Laws may up child support
Print
Email
Save
Reprints
Twitter
Share
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
- Page 1 of 3
- SINGLE PAGE VIEW
New child support laws passed this year by the Louisiana Legislature could mean an increase in the financial commitment paying parents make to their children.
State lawmakers debated more than a dozen bills relating to the management of children after their parents break up. Nine were approved by the legislators and ended up on the governor’s desk.
“Child support has a very significant impact on people today,” Robbie Endris, executive director of the Department of Social Services’ Support Enforcement Services Division.
It is typical during a nonfiscal regular session, which is every other year, for lawmakers to push a number of changes to the laws governing child support, she said.
One of the bills that made it into law allows judges to add special expenses for camps, music lessons and sports to child-support obligations.
Tamithia Shaw, co-chair of the child-support guidelines review committee, which recommended the legislation as part of its quadrennial report this year, said her committee found that after a divorce, the noncustodial parent is less willing to pay for activities.
Judges already had the discretion to add support for extra activities, but they felt reluctant to do so, she said.
“They didn’t feel they had the right to add that,” Shaw said.
“We’re really trying to address those situations where they refuse to pay anything,” said state Rep. Joseph Lopinto, R-Metairie and sponsor of House Bill 339.
As it was being considered in the Legislature, some senators argued the bill could create an excessive financial burden on those paying child support.
Lopinto said judges still get discretion in determining what a reasonable request is to provide support.
HB339 also gives the court the option, in cases where the monthly income of the parent exceeds $30,000, to place a portion of the obligation in a trust for the child.
Lopinto said some people, like professional athletes, get large incomes for a short amount of time. When they no longer have that income, their child support obligation drops, he said.
- NEXT PAGE »
- 1
- 2
- 3
-
So where is the obligation for _married_ couples to pay for activities? Where is the requirement that says that they must sign up Timmy or Tammy for one extra-curricular sport a school year?
-
This is rediculous!! The general standard is a 50/50 obligation for activities. Or better yet having legislation to not allow the custodial parent to say no to events if it is being paid for. (My daughter doesnt understand that she cant go to dance class because mommy doesnt want to get up early on saterdays) Government statistics prove that there is a very small number of "deadbeats" among single fathers. Compare the percentages and you will find out that mothers are more likely to default on support. There is no talk of considering wages before making someone pay this extra "support". So often people are put into poverty by support obligations while it generally has no effect on the standard of living in the custodial home. Child support is not a free paycheck, both parents are obligated to take care of their children, this means that both parents should share expenses that are not within the general standard of living as long as they both can afford it.
-
This is the sort of thing that makes me glad to be gay.
-
Tamithia Shaw, Why don't you try and make sure fathers and mothers are treated equal during divorces. I guess that would solve a big portion of the problem. If this would happen, you would lose a big chuck of the dead beats on you payroll. And that wouldn't be good. What ever happen to members of your staff that was caught steeling Hurricane Katrina vouchers. Were they exempt from the law. DSS is failing our children and that is a fact. You cannot make a bad person good. No matter what. I have dealt with DSS and they are the most unorganized and most unethical organization next to the powers that be in Napoleonville. What a sad day in Louisiana. Let's keep our fathers away from their children. You are a disgrace to the human race.
-
They can take this law and apply it whenever they want but if a parent is not willing to cooperate it isn't going to make any difference at all. The Moms and Dads that skip out on their children and refuse to acknowledge their existence are not worthy of any amount of the court's compassion. By a disabled grandmother who has a live in grandchild due to a no good birth mother.
-
They need to make a law that requires custodial parents to show where they are spending their support checks. Since supposedly they love the kids so much. This is a big scam that perpetuates poverty.
-
No $hit, Darren! GAY PRIDE!!!
-
They need to make a law that requires custodial parents to show where they are spending their support checks. Since supposedly they love the kids so much. This is a big scam that perpetuates poverty. I totally Agree. Some people use Child Support For Their Hair,nails, or partying.
