Parents struggle with child support payments in tough economyby Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)
(WSBT file photo) ELKHART — For a growing number of divorced parents, tough economic times and layoffs make it difficult to make their monthly child support payments. Multimedia Related Content
The Elkhart County prosecutor is trying to help. “The work here is like slim to none," Anthony Diaz told WSBT News. This year hasn't been easy for Diaz. He was laid off from his factory job — then from his second job before it even started. Paying child support for his three children is nearly impossible. “Basically, now there's no income," he said. "And there's no way in heck I can pay child support — you can't pay what you don't have.” Diaz isn't alone. Judges in the Elkhart County Courthouse hear cases daily of parents unable to make the support payments first agreed upon — because they were laid off. The unemployment rate in Elkhart County reached nearly 9 percent in August — well above the state (5.8 percent) and national average (6.1 percent) — and the child support system is taking notice. “We want to recognize and acknowledge that for those folks we may need to make some adjustments, to assist to make sure the kids do get some support payments made, as opposed to a situation where there's none at all," explained Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill. Hill says for the 12,000+ parents in Elkhart County making support payments, they can ask to pay less if they've been laid off. “Not everyone will qualify but we want to help the ones who can,” said Hill. Hill says this is not an excuse for people to neglect their support payments. You have to prove you've lost your job and you're actively looking for work in order to get your support payments reduced. To apply for a reduction in payments, (which is available in any Indiana county) click on the link in the Related Content box. Tuesday, Oct 7 at 5:54 PM Can' t Believe This! wrote ...I am a single mother with two children. Yes, I have struggled but my kids and I do good. I am not lazy and will put more energy into providing for my children than worrying about who doesn't. I have a male friend that has been taken through the ringer. He pays child support faithly but cannot see his children because of his ex's. One has decided she will just ignore his existence while her new man plays daddy and the other wants him or nothing. Where is the justice? Friday, Oct 3 at 10:48 AM Help wrote ...Im not from the area, but I am a woman with 50/50 custody of two pre-teen aged boys who has to pay my ex over $1200/mth. I do half the care, 95% of the driving and have to give him a check too. Meanwhile, he works a minimum wage job and refuses to better himself because he has my money to make up for it. I now have to choose between heat and cs this winter because I simply cant afford both. I wish there was help for me but I cant get a court date for over 6 mths - too late for winter. Sunday, Sep 28 at 11:08 PM To Lionel wrote ...why don't you go work at mcdonalds? Sunday, Sep 28 at 12:15 AM M. wrote ...I also wanted to say that when I was raising my daughter, my ex-husband quit his job and found one that paid him cash to get out of paying child support. I was working and supported my child by myself. We barely made ends meet. Our daughter could have had a better life if he would have helped financially. Later he LIED to our daughter and told her he paid his child support and I just spent it. I hate dead beat fathers. They don't care about their kids at all. Sunday, Sep 28 at 12:06 AM M. wrote ...Cornfusion, TV is NOT reality. People grow apart, one cheats, one is abusive, or so many other things that drive couples apart. Couples did stay married in the 50's, because women and men chose to in loveless or abusive marriages. I was a child of parents with that kind of marriage. Being with divorced parents would have been better than being in the middle of WWIII all the time. It's sad, but divorce has been happening since bibical times. Saturday, Sep 27 at 11:13 PM withheld wrote ...I work fulltime and pay my child support faithfully each week but u should try to leave on $178.00 aweek after it is payed my x makes more an hour then i do and is remarried and has a nice big house and swimming pool Saturday, Sep 27 at 10:27 PM Cole Trickle 2 wrote ...What's really irritating is many who pay support, and the wife or dad uses that money for beer, cigarettes, pot what ever and then they got the nerve to ask the part time parent to get that kid a haircut or buy them clothes. And the dad only gets to see the kids once a month or something like that. You just want to scream. Saturday, Sep 27 at 10:24 PM Cole Trickle wrote ...That's right "Watch Out" He'll be the first to duck it any way he can. But this thing about not paying support is a court order and if you violate it, your subject to prosecution. The spouse goes to the support office and files a complaint. Then, what? We make a special jail for all the ones who can't pay? If your in jail, you can't make money either! The kids are the one who suffers most, they need the support. It's an abused system and it get's worse with time. Saturday, Sep 27 at 10:51 AM Anonymous wrote ...My son's dad was laid off from his