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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    21

    Default Public Assistance

    My question involves child support in the State of: California

    My ex-husband has lives in Montana, has over $35,000 in arrearages and I have not received any sort of payment since last August. I most recently found out that he and his current wife are on public assistance from the DA's office and there was "nothing they can do about collecting support at this time."

    My question to you is this, is this really true? There's absolutely nothing I can do? I realize that you "can't bleed a turnip", but the fact of the matter is - why should I accept this and just "deal"? Why aren't the courts willing to do anything to help me with this? I'm not sure how the law works with non-custodial parents on public assistance, but it I can't make sense of how the government will give you money to support your family even though you have child support arrearages?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Toledo, OH
    Posts
    16,307

    Default Re: Public Assistance

    but it I can't make sense of how the government will give you money to support your family even though you have child support arrearages?
    Should they be left to starve while they seek work?

    Child support is based on income. If you're not earning income, you're not going to be able to pay - not child support, not your own basic living expenses. It's simple arithmetic.

    While I'm certainly sympathetic to your problem, I'm not sure what you think should be done here, as assistance payments cannot be attached.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Public Assistance

    [QUOTE=cginsberg76;292693]My question involves child support in the State of: California

    My ex-husband has lives in Montana, has over $35,000 in arrearages and I have not received any sort of payment since last August. I most recently found out that he and his current wife are on public assistance from the DA's office and there was "nothing they can do about collecting support at this time."

    My question to you is this, is this really true?
    Unfortunately, yes. What is there TO be collected?


    There's absolutely nothing I can do?
    Unless you know someone willing to give him a job (and make him take it) that pays enough to pay you back, no. Pray, maybe.

    I realize that you "can't bleed a turnip", but the fact of the matter is - why should I accept this and just "deal"?
    Bleeding a turnip is right on the nose. The government can do all sorts of nasty things to him, from suspending his driver's license, to revoking many types of professional licenses and certifications, to intercepting his income tax returns (only helpful if he's actually working and paying taxes), and even putting him in jail (which still won't magically create money in his possession to be taken for support).

    Why aren't the courts willing to do anything to help me with this?
    The courts have issued an order for payment. That's what they can do. They can't put a gun to his head and march him to work at a high paying job.

    I'm not sure how the law works with non-custodial parents on public assistance, but it I can't make sense of how the government will give you money to support your family even though you have child support arrearages?
    Because then it only creates TWO sets of victims; your kids, and the kids he had after your kids. Guess his new significant other couldn't see the writing on the wall based on how he treated the kids he already had with you (if she even knows about you and your kids). Sad, but people do stupid things when they are all twitterpated.

    Your frustration over this whole thing is very much understandable, and unfortunately, it is a story we hear on these boards quite often. The simple truth is, the government can make a NCP who doesn't pay support miserable in lots of ways, but NONE of those ways (with the one exception of intercepting income tax returns) is going to generate money for the children; government has no ability for FORCE someone to work, or make more money, or stop them from creating even MORE children they can't or won't support.

    On the bright side, or at least of just a little comfort maybe, is that public assistance is questionably not even enough to pay for minimal living expenses, AND public assistance is time limited, AND stops paying out additional amounts for extra children (like it used to).

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