Filed under: Celebrity News
Jermaine Jackson claims he can't afford to pay child support because his business is failing and his career is in the tank -- in fact, according to new legal docs, MJ's bro can barely make ends meet.
Jermaine just filed new child support papers in L.A. County Superior Court -- obtained by TMZ -- grousing that he's expected to pay $3,000 a month in child support for sons Jaafar and Jermajesty ... even though his average monthly income for the last year has been under $1,100.
Jermaine is asking the judge to slash support payment to $215 a month.
While it is admirable that Jermaine wants to contribute something to the financial upkeep of his sons, $215 seems like such an odd amount. If he only makes $1,100 monthly, perhaps Jermaine Jackson should forgo paying child support altogether for a while. If, as TMZ states, his sons are living with his mother and have all their material needs provided for, coughing up 200 bucks a month is not going to particularly help little Jaafar and Jermajesty.
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Even though in American culture it seems to be the contrary, not everything in this world is about money. It is possible that just having an interested father in a child's life, and the emotional support that comes from that, can make up for any minor deficiency in financial support. If Jermaine's financial troubles are this bad, it might be time to give up the payments altogether and just focus on being a good dad. They say the best things in life are free -- and it's true that no amount of money can replace the devoted interest of a loving parent in your life.
Rather than causing their kids emotional stress by arguing about money, it would be better for Jermaine Jackson and his ex to leave money matters alone for the time being. Let's hope Jackson's financial limitations can inspire him to focus on providing for the emotional well-being of his kids.
What do you think? Should Jermaine Jackson have to pay child support if he only makes $1,100 a month?