Should parents who RECEIVE child support, be required to account for how they spend the money for each child?

Question

Shouldn't a child support payor, be assured that his or her money is actually being used to support his or her child?

A lot of good answers tonight - pro and con.

As a side note - I pay almost 900 dollars a month, for one child, and I have NO idea if that money is doing anything to better her life.

I'm asking for accountability - that's all.

If I'm paying for something - shouldn't I get a receipt?

Answer 1

As one of the payors, you're damnn right!! And an accountability, line by line on a budget, can be demanded and attained. God Bless you.

Answer 2

No, they should not have to do that. Although this sounds reasonable in theory, much of the time the money is spent on things the child needs that other members of the family benefit from, too. The money can also be used for paying the rent or mortgage and buying groceries. It is ridiculous to expect the custodial parent to make receipts for each and every item that goes into the household which the supported child benefits from along with other members of the family. As long as the child is fed, clothed and has a roof over his head, the noncustodial parent has nothing to complain about. If there are suspected issues of the money going for drugs or partying, then the noncustodial parent should raise the issue with the court and try to get custody of the child for the betterment of the child's welfare. All the payor should make sure of is that the child is being well cared for, and the support is part of that assurance.
(And, by the way, much of the time it isn't enough to cover expenses.)

Answer 3

If this is a personal concern for you and not just a general question, I would seriously look into it if you can. The reason I say so is this:

Growing up, my mother always told me there wasn't enough money for anything "extra" - not even $5 for going to the movies with my friends. I really only had the vaguest idea about child support and since my dad wasn't "living high on the hog", I just thought I had two poor parents and that was that. After my dad died and I had to go through his papers, I discovered that while I was growing up, he sent my mother almost 3 times what the court ordered each month, I guess because he wanted "the best" for me. I don't know how my mother spent that money, but I assure you, it wasn't on me. (Heck - this was the 80s and my mother was receiving more money than my family lives on now - and she had her own job salary,too.) I had Goodwill clothes, K-mart shoes and never got to participate in many extra-curricular activities because I was told we couldn't afford them.

If you're paying child support and you're suspicious about how it's being spent, please, for the sake of your child(ren) look into it very carefully!

Answer 4

No. This would be a tedious task that is frankly ridiculous to ask. Considering that a parent provides, food, clothing, shelter, electricity, cable, heating and cooling, telephone service and transportation it is insulting to ask this of the custodial parent. I myself am not a parent, but have several friends who are. What they receive in child support doesn't nearly pay for these essentials let alone the incidentals. What happens when Jill needs a prom dress or Jack wants a class ring or Sally wants guitar lessons? What about the present Tim has to bring to his friends birthday party? I could go on and on.

Hey, it sucks forking out money when you don't know where it's going. Probably feels like you're lighting it on fire. It's just the way it is.

Answer 5

I think they should!

My dad's been paying child support to his ex-wife for their three kids together for my entire life (I'm gonna be 19 this year, they're older than me), it's very ridiculous. She hasn't used ONE penny on the children at all either, and the children have all said that. She only uses the money to buy herself more useless junk to crowd their house up in. I heard this from her own child (my half-sister) too! They lived in Michigan, whereas we lived in Ohio, and their mother would send them over here in winter without winter coats, and make us buy them winter coats, boots, even Christmas gifts because she refused to spend money on them!

I think the money should definately be accounted for, every penny, so something like the above doesn't happen. The kids definately didn't deserve a life like that.

Answer 6

No. The judgement was decided by the laws and the judges about how much support is to be received.
It is calculated based on the incomes of both parents and it's never enough to cover their expenses anyhow.
Food, clothing, shelter, entertainment, activities, school supplies, birthday/christmas presents, etc. It's crazy but it's not close to being enough to support kids.

Answer 7

Yes... in 1982 me and x were divorced Well to make a long story short, the x was taking the money and buying smack and shooting it...
When i went to the D.H.S. they told me that they did not care what she did with the money as long as she got it...
That i had no proof of her actions even tho the girls were telling me all this in my once monthly telephone calls till they up and disappeared for 8 years to god knows where... they never saw a dime and i am still paying for her habit to this day!

Answer 8

I say No if he or she so concerned then when they pays their child support then they should also buy his or her child something.His or Her child needs a roof over his or her head,food & utilities so how does the mother or father survive the dead beat Dad or Mom should of thought of this before he or she Acted Dumb..My Brother's a Dead Beat Dad & I Remind him of this every chance I get it's been over 20yrs & he's just getting papers served on him I say good go 2 jail U Deserve it he thinks oh their all grown sorry I don't think that way pay up or serve your time..

Answer 9

The amount of child support is hardly ever enough to take care of all the needs of a child. I was a single mother and it took every penny I made to support my kids even with child support. Of course, my ex thought they should wear gold shoes with the money he paid.

Answer 10

I agree. I never received it because I had a decent job, & you can't get blood out of a turnip, so I didn't bother. But, back to your question, they could save receipts for clothing, groceries, etc.

Answer 11

I do believe they should. I think that if they should have to keep every single receipt that proves what the money went for. But that's just my take on the situation.