factory job the end of 2006. He has yet to get another job, or look for one. He's married to a woman using the welfare system to her advantage for her two kids, working for her parents and collecting govt. assistance. I work my tail end off to take care of our son, and he parties, tailgates, and recently took a "family vacation" (minus our son) to the East coast. That's when the support reductions infuriate me. Some men take it as an easy out to be lazy. Saturday, Sep 27 at 9:43 AM Anonymous wrote ...It's hard to raise a family or a child with the economy the way it is. The person that has to pay child support is lucky they don't have to provide anything else for the child. Just a check. The other parent has to make sure the child has everything he or she needs and make sure they have a roof over their head and food to eat. It's rediculous that this is even being thought of. What's the parent that has custody to do? They don't get no break from supporting the child! Saturday, Sep 27 at 9:16 AM bee wrote ...i agree with elkhart mom.i dont count on my ex paying support for his son.weve been apart 5 yrs.up till this year ive supported.hes ordered to pay but finds a way not to.we just dont count on it and when we get it its just a nice extra.i do think if you have a child you should want to support them. Saturday, Sep 27 at 8:05 AM Cornfusion wrote ...Have you ever asked yourself why Ward and June Cleaver never had these problems? Wally was always so respectful and the Beaver, although at times quite a stinker, seemed happy and content. I don't think in all the scripts you could find the term 'step' person or child support. When 2 people made a committment to each other they worked 1 job, kept 1 house and had 1 happy family. They were happy with what they had and not preoccupied with what they could have. We are the victims of our own vices. Saturday, Sep 27 at 2:01 AM Elkhart wrote ...Pay something as opposed to nothing???? Great thinking there, Mr. prosecuter! Without a job, how you gonna do that! DUH!!! Saturday, Sep 27 at 12:17 AM Elkhart Moms wrote ...It is hard to pay child support with out a job I am sure.I raised 3 kids by working and not waiting on child support, and when thier father did send them money, it was devided 3 ways and put into thier savings account.I never made thier father pay to see his own kids.and he had to live also and have a home for the kids to stay when they visited.so i never forced him to pay when he and his wife never had it to pay.but if you parents have babies you need to try and help with what you can, BE Kind Friday, Sep 26 at 8:49 PM WHITE_CHOCLTE wrote ...being laid off from work is no excuse for not paying your support. Who is going to take care of your children?? My childrens father is over $25,000.00 behind in elkhart co. and this is just another lame excuse for him not to pay. when your children need clothes, food, school supplies what is a mother to do??? Elkhart Co. stinks at making theese fathers pay. They need to make a prison for theese fathers so they can earn state pay to pay there obligations.work release is to easy for them. Friday, Sep 26 at 7:58 PM John M wrote ...being laid off is not an excuse to avoid your child support payments? of course not. Why should not having money coming in be an excuse for paying an arbitrary number? Friday, Sep 26 at 7:40 PM Elkhart wrote ...Lionel: Get custody of those 5 kids and I bet in 1 week you will pray to God she takes them back. ALSO hey, try to take your case over to St Jo county and Judge Jennifer Manier's court. She has a soft spot for deadbeats and you wont have to worry about not paying support ever again because she will let you slide like she has my deadbeat ex husband who owes over $60,000.00 in child support. Good Luck! (you wont need it in her court) Friday, Sep 26 at 7:01 PM To Lionel wrote ...Yes. Friday, Sep 26 at 6:26 PM WATCH OUT wrote ...who wants to bet that david snyder will be one of the first ones to apply for a reduction in child support.he should put that old lady of his to work because the niles haunted house is about to open soon right?and she dont need make up. Friday, Sep 26 at 6:21 PM Lionel Carruthers wrote ...I got five kids and now I am out of a job and homeless because my wife threw me out of the house telling me I am good for nothing. All because she did not get the check for child support and she is mad at me and my kids. She doesnt work too. I told her to go and get a job as a nurses aid or kitchen helper at macdonalds. Then she really got so upset that started yelling and screaming that I thought the neighbors are gone come to rescue her. I just told her to get a job and support me. Was I wrong Add a comment |
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Wednesday, Nov 5 at 11:00 AM robert diemet wrote ...
i have a child in ark and i payd support till i was laid off i have two kid by my new wife see the mother lost two kids to th state and mine to her mom i payed support to her mom she payed nothing then turns out her mom gives him back to the mother and never has to take me to court and she dont let me see him and child support dose nothing to her i thout you hsd to to go to court gess not no one at the support office will hellp me this is bad hope some one investegats child suppoert