Do you really think child support is being spent on the children?

Question

Courts allocate child support payments based on the income of the responsible person (note not always the father). If this person works on minimum wage we can assume that all of the little money he can pay is being spent on feeding and clothing the child/children. But what about women who get like 20k and up a year in child support ? Can they really blindly trust the mother to spend ALL of the child support money on the children needs, or do we need to hold the mother accountable to make sure she does not spent any of the child support money on herself, even if she clothes and feeds the children ?

Of course it all adds up. But still can we trust women to save what does not get spent to make it avaiabel for the child for, Idk, college or whatever he wants.

No I do not pay child support and I never will.

Answer 1

OK, lets see...
-rent; 1000
-electric 300-500
-food 400-600
-heat 300-400
-phone/cable 100
-water bill 50
-sewer bill 50
THESE ARE BILLS THAT THE WOMAN WOULD HAVE IF SHE HAD KIDS OR NOT!!!!!
so no they don't spend it all on the kids,,,, child support is more like a free ride than anything

so lets see
diapers 75per month (if your too good for cloth diapers )
-formula 200 ( way less if you get wic)
clothing/shoes/boots 200-400 every 2 to 3 months ( if the woman's greedy and shops at GAP)

this is about 475 to 600 a month
so now lets be FAIR and split The ACTUAL cost of the kid and divide that by two that's 237.50 up to 300 a month

judges can add well there problem is in there division

cant figure that out

call 1800-i can't divide

Answer 2

Well it seems someone would have spoken up way before he turned 18. However, I receive child support when and if my ex feels like it. Do I take that money and spend it on my child? Yes and no. Most importantly I make sure that my house payment is paid, and my utilities are paid. I consider that supporting my child. This aunt and uncle have three other children at home as well. 500.00 does not do much when you have four children in the home. But it sounds to me like these people are being neglectful of everyone concerned. My guess is that they use that money to pay for bills. I think it's hard to judge anyone in this situation. My son needs braces but know what? I can't afford to get them right now. There are a lot of things I wish I could do but can't. However, I do always make sure that they have the necessities and would never have them living in that situation. If he's 18 now I'm not sure there's much he's going to be able to do about it. I would contact his own parents if I were him. Get a job, and do the best he can in this life on his own.

Answer 3

First, I find it interesting that you say that the person responsible for child support is not always the father, yet you accuse only a mother of spending money on things not needed by the children.
Second, what do you consider something a child "needs?" A child doesn't need many things parents provide to them. Do kids really need trips to McDonalds, or brand new bikes? No.
Third, a parent may use child support for themselves in a way to raise the child. For example, buying gasoline and other car parts, or buying a house instead of living in an apartment. If the other parent is paying 20k a year in child support, I'm not real sure that it matters, the payee isn't hurting for money while perhaps the person raising the child is.

Answer 4

Okay, first of all, Child Support isn't based solely on a persons income. The courts also judge how much time the not-custodial parent gets with the child. The more time spent with the child, the less child support paid, and vice versa.

The intent of child support is to reasonably continue support of the child in the manner they are accustomed to. So if a child is used to having an extravegant lifestyle, then the courts will attempt to continue that lifestyle for the child.

Lastly, no one "blindly" trusts the custodial parent to spend the money only on the child. If that were the case, then there would be no precedent for the other parent to ask the courts to check into the spending habits of the custodial parent.

Now, as for accounting for the money spent...

I'd like to see ANYONE figure out, down to the last penny, how much money is spent on an individual. How much of my rent goes towards my kids? How much electricity do they actually use? How much food do they actually eat?

That is an impossible calculation.

Answer 5

Well, the court sets the amount that will keep the child "living in the same lifestyle" as before the divorce... so if mom and dad are rich, I quess the non custodial parent is gonna pay alot of support. But you are missing a point here. I am a single mom. I think it is fair to say that child support doesnt jsut pay for food and clothes. Kids need decent roof over thier head, heat in the winter, lights, mom needs wheels to take kid to school, or doc appt., ect. My ex doesnt understand that either. The long distance calls to made appt. for the dentist. The money for the class party or field trips. It ALL adds up.. many many moms cant get by on the little child support they DO get. Its not just food and clothes the kids need that support for!

Answer 6

I know for a fact that child support is not all used up on the kids. I think it is unfair to try and add up all the expenses a parent would be paying regardless of if they have a child or not like a phone bill or car expenses come on give me a break. Women like that are the reason good men don’t want to get married in the first place. And what’s this business about supporting the child’s life style as it was during the time the father was still around. Kids could care less about there life style all they want is there mom and dad. Most chicks are bitter about the fact that the man left and they decide to use the child against them. Every case is different some of us should of gotten custody of the child but didn’t because they could not afford the right representation. And if you fight that hard to get custody of a child don’t you think you should be ready to take care of it with out assistance from the other. Obviously your not together he may not want anything to do to with you but yet what we call justice is making the man pay out the butt so some chick can go out get her nails done pay some doped up baby sitter to watch your kid and blow your money on beer and drugs. Look bottom line the system is screwed up there are good people who mean right and want to be able to cover every cent of there child’s needs but are unable to. This is not to say that a parent should not take care of his responsibility but this system is not right it’s to general and good people are made to suffer for it. We all make foolish mistakes in the mist of what we think is love but fail to realize that the feeling of that love can easily turn to hate and most women use the kids to get back at the men for what ever wrong them may feel bottled up inside. At this point I fought hard to gain custody of my son I even told her I would not accept child support it was obvious she did not want him in her life and I was fine with that. I was prepared to do what ever it took to ensure that he had a better way of life than I did at his age. But to no surprise the courts gave her custody. This no doubt after they knew she was violent and used drugs on a regular basis. I did not live the same life style as she did she would do most of the things she did away from home so that I would not find out then one day I come home from work to find my son at the age of 3 in the middle of the street with no adult in sight. So tell me where is the justice not only do I pay child support I cant afford to eat, I'm still trying to go to school and the best part is I never get to see my son. Where is the justice?

Answer 7

I received about $300 for 3 kids..it never all went to the kids,,,I just used i as bonus money. My kids are my kids and I will support them, child support to me is for beer, ice cream and junk funk. Maybe buy the kids a fancier pair of shoes then I usually would.
I also feel that a Mother that has children (or who a single woman)would already have a need for TV,rent and a car.

Answer 8

You sound a little bitter. (Paying support yourself?) Child support is intended as a way to pay for the things that make the now fatherless family run a little closer to what it was like so the kids don't suffer, don't have to be left of things they used to do,have regular meals on their table, etc. etc.
Do you think the judge thinks she's going to take off on a vacation on money?

Answer 9

No, we shouldn't. Some people will focus on their children and others won't. It is basically impossible to predict how people will use the money. We should instead focus on helping poor parents get good jobs. Handouts don't cut it.

Answer 10

that money goes towards rent, electric, gas, school items thru out the year, toys, food, and yes even the luxuries, like your child enjoying t.v., cloths, shoes etc. how ridiculous is your question to hold the parent accountable for every penny. grow up!!!