-
What if the kids don't want to go and the mother is making them go. But the father doesn't agree with sending his kids to a event they don't want to go to..... Should he have to pay for something that the kid doesn't even want to do in the first place????? I think its up to the child as if they want to go or not, and if both parents can afford it then great.. But what if one parent is much better off than the other? What if one parent can get financial help from boyfriends and her parents to enable her to afford all the toys and nice things for the kids but the other parent can't because he has to be the support for those kids and his new wife... Should he be punished even further to have money taken from him by the useless B@*#H that ruined the marriage in the first place... I have 50/50 custody, and I pay for half of everything, i pay it when I get it, I live check to check to keep up with mommy dearest who has all of her money, her live in fiances' money and her parents support as well... Where's the law to protect me from the mother running me broke and doing anything she can to spend money on the kids so I have to pay half waiting on me to say I can't afford it just so she can take them from me and start getting a check again????? There is none, so why have one to make sure she can empty my pockets??? If this law is passes I'm sure I'll meet all of you because she'll sign them up for everything under the sun and have other people pay for it just to collect the half from me.... Yeah that sounds fair....
-
First, of all quoting from the article "whoever filed 1st get the largest payment" that's' a lie in itself. Because my kids are 14 and 15 and their younger siblings get more child support. Secondly, for these self-employed A** they report what they what to them and when we tell them He's self-employed at more than one church then they say we can only go by what they tell us without the child support people even investigating. And for you MAD AS HELL for the single MOTHERS/fathers to keep record HELL the money is spent before they decide they even want to send especially if you receive $64.00 for TWO KIDS a MONTH what the hell I'm going to keep records of. You probably mad as hell because you're one of the deadbeat. Hell, I'm doing ALL of the SUPPORT AND WHAT. If I don't the daddy sure not.
-
Before the Legislature adds any additional funds to the child support laws, they need to be more concerned with the judges that allow the mothers or fathers to slide through the system with lies, coverups of income, and outright neglect to pay. I have grandchildren who are supposed to be getting support and when the parents go to court because the spouse is not paying, the dead-beat parent outright lies, gets caught lying, and has all of his/her rights protected. When the parent who is owning up to his/her responsibility is doing everything possible to work hard and take care of the child. In our society today, with our judicial system which is in effect, the victim has no rights anymore and the perpetrator is protected to the limits of the law to the point that they continue to be allowed to see the child and have to be included in life decisions regarding the child. This should be turned around to protect the VICTIM and force the dead-beat dads/moms to be penalized to the fullest extent of the law.
-
To whatever : If you're getting $64 dollars in support for two children, its time to head back to court.
-
1. Why should I have to show how I spend a child support check when I'm currently only getting 1 a year when he decides to file his taxes and they garnish them? I promise you I spend a lot more during the year to equal 3-4 or more times that amount. 2. I really don't see how they are going to be able to enforce this additional payment for extracurricular activities when they can't even keep up with regular child support. I have a ton of respect for the men and women who are making what payments they can, checking in with their support enforcement officers, and showing up in court when they are supposed to. I understand that we all have hard times, but some effort is better than no effort at all. My son's father has 3 support cases by 3 different women, has had a bench warrant on him since February 2007, and has only made 1 payment within the last year and that was the tax return garnishment. I see him all over the place, so why can't anyone else find him??? Sorry I went off on a rant, but I think we should make sure our system is working before we try to add more to it. I'd rather get regular child support payments than try to get him to pay for extras on top of it, it's almost a guarantee it won't get paid.
-
To whom it may concern,I don't appreciate someone of questionable intelligence using my name to spew hate, BACK OFF !
-
I sense that you're angry, canuck 1. Take deep breaths. It's okay, canuck 1, I'm gay, just like you and Darren, when you accept your sexual orientation as a gay person, you can let go of that anger.
-
Thanks, Dr. Phil... call me
-
Case in point: My ex's daughter's mother received a VERY large amount of child support each month, on time, every time. I was the one who purchased the majority of the daughter's clothes to make sure she had decent clothes that fit (the mother would send her in clothes 3 sizes too small) and shoes to wear. I did many things for this child because I don't receive any money for my child and know what it feels like not to have financial support. However, this child's mother went on many long weekend trips with girlfriends, ate out at restaurants quite often and partied at the clubs almost every weekend . The mother signed the girl up for dance, gymnastics, etc. then complained about the costs of these activities. I agree that child support money should accounted for - if you can't buy pull-ups for your child and you're asking ME for 20 dollars cash, but you can go out every other night - what's wrong with this picture????
