-awakens-salaries/) for a few seconds of footage. …also, he still has a requirement that he gets a copy of every official _Star Wars_ toy. While he let his kids play with the older ones, I think he still has quite a stash, which must be worth a mint. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/22 "2016-10-13T12:16:45Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > That is a beauty, and the article lives up to the promise: > > > [@](#): > > > > Luke . . . I am your grandchild. > > > > A baby-mama drama is unfolding in Mark Hamill’s family as a former porn actress prepares to give birth to Luke Skywalker’s first grandchild. > > > > \ > > > > She said she met the actor when she stayed with the family in London this spring while the next “Star Wars” installment was being filmed. He told her his son, Nathan, 37, “is not ready to be a father,” > > > > \ > > > > “If you keep it, we won’t hang out anymore,” said Nathan, according to a text message Chen shared with The Post. > > > > She suspects Mark and Nathan Hamill fear she is gold-digging for the family’s Jabba the Hutt-sized assets. You left out the best one: > [@](#): > > When Chen refused and returned to the US in May, the Hamill empire struck back. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/23 "2016-10-13T14:59:37Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Nothing in the NY Post article suggests that she has asked the Hamill parents for money, or even that she has asked the son for money; just that they suspect she’s on a gold-digging expedition. The Post’s source for the story is clearly the woman herself, and of course it’s possible that she hasn’t told them details that might not reflect well on her. It’s equally possible, thought, that she hasn’t sought any money from the parents. I think this is pretty much the context. Their (seemingly) feckless and immature 37 YO son is dating a porn star they (however it came about) let stay at their place and now “surprise” she’s pregnant and has decided that _now_ she wants to keep the baby and be a single mom and the son needs to step up. The Hammill’s were all pressing her to get an abortion but I think that ship has sailed. Now they’re just pissed and think they are getting played . It’s not the most charitable response by Mark Hammill and His wife but given what got dropped in their laps you can sort of understand where they are coming from. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/24 "2016-10-13T17:52:15Z")
Shouldn’t child support be based on how it costs to support a child and not how much can be wrung from the father or his family? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/25 "2016-10-13T18:03:04Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Shouldn’t child support be based on how it costs to support a child and not how much can be wrung from the father or his family? That is some real funny shit right there! The answer is yes it should. The reality is different. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/26 "2016-10-14T00:51:17Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I think this is pretty much the context. Their (seemingly) feckless and immature 37 YO son is dating a porn star they (however it came about) let stay at their place and now “surprise” she’s pregnant and has decided that _now_ she wants to keep the baby and be a single mom and the son needs to step up . . . Why the heavy emphasis on “now”? She could hardly decide that she wanted to keep the baby before she was pregnant, now, could she? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/27 "2016-10-14T00:53:53Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Shouldn’t child support be based on how it costs to support a child and not how much can be wrung from the father or his family? Well, no. It depends on the extent of a parent’s moral obligations to their child, and the parent’s financial and material circumstances are obviously relevant to that. “How much it costs to support a child” depends on the kind of lifestyle in which you think a parent should support Their child. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/28 "2016-10-14T02:09:52Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Shouldn’t child support be based on how it costs to support a child and not how much can be wrung from the father or his family? I assume you mean non-custodial parent. Women can and do pay child support. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/29 "2016-10-14T03:22:32Z")
And remember the laws can vary state by state. When calculating my husband’s child support to his kids from his first marriage (this was back in the 90’s, in California), not a dime of my earnings were counted in the calculation. She was living with her parents at first, and not a dime of their earnings counted either, only what each parent earned. When she remarried, again, not a dime of her new husband’s earnings was counted in the calculation. (We had it recalculated a few times over the course of the kids’ minority, the last time being when my husband became eligible for Social Security Disability, at which point the children’s benefit was deemed to equal his child support and was sent directly to their mom.) I understand that different states do things differently, so the Hamill family’s mileage may vary. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/30 "2016-10-14T03:30:37Z")
Yes. Maybe. I have heard where say the father had access to a family beachfront home or something and the mother got to still use it or something. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/31 "2016-10-14T14:04:12Z")
If the father is a legal adult independent of his parents, then I cannot think of a single reason why his parents should be responsible for footing child support of any sort. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/32 "2016-10-14T15:42:27Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Well, no. It depends on the extent of a parent’s moral obligations to their child, and the parent’s financial and material circumstances are obviously relevant to that. > > “How much it costs to support a child” depends on the kind of lifestyle in which you think a parent should support Their child. Moral obligations are different than legal obligations. Legally a child of a poor family should be valued just as much as the child of a rich family. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/33 "2016-10-14T16:51:36Z")
Can anyone find a non-tabloid link on this story? Literally all that turns up on search is there Post, Daily Mail, and other websites that are somehow less reputable. I am beginning to think it’s maybe a grain of truth plus a bunch of clickbait. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/34 "2016-10-14T19:34:51Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Can anyone find a non-tabloid link on this story? Literally all that turns up on search is there Post, Daily Mail, and other websites that are somehow less reputable. I am beginning to think it’s maybe a grain of truth plus a bunch of clickbait. Granted it’s tabloid fodder and she’s chasing her 15 minutes of fame pretty hard, but what about it strikes you as outlandish or untrue? She has picture of herself with him mugging for the camera. It’s not like she’s claiming he’s a werewolf. Just that they were sexually intimate and she got pregnant. This is hardly man bites dog stuff. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/35 "2016-10-14T20:35:11Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Granted it’s tabloid fodder and she’s chasing her 15 minutes of fame pretty hard, but what about it strikes you as outlandish or untrue? She has picture of herself with him mugging for the camera. It’s not like she’s claiming he’s a werewolf. Just that they were sexually intimate and she got pregnant. This is hardly man bites dog stuff. As I said, I am sure that part of it is true, the basic story. But DM et al. have a habit of sexing up stories and e.g. taking “cheesecake” shots of the chavs they feature. But it doesn’t reach the muster of an objective article. They also have the habit of calling anyone who has semi-nude modeling shots a “porn star.” I mean, if she is in porn, I doubt she uses her real name, but you’d think GIS or something would turn up some images. I’m “asking for a friend.” I’m also just curious as to what CNN, BBC, et al. would report on this. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/36 "2016-10-16T02:04:10Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Moral obligations are different than legal obligations. Legally a child of a poor family should be valued just as much as the child of a rich family. But legal obligations aren’t indepenent of moral obligations. The only reason we impose child maintenance obligations on non-custodial parents is because we consider parents to have a moral obligation to maintain their children. And the extend of that moral obligation must be affected by the parent’s circumstances. Taking your logic to extremes, if we could find one parent who was so poor that no maintenance obligation could be imposed, then we could never impose any maintenance obligation on any parents, since by doing so we we would be valuing the children of rich parents more highly than the children of poor parents. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317/37 "2016-10-17T16:26:53Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > But legal obligations aren’t indepenent of moral obligations. The only reason we impose child maintenance obligations on non-custodial parents is because we consider parents to have a moral obligation to maintain their children. And the extend of that moral obligation must be affected by the parent’s circumstances. > > Taking your logic to extremes, if we could find one parent who was so poor that no maintenance obligation could be imposed, then we could never impose any maintenance obligation on any parents, since by doing so we we would be valuing the children of rich parents more highly than the children of poor parents. Not at all. Just because someone is too poor to support their children it does not take away the moral and legal obligation to do so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-mother-ask-for-more-cs-if-dads-parents-are-wealthy-but-dad-is-not/768317.md?page=1)