Rapper agrees to higher payments after years of no child support

Developing a fair and appropriate arrangement when it comes to child support payments is something every divorcing parent strives for. It may not always feel like that, though, and in fact many parents end up unhappy with either the support they must pay or the support they receive. However, parents should keep in mind that when a significant change happens in a parent’s life, there may be an opportunity to request a modification of a child support order in California.

Too many parents falsely believe that there is nothing that can be done about child support. However, there are, in fact, circumstances that warrant a modification. Parents should know that in the event of a significant life change, alterations to an agreement could be possible.

The problem many parents have is that they do not speak with someone regarding the modification of child support. They either lose everything they have or become negligent with payments. If a person has lost his or her job or has experienced a similar event, it would certainly warrant a request to the courts. Without asking the question, the answer is always no. Parents may be learning this the hard way.

Recently, rapper and TV personality Flavor Flav, whose real name is William Drayton, recently found himself facing serious jail time for failure to pay child support. He reportedly owed more than $111,000 in payments to the mother of three of his children. After years as a successful rapper and unexpected TV personality, it seems as though his lifestyle has changed.

However, instead of being proactive about modifying his payments, Flav fell behind and wound up facing serious consequences. He paid a sum of $25,000 to the mother this week, and also apparently agreed to increase his monthly payments by $1,200 to make up for the remaining funds. It is unknown why he agreed to pay higher monthly amounts when he has not been able to make a full payment in roughly 2 years.

For a parent in a similar situation, serious changes in finances and employment are two reasons that a modification in child support amounts may be allowed. Working with a legal representative, instead of falling months and months behind on payments, can be very beneficial for everyone involved.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Flavor Flav Avoids Jail Sentence, Pays $25,000 In Back Child Support,” June 21, 2012