Child support system out of control?

Question

The idea that Child Support is based on a percentage of a person's income is a mix of a fantasy story and a half truth. Check this out....

The amount that is ordered to pay is a FIXED amount, set by a hearing master (not an elected judge), based on what he THINKS you MIGHT be able to make, behind a closed door (no juries or anything to check him out). It doesn't end there. He can tack on other things too, such as payment of health care, education, and special needs.

So, if you WERE making a certain amount one day, and as a result, you are ordered to pay $1400 and then the contract for that job ends, what happens? If you think it is automatically reduced, or there is a system in place for that, you are talking in ignorance.

The now jobless chap now has to pay an attorney (as if he could now afford one), wait several months for a court date, and ask the judge to lower payments. There is about a 10% chance this will happen. In the mean time, payments add up and you owe thousands.

Answer 1

Child support is not supporting a child. It is the transfer of money from one parent to the other and that money may be used for anything, including drugs for the custodial parent's new live-in.
One of the popular add-ins (money above 'support' costs) is for childcare. Even if there is no daycare or when the children are 14 and above, the payment continues.
None of the money is accountable to anyone and often the amounts are astounding and almost always unrealistic.
The states all have guidelines but there are three basic types; all dealing with income of the parent(s), not costs of the children.
If all parents were forced to supply guideline amounts of money to their children, there would be far few births because the average taxpayer could not afford to have any.
Many of the custodial parents are poor, true, just like the non-custodial parent. Forcing a court order onto a poor person does not make that person earn more money. Most ordered to pay child support are just as poverty-stricken as the other parent.
To those who feel it is right to force one parent to pay while the other is free to do as they please in regard to paying for their children's costs, you do realize you are being punitive toward one parent and forgiving of the other for the same act that resulted in the same child at the same time, don't you?
In other words, you are being hypocrites.
Fairness and common sense calls for separated parents to be equal in everthing INCLUDING supporting their children instead of the current idea that one supports while the other owns them.
When the payor gets behind due to illness, accident or any other reason, the states usually tack on "arrearrages", which carry up to 18% interest, just like a credit card. Once started, it is nearly impossible to ever get out from under the debt. On the other hand, when the custodial parent gets behind the child is expected to do without and the state will help support the family THEN send the bill to the other parent.
If the payor gets $5000 behind, which with today's amounts doesnt' take long, they stand a chance of being denied a passport, losing their driving license (and any other licenses such as physician's licenses), which removes their ability to earn enough to pay support and may be jailed until the debt is paid (debtor's prison).
The whole industry is insane and handled very badly.
Few people are aware that the states are paid by the federal government to collect child support. It is an incentive to keep the support amounts as high as possible, higher than children's costs. The high child support amount is an incentive for many to divorce.

Answer 2

So, you think only one parent is responsible for the support, health care, education and special needs?

Both parents are responsible. The state guidelines determines how much support is paid. The income of both parties are taken into consideration. If one party makes more then the other, their part of the support will be greater. If the custodial parent makes more, their part is greater then the non custodial parent and vice versa.

If you income goes down, have the support modified.

Quit whining and take responsibility. If you couldnt afford children, you should not have had them.

Answer 3

Irresponsible breeders are out of control. People who get married or procreate without thinking are out of control.

Child support is a RIGHT to a child who didn't ask to be born to parents who didn't have their **** together enough to pick an appropriate life partner and stay with that person to see to the raising of the child.

As to when a man's income goes down......well does the CHILD or the person raising the child get to go to the grocer on the corner and say "can you lower the price of these diapers and formula because I got a pay cut this week"......NO.

People need to shut it whining about their child support and start realizing that it is a moral and legal obligation to a CHILD, not a form of punishment.

Answer 4

No.. It is not out of control. Irresponsible parents are out of control.

For the record, I am a libertarian. I am not in favor of a nanny-state or government welfare. Simply put, I would rather the state force you to pay an extra $400 per month than a single cent less than your responsibility. I, nor any other citizen, should be responsible for feeding, clothing, and educating your child. It is as simple as that.

If anything, having a severe and forceful child support system should instill some fear in people who engage in irresponsible unprotected sex with partners they are not willing to raise children with.

Answer 5

In many states, the child support is based on a person's annual income. That way it averages out better. The judge will look at your income tax return for the previous year, adjust for any raises etc and base the amount to be paid based on that.

Answer 6

The way it should work is that each parent should be forced to pay half of the minimum needed to provide food, clothes, medical, and shelter. Anything above that would be discretionary just like it is in any other family. This BS of allowing the custodial parent to ride on the kids "lifestyle" award is the reason for all the resentment.

Answer 7

Absolutley out of control. No oversight and very far reaching power - If you thought the DMV was bad, Child Support Enforcement is like the Nazi SS.