Why is child support like extortion in America?

Question

Seriously, some of these payments judges order men to pay is nothing short of extortion! Ricky Williams has to pay $4,200 a month to the mother of one of his children, plus pay life insurance and hold $500,000 in an account for him. RIDICULOUS! All for having a kid? What a joke!

Men have been complaining for years about this system. I've met guys who were about to go to prison for not paying support, even when they're looking up and down for jobs! That's just wrong!

Answer 1

While I could care less about Ricky Williams, I think in many cases child support is abused. I know several men who have paid their child support even though they know the child is not getting it. The courts need to start forcing the ex-wives to account for where that money goes.

Answer 2

I agree, A resonable amount is ok, but in a sense when they are having to pay so much money a month they are just making a better life for the mother not the kid.

If it is about the kid and the mother needs that much money for the kid to have the lifestyle of the dad why isnt the kid just placed with the father as he is able to provide the lifestyle without having to have it supplied to them by someone else.

There is a amount of money it takes to raise a kid. This amount doesnt change becuase the dad makes more money. If the courts and mother are worried about the kid being able to live a better life (more money) then place the child with the dad so he can.

The people who say the men should keep it in their pants or wrap it up are not yelling about the women closing their legs. The way the system is now the man who makes a lot of money is punished by the courts for getting a woman pregnant while a woman who doesnt make a lot of money is getting rewarded for getting pregnant when they are equally responsible for the result.

Women need to stop playing the victim in these things do you really think it takes her $4200.00 a month to raise the child? if he is paying his share (50%) the court must be saying that it takes $8,400.00 a month to feed, house and clothe this child. That is 100,800.00 a year to raise a kid and 1,814,400

Since most families dont make this in a lifetime I am confused how so many people have one or more kids.

For the one's who are saying he shouldnt complain becuase it is a small portion of his income. Who do you think is the real person who benifits from this child support. If the mother wasnt getting the money from him would she still enjoy the same lifestyle she is with the child support? nope but if the kid lived with the father he could live the same lifestyle. So the courts if they were worried aboutthe kid not having every advantage why wouldnt they place them with the parent who could supply it instead of taking it from one parent to give it to another so he can

Reasonable child support is a must but unreasonable support is just unfair and extortion. Every father should pay to give their xhild what they need but they shouldnt have to fund a better life for the mother.

At 4200,00 a month this mother never has to work and can live a lifestyle most people who work can not imagine.

I could put a roof over a kids head, feed them, clothe them, insure them, entertain them, and everything else for much less than 4200.00 a month.

Answer 3

I have a female friend who pays child support. She is a student so her child is raised by the child's father. Although her money is tight - her support gets paid each month.

Child support is not intended to be given to the child- it is used to help pay for a roof over their heads, food to eat, clothing to wear. So if the child has a bed to sleep in then the child is getting the money!

Child support is also based on the financial status of the father (or mother).

Another friend was divorced recently. She made 2x as much as her husband. She was given custody of their son. As such, the child support that her ex-husband was ordered to pay was very small. That's because, had the parents been together - as the breadwinner in the relationship - she would have paid 2 thirds of the child's expenses. So when child support was figured - she did not get a large award. It was not even enough to cover the cost of daycare so she could work. But that's because she made more money then him. She also did not get spousal support (b/c she made more money). She did not have to pay spousal support to him b/c he was caught having an affair and in our state, that prevents support being paid to the cheating partner (regardless of gender).

Answer 4

Stop complaining. 4200 a month is pennies if you are bringing in millions of dollars per year. Do the math that is 50,400 per year, plus life insurance on a child is at best 100 per month even on a multi-million dollar policy. Furthermore, he is making interest on the 500,000 in an account. So a multi millionarie has to pay about 75,000 to 100,000 dollars per year for his child. No that is not ridiculous when you consider that he is only paying maybe 1-5 percent of his income to his child.

