Unpaid child support and its consequences
Parents living in Orange County, California, may know that one of their primary obligations is to support their children. Married or not, both parents are obligated to support their kids. Child support helps cover the child’s basic needs; like clothing, food, education and medical expenses. Unfortunately, parents do not always fulfill their child support obligations and such a financial lapse ultimately hurts the children.
Parents in all 50 states, including California, may find this story significant. It is about a man who owes child support to his children — all nine of them.
A 44-year-old Wisconsin father has nine children with six different women. He owes nearly $100,000 in child support — $50,000 in unpaid financial support and $40, 000 in interest.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court prohibited the father from siring any more children. The court order was included in his three-year probation from the court. The court papers say that if he is not able to support his children financially, he is not allowed to have any more. Additionally, he needs to prove that he can afford to financially support the children that he already has.
Child support payments can be received by the custodial parent or the parent who the children spend the majority of the time living with. The amount of child support may be based on the income of both parents and the child’s basic needs. Child support payments may be also be subject to modification. Child support modification may arise if the non-custodial parent’s ability to pay increases or decreases; such as a change in employment.
On the other hand, if the parent fails to pay child support, the court, together with the child support agency, may join efforts in order to enforce and obtain payments. The court may use a child support withholding order, which is deducted from the parent’s paycheck. Parents who do not pay child support may also suffer consequences like suspension of driver’s license or business license, confiscation of real estate and personal property or imprisonment.
Source: Journal Times, “Deadbeat dad sentenced to probation, ordered not to procreate,” Kristen Zambo, Dec. 3, 2012
