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Child Support

Inneedofgrace's picture
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Child Support - here are my ideas for making it more fair. Let me know your thoughts and ideas.
1. It could work like a business expense report. The receiving parent should have to submit receipts on a monthly basis to substantiate legitimate expenses for the child. If they cant afford to pay upfront, they could use a special debit card that worked only for approved expenses. It would work the same way a medical flexible spending account works at the pharmacy or healthcare provider's office in that you can swipe it at the pharmacy, and it will cover Rx and OTCs, but not make-up and paper plates.
2. The paying parent could be ordered to pay into to a college saving account (529), or health/medical savings account in the CHILD'S NAME only and legally only accessible by/for the child.

prozac_nation's picture

Those are fantastic ideas.
I could also see it fair by working like WIC, maybe. Coupons for what is acceptable to buy but with a way to also be able to pay rent/bills with them if needed.

prozac_nation's picture

I also wouldn't see any harm in possibly drug testing people that receive it. I'm tired of hearing how BM is spending the CS on pot.

Ommy's picture

I personal belive if it is over $300 a month the primary parent has to prove they are also spendin the same amount to support thir kid. For example my FDH paid BM $700 a month in cs and bm got to sit on her ass and live off of it. I believe if one parent has to pay it is only fair the other has to pay the same amount towards the child. It would stop women from working the system and having multiple kids with multiple men.

Inneedofgrace's picture

Ohhhhhh I love this idea... A matching CS deal. If it is determined that the BM can't afford to match the ammount, she could have to pay an equivalent percentage of her income into the CS fund.

3littlemonkeys's picture

I was married for 13 years to a man who paid support. I'm a woman who "should be" collecting it now.

I can't imagine having to mess around this much over CS. Just pay it and be done with it.
As a BM, I'm pretty busy actually RAISING my kids to save a spreadsheet for my XH.

Inneedofgrace's picture

No, no... The receiving parent would not have to do the paperwork... The state agency would manage all that.

Inneedofgrace's picture

YIKES! Relax and have a bowl of ice cream or something. I'm just trying to generate some creative thinking. Smile

herewegoagain's picture

Taxpayers are ALREADY paying for every person who files for child support and even more, for those who actually collect it! lol If they don't collect the CS, odds are, they wouldn't qualify for welfare...and even if they did, the amount from welfare would be less than what they are paying in matching funds through their tax dollars anyway...lol Oh, not to mention that everytime some idiot decides to put someone in jail for not paying cs, it costs the taxpayers more than if they just gave them welfare...lol Oh my, too bad the "taxpayers" are so blind they still don't get how they are being scammed by the states...hehe

Notmyownlife's picture

This would be a good idea for certain situations

If you have a parent thats constantly taking the other parent back to court for CS modification for 1 reason or another then yes i think the parents should have to show what they are spending money on

BM in our situation gets $200 a month, I know thats not a lot of money at all to pay and we dont complain about it, But it was a long hard road just to get it to that.

BM makes 4 times the amount BD does. We have the kids 60% of the time and she has them 40%. We also provide 100% medical and 100% school clothes, school supplies, pay for all field trips, pay for 100% of thier school lunches, and anytime they need something like new shoes or a new backpack or clothes we pay for it 100% . We even pay 50% of her sitter fees even though int he court papers it says BD has first dips on the kids so they dont have to go to a sitter but she takes them anyway

recently she applied for a modiciation in support . She wants more money because she states that the kids are older now ( mind you last modification was made 6 months ago ) and cost more to raise, Id like to know how she figures that since she doesnt pay for anything related to them at all.

She just moved to a more expensive house, bought a new car and when she showed up to her first court hearing she was wearing prada shoes with a matching purse, I know that sounds silly to complain about but if she can afford these things and pays for nothing for the kids does she really have to have more money?

Ive been out of work for a few months ( due to cancer) and our finances are a little tight, i might even have to apply for food stamps just to get us through the next 3 months, we arent greedy people and hubby is NOT a deadbeat dad, but hes always treated like one because he is now balking at extra CS, you would think since we have kids more and she makes more than him she would have to pay,

but it would be nice to know wher this money goes to, It would be different if she was paycheck to paycheck and it had to go towards bill , then theres already proof shes using for it the kids because she has a place to live, electric and water, but this sadly is not the case

Inneedofgrace's picture

Whew! You got it bad, Girl! I'm sorry to hear this.
You know, they say the Devil wears Prada, right Wink

herewegoagain's picture

Why would the paying parent have to pay into a college fund? The kids of intact families do not get this by law...Also, why would the PAYING parent be made to do such a thing and not the custodial?