When a child’s parents separate, a monetary compensation in the form of child support is usually assigned by the court to the parent who primarily takes care of the child. However, even though it’s an important contribution to kids’ well-being and future, some parents refuse to pay it for various reasons.
This dad withheld the money from his children because he wanted to exert control over them. At least that’s what his ex-wife assumed. Whatever the reason, this came to bite him in the behind when his passport was revoked and he was left stranded at the airport.
Some parents refuse to pay child support, thinking they're untouchable
Image credits: OlgaSmolina / enavto (not the actual photo)
This parent was proved wrong when his passport was revoked and he got stranded at the airport
Image credits: friends_stock / envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: SweetAdventurous8418
More than 30% of parents fail to make child support payments
The child support program was introduced in the US in 1975 to ensure that children with divorced parents are financially taken care of. This monetary compensation guarantees that the parent who doesn’t primarily take care of their children still financially contributes to the child’s upbringing. The payments vary depending on the incomes of both parents, along with other factors.
However, a lot of parents don’t succeed at making child support payments. In fact, more than 30% fail to do so, and less than half of the payments are paid in full. "It's not easy to get the money," said attorney Nancy Chausow Shafer. "Many people don't want to pay and find a lot of ways to get around it."
Indeed, some parents skip child support payments on purpose, while others simply can’t afford it, as many noncustodial parents have lost their jobs, are unemployed, underemployed, or suffered an injury, which can easily lead to accumulating debt that becomes unmanageable. Another excuse for not paying child support that lawyers often hear is not getting visitation rights, which they say is simply not an excuse. "Child support is a totally separate issue from visitation or parental hostility," said attorney Linda Smith.
Such refusal or inability to pay child support greatly affects single-parent families, as these households are more likely to live in poverty compared to married-parent households. Each year, child support lifts 750,000 people out of poverty, and without it, children are left to face a plethora of challenges that come with growing up lacking money.
To motivate parents to pay child support, the government can revoke various licenses, including passports
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko / pexels (not the actual photo)
By not paying child support, parents are also going against the law. While the laws vary by state, refusal to pay child support can result in the enforcement of child support orders, which can happen in many ways. Government agencies or courts can force parents to pay child support by garnishing their wages or seizing their property.
This means that a part of the salary is automatically deducted for child support, or their other properties are targeted. The government also has the authority to suspend various parents’ licenses, like a driver's license, and even passports. Such restrictions can significantly impact an individual’s life, which can push them to pay the child support sum they owe.
In case that doesn’t motivate parents to meet their obligations, they might face fines, imprisonment, or both. “If the child support payment is overdue for longer than 2 years, or the amount exceeds $10,000, the violation is a criminal felony, and convicted offenders face fines and up to 2 years in prison,” states the U.S. Department of Justice.
Therefore, experts at LegalMatch recommend parents try their best to pay child support in full each month and avoid civil and criminal penalties. If the parent truly can’t afford it and it puts them in undue hardship, they can ask to modify the child support rates. “However, it should be noted that it is very difficult to obtain a child support modification. Moreover, indebted parents will typically need to make back payments on child support.”
The woman shared more information about the situation in the comments
Some commenters thought the woman did nothing wrong, to which she also responded
Others also added that the father is facing the consequences of his own actions
While some thought she was a terrible person for doing what she did
