AN APPROACH TO CHILD SUPPORT FORGIVENESS

Sometimes getting something is better than nothing? In the US, experts estimate that more than $100 Billion is owed in unpaid child support!

A group of researchers at the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin say that much of that debt is owed by low-income noncustodial parents who are unlikely to ever pay back the full amount. The project called Families Forward was tested in Racine County, Wisonsin..


the pilot program allowed parents with large child support debts to reduce their overall debt if they pay back at least some of what they owe in child support may help parents. The program targeted noncustodial parents with more than $2,000 of debt. For every $1 of child support paid, the program forgave 50 cents of debt toward the family and another 50 cents toward the state debt. Forgiveness of family debt required the permission of both custodial and noncustodial parents.

More than 120 people completed the program. The noncustodial parents contributed, on average, more than $100 more per month than similar parents who did not participate. Overall, they also paid down their debt at a higher rate than those who did not participate and made more payments (8.5 percent increase) than non-participants. The study was published in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.

EVEN REAL HOUSEWIVES NEED CHLD SUPPORT

See Real Housewives of Atlanta video clip:



http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2011/12/04/real-housewives-atlanta-sheree-whitfield-child-support-video/

MANAGING FINANCES

The Association of Divorce Financial Planners may provide a resource for helping to manage your finances or a resource to locate a forensic attorney to help locate hidden assets.

Arrested for being too poor to pay child support?

The Michigan Supreme Court heard oral argument this morning in a case brought by the ACLU of Michigan on behalf of a woman who was arrested for being too poor to pay child support.

In a press release, the ACLU says:

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and the University of Michigan Innocence Clinic are representing Selesa Likine, who lost her job and custody of her three children after being diagnosed with a severe mental illness.

Read full story here.

The Tag of Deadbeat Parents

The State of Mississippi reports that child support payments have gone up by $119 million in eight years following the use of more aggressive tactics to foil deadbeat parents and confirm paternity.

I know that a lot of non-custodial parents do not pay child support for a number of reasons. Despite this, I find the term 'deadbeat parents' an inflammatory tag. Do you agree?

OHIO PUBLISHES MOST WANTED POSTER FOR CHILD SUPPORT

A poster featuring 11 parents who owe more than $215,000 in child support has been released by the Butler County (OHIO) Child Support Enforcement Agency. The agency is highlighting individuals owing child support on its latest “wanted” poster circulating at more than 200 locations in the county and state, including post offices, businesses and banks.

Officials call it an excellent tool to pick up the worst of the worst offenders that have gone underground and simply don’t want to support their children. About $4.4 million is owed by 260 parents who have felony warrants out for their arrest in the County for non-payment of child support. Read full story here.

Are 'wanted posters' the answer?

SOMETHING CHILDREN ALREADY KNOW. . .

The audit by the Maryland Department of Legislative Services examined the Maryland Department of Human Services’ Child Support Enforcement Administration from Sept. 1, 2007 through Oct. 20, 2010. The audit found that the state agency collecting child support payments from noncustodial parents aren't paying as much as they are supposed to.

The audit found the agency has not fully used wage withholdings, occupational license suspensions and seizure of bank accounts to make parents pay up. Unpaid child support added up to $1.72 billion, according to the audit.

For parents struggling to meet bills every day, how can they impact the state system when it is not doing everything it is supposed to do to collect payments to support children?

ARE FLORIDA'S CHILD SUPPORT COLLECTIONS HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?

Federal Fiscal Year 2009-10: Florida Collected 52.4% Of Child Support Owed. In June 2011, Florida’s Department of Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement Program reported: “In federal Fiscal Year 2009-10, the program collected and distributed $1.48 billion in child support, 52.4% of child support obligations owed.” The “purpose of the Child Support Enforcement Program is to administer Florida’s child support laws to help ensure that children receive the financial support that they need when it is not received from one or both of their parents.” In addition, “the program has a cost benefit to tax payers,” because it helps “reduce public expenditures on welfare,” according to the program. [OPPAGA, “Government Program Summaries,” 6/8/11]

Federal Fiscal Year 1999-2000: Florida Collected 57.0% Of Child Support Owed. “In Fiscal Year 1999-2000, child support collections in Florida for welfare and non-welfare families participating in the child support program totaled $735 million. This represents an increase of 73% from Fiscal Year 1994-95 collections. Although only 57% of the child support that was due during the fiscal year is currently being collected, the organizational transfer appears to have had a positive impact on the performance of the program.” [OPPOGA, “Justification Review,” Report No. 00-24, December 200O]

DISASTER PAYMENTS INTERCEPTED FOR CHILD SUPPORT

The State of Louisiana has gotten creative in trying to assist custodial parents in collecting past due child support.

Disaster payments from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are being intercepted by the state from those who are behind in their child support.

Nearly $5.5 million has been seized so far. Lisa Andry of the Department of Children and Family Services, said that names of about 9,400 people owing $101 million in child support have been found among those applying for BP disaster payments.

Full story here.

THE POWER OF POSITION USED AGAINST CHILDREN

The Chicago Sun-Times has a lengthy report on freshman Rep. Joe Walsh's (R-IL) court battle over child support with his ex-wife Laura Walsh, who claims that he owes over $100,000 in back child support and interest.

"The thickness of the court file reflects Laura Walsh's nine years of trying to collect child support and expenses from a man who crusades against compromise. Laura Walsh went to court repeatedly over the past nine years to get him to pay up, sometimes even asking the court to garnish his wages, court records show. In 2004, Laura Walsh complained in a motion that despite her ex-husband's claims of poverty, he took a vacation to Mexico with his girlfriend and another to Italy. The following year, he complained in a court filing that his ex-wife mailed him a motion while she knew he was in Nicaragua doing charitable work with one of their children."

