Taxpayers Pay Billions Due to Deadbeat Parents

 Posted on November 15, 2012 in Child Support

A recent CNN Money article reports that over $100 billion in unpaid child support is owed nationwide. Almost half of that amount - an estimated $53 billion - is actually owed to taxpayers who are supporting children and families who turn to public assistance programs when their child support goes unpaid. While these figures may be astonishing to taxpayers, they are even more devastating for the custodial parents who are struggling to raise children completely on their own, and often falling into poverty in doing so.

All states have enforcement agencies set up that are designed to establish and enforce child support orders, and people also can use private attorneys to bring deadbeat parents back to court in an attempt to collect their support payments. However, given the sheer amounts of child support owed and the difficulties of enforcing orders in some cases, these attempts are not always successful. For instance, some parents who attempt to evade their court-ordered support obligations will simply turn to the underground economy for work, a source of income that garnishment orders cannot reach and courts often cannot prove.

On the other hand, some parents who are ordered to pay child support complain about the high and perhaps unrealistic support orders to which they are subject, as well as the inflexibility of courts in modifying their support orders when they truly are unable to pay as ordered. In times of job losses and incarceration, it is no wonder that some parents quickly rack up thousands of dollars in child support debt.

Whether you are having difficulty enforcing your child support order or having trouble meeting your child support obligation, a skilled DuPage County child support attorney can make all the difference in getting you the relief that you need. Call us today for a thorough evaluation of your case, and see how we can help you through this difficult situation.