The Double Standards of Child Support Arrearages

[joni]

My DH just renewed his professional license several weeks ago.  I did it for him online.  One of the questions was regards to child support.  If he had an arrearage, he could not have renewed his license.  Without his license, he could not work....period.

We don't have an arrearage but for grins and giggles, I called the License Renewal and they stated he would have to pay his entire arrearage to get his license renewed.  I created a scenario for them, stating the court was aware of the arrearage and his was current with his repayment plan.  Didn't matter that it was all he could afford, still had to pay the arrearage in full to get his license.

Thank God it wasn't applicable to us.

But this lien on arrearage, as many of you know, falls way beyond just professional licensing.  You can't get driver's licenses, license plates or your income tax refund.  Even if you're current on your arrearage repayment plan through the court, when the opportunity arises, you get everything taken from you.

Now this is where it gets interesting.....

Although my DH pays CS, he had an overpayment of over $5000 because of a retroactive filing.  In March 2004, he filed for a reduction.  Mom fought it to trial, the final order, entered in our favor was received last week.  So between child support and child care over the past 16 months, mom owes us $5000.

So we have to wait for repayment at $200/mo for the next two years of so.  I called the state.  There is no lien against this mom's income tax for our overpayment because she's the custodial parent.  Mom can still have her license renewed and the plates renewed on her car.  Mom can still get her teacher's license renewed.

The hypocrasy of this double standard has got to end.  How many noncustodial parents never receive their refund when they wait for it when their child turns 18?  Many states won't even let a NCP get their abatement from when the children were in their care until child support obligation is done.  Do you think these CP pay them back?  Without the same diligence in laws available for NCP like going after licenses and income tax refunds...of course not.

[penny]

I totally agree with the unfair practice of cs. We have paid my husbands ex for 2 children for 15 years. One child is not his, she forged the birth certificate when he was in Germany in the Army. He could not fight this from germany. We do not have much contact with them due to their mother. I paid for them to fly here one time. While they were here, the daughter that is not his, (she still doesn't know that my husband is not her dad) which I think is totally wrong, took money from my purse, smoked at age 14, and left us with a phone bill of 500.00 from calling her friends. We found out at x-mas that she had her first kid at 16 and just popped out another one. The kids have not lived with her since they were 17. Both dropped out of school in the 10th grade. Our last payment was march of 2005. I guess we paid for two years for nothing and for 15 years on a kid that was not my husbands. I think all cases should have mandatory DNA testing. It was not fair that the sperm donor of this child, he didn't have to pay a dime. We have paid her a total of 97,468.53. I think we deserve half of that back.

[KAT]

I just wanted you to know that I HEAR you loud & clear!!! Mr. KAT has NEVER, EVER been in arrears (per this order, none for last either but that's a different 26k welfare fraud didn't do anything to her just let the taxpayers suck it up story). But when we went to refinance they KNEW he had a support obligation. HOW? It's not listed on the credit report but they knew the exact amount. Luckily his obligation to the troll (last child hasn't lived with her since Jan.) ends in 40 days so it wasn't even considered but still....why bother? There is no way you can get ahead when you have to pay. But if you GET support heck you can buy a house with that amoutn if it's enough for them!! FUNNY I didn't see anywhere on the refinance application to list how many children Mr.KAT & I have. I guess it's only worth it to ask if the kids were used as pawns carrying rich cash rewards.
Sad.
KAT