Americans to Pay Child Support for Abandoned Russian Children

In the news recently included a number of high-profile incidents, including the case of seven-year-old Artyom Savelyev, who was put unaccompanied on a plane back to Russia by his American foster mother.

Under a new agreement signed by Russia and the US, American foster parents who abandon an adopted Russian minor will have to pay child support.

Full story here.

IMPORTANT TO LOOK CLOSELY AT PARENTAL INCOME

Where a judge ordered a divorced man to pay child support in the amount of $288 per week, that figure must be recalculated because the judge erroneously found the man to be underemployed. The judge is also instructed to correct a mathematical mistake in the division of the marital estate reports the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Is your attorney savvy enough to investigate all sources of parental income?

Is a Verbal Agreement Enough?

Often one person in a couple asks if he/she needs to have a written agreement for child support and insurance coverage for the children, etc.

Do you have a written agreement when you purchase a car or a home?

Today's mutual agreement can change tomorrow. Get it in writing through the court! It protect both parties.

Not Exactly Correct

You've got to be kidding! After all these years, he wants to dispute paternity. I found out today that the case file had not been referred to establish a court date for ordering support, but to establish paternity. The kids will all be 18 before anything happens, I'm convinced!

Here We Are In March

March 12th a month since the woman in Child Support Supervisor land assured me that my file was being forwarded that day for judicial review so that a court date would be set. I have been waiting by my mailbox for a notice from the Florida Department of Revenue that a hearing has been set. Now that a month has gone by, I phoned my usual contacts on the toll-free "customer service" line.

Your time in que is more than 12 minutes. Actually, it was more like 15 minutes before an unfriendly young gentleman answered the phone. "I'm calling for case status," I said hopefully.

"Are you on speaker phone?" was his response.

"What? Oh, no, I'm calling from my cell phone, is the reception that bad?"

"No, nevermind. Has paternity been established?"

Oh! red flag goes off in my mind. Why is he asking this? Why is everyone asking this? I tell him that, yes, paternity was established and they have a signed birth certificate in the file. "Why are you asking? Is there a problem?"

I imagined him peering into his computer screen. "Well," he said after a few seconds. "There's no actions. Nothing to report. That's it."

"What's it?"

"There's nothing new on your case. That's all."

"No," I responded, "that's not all." I patiently coaxed him into reading what he saw on the screen. It went by pretty fast, something about last action February 7th.

"What happened February 7th?"

"Did you not hear what I just read to you?" said the voice of customer service.

"Well, it went by pretty fast, would you mind re-reading it, please?"

"Well you can contact the local office, all I can tell you is that there are no actions."

"Yes, I know, but I can't call the local office, I can only call you."

"Oh, you have to go down to the local office."

"Would you please tell me the date that my file was forwarded for legal review? Can you tell me what it says on your screen?"

"It is awaiting paternity review. Anything else?"

"You mean my file is not in or on its way to legal review?"

"No, it is not. Have a good evening."

Federal Funding Reductions for Child Support

A 17 percent reduction in funding to child support enforcement programs began in this federal fiscal year. The Congressional Budget Office estimates these cuts will cost families about $1 billion per year in uncollected child support and up to $11 billion over the next ten years. The funding cuts will also affect promising initiatives to provide employment and case management services to low-income noncustodial parents, mostly fathers. These programs are not currently implemented in Florida.

Rap Star Gets His Child Support Amount Reduced

According to press reports, because Rapper 50 Cent was frustrated by fluctuating requests for funds, he took his son's mother to court in 2007. The purpose was to establish a structured amount set by the court for child support. They had previously handled the matter privately.

She reportedly asked the courts to grant her $50,000 at month. Initially the courts awarded $25,000 to the mother, however upon reviewing the family's expenses, the court then ordered 50 Cent to only pay $6,700 a month, as $25,000 was excessive based on actual need.

p.s. I support my children on 1/2 of $6,700 and pay for all their college education.

Funding for Child Support Programs Looks Grim

The reductions to child support enforcement funding at the federal level were made as a part of the Deficit Reduction Act. These cuts which started to take effect in FY 2008, will not be restored. This represents a 17 percent reduction in funding for programs serving over 17 million children in 2006.

It is projects that these cuts will cost families about $1 billion per year in uncollected child support, according to preliminary estimates from the US Congressional Budget Office. In nine out of ten cases, that's moms and their kids who will be negatively effected by these cost reductions.

Despite my ranting about the inadequacies and incompetencies of the Florida Child Support Enforcement office, this means less money for training staff, less money for some initiatives that were beginning to show some promise by providing employment and case management services to low-income non-custodial parents, mostly fathers.

Despite what many say about "welfare" programs, child support provides more income to low-income families than almost any other government program.

The Child Support Protection Act of 2007 (S. 803 and H.R. 1382) would restore funds that were cut from the child support enforcement program.

Beatles Valentine's Day present

I always thought Paul was the "cute" Beatle during the height of their British invasion. Little did I know that marrying him could net around $100 million plus maintenance for child Beatrice. I guess Heather will have no worries regarding paying her daughter's school tuition for the rest of her academic career. Paul and Heather were married 4 years.

Child Support File Moved Off a Desk?

According to sources, my file may have been forwarded to the legal review team after being inspected by a supervisor and that supervisor's supervisor. If this is the case, I'll share my secret that created the momentum. . .