Answer 5

First of all- the money is not supposed to go TO the children. It is to be used to support them. What many don't understand is that includes putting a roof over their heads, feeding , clothing,etc. Both parents have a duty to support the child, and a child has a right to that support. When, and it is the exception rather than the rule, the custodial parent neglects the child and uses the support for drugs, entertainment, etc., the non-custodial parent should provide proof to the court. Each state has its own formula for setting support based usually on the combined income of the parents. It is not designed to be abusive to either sex. Most of the people I see complaining are the ones who hate their exes so much, they deny their kids to get even.

Answer 6

If you checked with Ricky Williams, I'm sure he was aware of this possibility before he had a child.

The courts look at what is in the best interest of the child.

I have no problem paying child support. What I do have a problem with is you have no control where that money goes. Mom doesn't have to give any of it to the kids, and the law can do nothing about it.

Answer 7

Nope, it's a pretty good system. Ricky pays so much because he makes so much. He should be raising the kid but instead he gets to pay like the kid is with him.

If your buddy is going to jail then he has skipped out of paying before. You don't go to jail if you don't have a job.

Most guys get in trouble because they are idiots. They spawn then swim up stream. And when they get caught they think if they ignore it the problem will just go away.

Wrong-o buckwheat. I'm a guy.

Answer 8

Tofu is right. I have full custody of my two sons and the ex pays $67 per month. I don't have a high income either. Less then 24 K.

Answer 9

unfair nonsensical punishment. Men allowed it to happen to them,without realizing it. courts don't need to be involved in family business.

added. trooper,forget williams. i agree with your last part,but the courts are not concerned about the kids,money is their concern. BTW,i'm a father that won custody without a lawyer.

Answer 10

My husband has a child outside of our marriage and to tell you the truth, it is probably because women are really pissed off about the BS that men put them through. Men should keep it in their pants if they can't be a responsible sex partner. We can all have fun if we just wrap it up. Look at women have been complaining about and then you will realize that men need to step up to the plate!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 11

My ex-husband transferred all of his assets to one of his adult kid's names from a previous marriage (for whom he did not pay child support) and since he's an independent contractor, they can't nail him down to garnish his wages. He lives in a 1 million dollar + home, has his mistress and 3 cars, international vacations and all the perks.

After paying off all of his student loans for him while I gave up my dream of college while bearing him the 4 kids he so deeply wanted, he decided I wasn't interesting anymore and took off with a woman young enough to be his daughter. I am working 2 jobs for a total of over 70 hours a week to barely make the mortgage on a $75,000 home. I drive an old beat-up pick-up truck which runs on prayers and gas fumes and get to pay all of the utilities, insurance, taxes, school fees, orthodontia, clothing, food and all of those other glamorous things that came from the privilege of being his wife. He takes absolutely no responsibility whatsoever for his kids. I never asked for a dime in maintenance. I never asked for the house. I never asked for a stick of the furniture. I asked him to do his part to support the children he helped to bring into this world. Not an unreasonable amount, either, I asked him for $200 per child per month for a total of $800. He is now in arrears of over $100,000 in child support for the past 10-1/2 years. While he's lolling in the beach with his mistress in Mexico, I'm trying to figure out how to send his kids to college so they can have a better life and I work overtime.

Please explain to me how asking him to do his part is extortion and I'm being unfair. Explain to me how it's fair that he drives a Mercedes and vacations in Europe and I have to tell his son that I can't afford his braces AND football camp. Explain to me how it's fair that he comes and goes as he pleases without a debt (because I paid them off) or a care in the world and I get to cry myself to sleep some nights wondering how I'm going to make the next mortgage payment of a lousy $451 a month AND put groceries on the table for 4 growing boys? Yes, I'm a real man-eater and my ex is surely the victim because he was asked to share in the responsibility of parenthood.

My 17 year-old promised me just this evening that he would never be like his father and he would always live up to his responsibilities. Somehow, it made my ex seem so trivial.

For those of you giving my response a thumbs down, what kind of a man are you to think this is O.K.? Not a man at all. Yeah, I'm sure crying the blues for Ricky Williams...