-
To Broke Dad..........It's people like your ex-wife that are truly criminal in this situation. I completely understand your frustration. But, I have to say that griping about her fiance/boyfriend who contributes to your kids happiness is misdirected. I was one of those fiance's/boyfriends. I help with private school tuition, paid for cheerleading uniforms, camps, school supplies, toys, entertainment...you name it. I did it because I wanted to and it was my choice and made the kids happy. Now the difference here is you make every attempt to pay your child support but my step kids dad did not and to this day does not pay anything regulary. He sends enough to keep himself just below the magic $5,000 level. Even though he has let them down and hurt their feeling repeatedly, they still love dear ole dad. They have learned not to trust or believe a thing he says however. I guess what I am saying is that you are a hell of a man to continue paying child support. Your kids will never forget it and regardless of what goes on with your ex-wife's fiance/boyfriend you will always have one over them. You will always be daddy.
-
You continue to up the child support for custodial parents but where is the financial accountablity of that custodial parent if the non-custodial parent finds out or determines that the monetary support is not going to the child but various interests of the custodial parent. I understand that sometimes a single parent my use a portion of it to pay a bill but there are many others who gamble or otherwise throw away the child support on frivilous things.
-
Hey, Dr. Phil, are you the REAL Dr. Phil ??? I am your biggest fan ever.
-
Hey, "Fan" I'm hooking up with dr. Phil, can't you read? Don't make me jump through this internet and kick your behind! BACK OFF, FOO!!!
-
Maybe it's time abortion comes back into the picture as a viable alternative to having a baby before one is ready to accept the responsibility. Just a thought...
-
To some of you,please,if you are not posting on the subject at hand,would you please take your childish games somwheres' else,thank you.
-
If those legislators were married to someone who lied, cheated and was out to destroy them they would not be so quick to give SOME women another weapon. The truth be known most men love and support their children, it's only when another WOMAN comes into the picture that the problems appear. She just can't understand why you have to give that b$$tch money. And many an ex uses support money to feed another man who won't work, tries to molest your daughter and will eventually leave her also. And what are they doing about women (on the system) who are turning out a baby every 11 months and have no idea who the father is?
-
PJ I agree up to a certain point as a person of divorced parents my father was excellent after the divorce (which was his fault), He picked us up EVERY weekend, paid what was asked and was at every school function. Everything changed however when our Mom started seeing someone and later married my stepfather. her father throw us away told us that our Mom went and got us a new daddy and he would not be sending money to care of another man (who by the way made more money than Dad). My point being PJ no one should be able to come in between a man and his children. We had a wonderful stepfather who stood in the gap and not taking anything from but I sure wish my father could have shared in some of those happy times but he was to hard-hearted to but his first and not worry about who our mother had married.
-
Joseph, Who said that broke dad is paying chile support???? He promised to pay half of the children's expenses in exchange for 50/50 custody. The reason he is broke is because he can't/won't keep a job. At one time broke dad was making good money but like all dead beat dads he doesn't want to make too much money so he won't have to pay child support. He isn't a daddy; he is only a father.
-
To anonymous: I've tried going back to court several times. But when the deadbeat knows the attorney for child support and is real good buddies with him then it makes it hard. And what's bad about it the attorney calls himself a preacher "whatever".
-
WELL I BLAME THE COURT SYSTEM FOR THE WHOLE CHILD SUPPORT ISSUES, I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP TAKING A DEAD BEAT BACK TO COURT FOR HIM TO GET A SLAP ON THE WRIST,SO HE GETS AWAY WITH PAYING NOTHING OR 50.00 HERE AND THERE AND GETS TO CLAIM ONE OF THE 2 KIDS ON TAXES AND HE DOES NOT SUPPORT THEM. I ALSO FEEL THAT THESE MEN ARE NOT GETTING FAIR TREATMENT MY HUSBAND NOW PAYS A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF CHILD SUPPORT FOR ONE CHILD ,THIS CHILDS MOTHER REMARRIED THEY BOTH HAVE HIGH PAYING JOBS AND OWN A CURVES FRANCHISE SO WHERE DOES THIS BECOME FAIR, IT DOESN'T. THE COURT SYSTEM (JUDGES) IS WHAT MAKES THE HOSTILE SITUATION AMONG THE PARENTS FAIR IS FAIR. THE PEOPLE TAKING MORE THAN WHAT IS NEEDED TO RAISE A CHILD FOR GREED WILL GET THEIRS ONE DAY,JUST WAIT
Click "Report Abuse" to notify our moderators that a comment may contain objectionable content.
Your comment appears to contain objectionable content and must be reviewed by a site moderator. If your comment is deemed objectionable, it will not appear on the site.
 | ||||
| Most Popular | Most Emailed | Hot Topics | ||
