$25 fee to collect child support...

[OneTimeSBX]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

$25 for the state to do their job?

Stupid.

If anything, they should charge the $25 to the person they are collecting FROM as punishment for having to track them down and make them pay.

apparently, "it would be harder to collect from the non-custodial parent"...i dont see where that is the custodial parents problem! its really not that difficult. if you cant pay it, you go to court, and follow the proper procedures to get it suspended or reduced or whatever option the judge offers. you dont just stop paying.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by OneTimeSBX

apparently, "it would be harder to collect from the non-custodial parent"...i dont see where that is the custodial parents problem! its really not that difficult. if you cant pay it, you go to court, and follow the proper procedures to get it suspended or reduced or whatever option the judge offers. you dont just stop paying.

Isn't that why they're getting involved in the first place...because it's "harder to collect from them"???

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by OneTimeSBX

apparently, "it would be harder to collect from the non-custodial parent"

That's a weak argument (I know you're not the one making it, SBX). According to the article, the fee is assessed only to those families who receive $500 or more per year in child support. If a family doesn't receive the support they're entitled to, the fee isn't assessed. I would expect that the non-custodial parents who DON'T pay what they're required to are the ones who would skip out on paying this fee. (In my opinion, these are the ones who should pay an even larger fee, but that's beside the point.) The non-custodial parents who DO pay what they're required to would, more than likely, pay this nominal fee (I mean really, it's only $25 a year).

I think it boils down to the fact that it's easier for the state to collect this fee from the child support recipients, and that's why they chose that route. It's simply a case of laziness, if you ask me.

[OneTimeSBX]

$500 bucks a year is $41.66 a month. that is just enough for me to fill my gas tank and go back down to the courthouse each month.

and although i hate to go this route as well, you have to be broke as HELL to qualify for anything these days. i think its fair that you dont pay if you are on public assistance but my god, who only collects that $500?? i know $25 is a lot less than a lawyer, etc. but hit up the parent who is screwing up to begin with...