Child Support. Hello? Where Are You?

Next time you call and you get the run around,be difficult. I know it sounds bad,but that is how I had to deal with the child support office.Ask to speak with a supervisor. Tell whoever you are talking to,that you have been getting the same ansewer for 6 months.Be firm but not nasty.If you have to call once a week,I did that. They get real tried of hearing from you and will work harder so you stop calling.It also depends on the state.

I've heard of people having problems in other areas who contacted their state senator and got immediate results. They pull the strings for you. It's worth a try!!

I am sure I will be hung from every tree for my reply. I am a mother of TWO girls and I do not get CS on a regular basis. I am also married to a wonderful man that does not miss a payment for his son.
I DO strongly believe that BOTH parents should equally support the children that they bring into the world. I do not feel that it is up to the state or the taxpayers, and it is not only the fathers place to support children. It is the responsibility of BOTH people that brought the child into the world.

I sorry you are having so much trouble. Your ex has to be on top of this too. It's not all on you.
My mom had the same trouble and she never got any support at all. Go directly to his boss at work. If you leave it to the state, they take forever, as you know.
Good Luck.

Hi
We have been getting the run around for over 4 years. My husbands ex-wife owes over $20,000. They have her current address, current cell phone # and all other info they need. She works but we are finding out she is working for cash illegally. We are having to hire a private lawyer to help us out. Good luck and just keep calling them and letting them know you are still there and waiting.
Chris

I am actually doing a documentary on our social system. This is very very very typical. As I have found whomever calls the most, bitches the most and get the most annoying gets stuff done first. I am not kidding. The more annoying you are the more they bump you up on the list. Case workers typically just let their voice mail answer the calls and never call back. IF you ask them why it is cause they have nothing to report they say. I don't know what state you are in and I have only worked with people in my own but your story mirrors everyone around here. So call and complain! That is what we found gets a tad more results! LOL!

I have two stepkids! A stepson and a stepdaughter both kids have different mothers. My stepson lives with his mother and we have full custody of my stepdaughter. So we are on both ends of the spectrum. I know with my husband, they didn't waste any time on garnishing his wages for child support, but then again they both had attorney's who figured it all and just filed it with the courts. I knew someone who worked in the child support division in Omaha. And she said that if you go through all the steps by yourself, it takes months before they even get a chance to review your case. The only advise I can give you is if there is a way to get an attorney and to take him to court then do that. If not just keep calling every month. I know this wasn't much, but I hope it helps somewhat.

This is what you do if you are serious about getting child support:
Take out a local add IN YOUR DAILY NEWSPAPER AND HAVE IT READ AS FOLLOWS: Local man, (insert name here) Is deliquent on child support. He appears to have every reason in the book not to pay and finds under the table jobs so his income can not be tracked. This man has no respect for the law much worse no respect for his children. I You can either add the following or add your own touch: "I am in dire straigts without this man's support and I feel it is necessay that he lives up to his end of the bargin.
Sign your name or not, but make it a public humulation issue... Be sure to publish it and if your local radio station does announcements have then announce it for a nominal fee.
I feel that if we had more publc humulation there wold be such less crime!

The CSED is like that. They give you the run around for quite some time. It took three months for my case to get handled. You could get an attorney and just take the father to court. That is am option. I know that it can be more costly that way... but how important is it to you? Go above the heads of just your case worker. Go online and find the info that you need as far as whome to contact at the head Child Support Enforcement Division. They should not take this long. And they don't have to wait for your childs father to get back to them with the income verification form. His employer should be able to do that also, and then the money will get taken right out of his check. At least that is how it worked here in Montana. Let me know if you want me to dig a little further for you. I would be glad to help. Good luck!

Call again, tell them you want to talk to your case worker's supervisor, they are there for a reason, and that is NOT to take four months to process paperwork...if need be go down there in person and be forceful. Tell them you want there help or you will come in/call every day.
Strange question-- but are you on a reservation or is the father Native American? My girls are teenagers now and because their dad is enrolled and living on the reservation it took them over a year to finally tell me they had no jurisdiction and could not collect from him as long as he worked on the rez....and I continue that battle still today...Hope that is not your case, but if it is your only battle is tribal court.
If it is not,then be firm, stand your ground and good luck getting what is owed to you and your son.

In Iowa I have seen it take up to a year. My best friend actually turn in the father of her child when the child was 2 and child support didn't go after him until he requested a DNA test when the child was 10 yrs old. Try asking for a supervisor and call everyday if you have to. Good luck.

J. I've been in your shoes for a very long time so I know your frustration and I am So sorry! Unfortunatly the child support system is a joke! My daughter was born in April of 1997 and her father was only ordered to pay $50.00 a month(which he wasn't paying). Not long after his order was set he got a good job making good money and I tried until October of 2001(yes I waited way to long)to have them raise it. I ended up getting a lawyer and he was awesome! Got it raised to $438.00 a month which was way more than I expected, he was ordered to pay 60% of daycare, to get a life insurance policy and name me as the irrevocable beneficiary so incase he passed away my daughter was taken care of, was ordered to pay $500 of my attorney fees and visitation was completely at my discretion. Awesome right! Well a lawyer can only do so much and her father quit his job and never complied w/any of it, and I can only assume he has since been working 'under the table' otherwise his checks would be garnished. Oh sure every once in a blue moon I would get anywhere from $30 to $100, and once I actually got $450 only because he was arrested and had to pay $450 to bond out, he showed up to court only because he wanted his $ back and instead of giving it back to him they applied it all to my child support order. The $450 was the last time I saw anything and that was in August of 2005. Every time a court date is set he(when he does show up)is ALWAYS granted a continuance & told to come back in 30 days and that he needs to pay X amount of dollars before the next court date. Doesn't pay, doesn't show up and the cycle goes on and on.........Reading some of the other responses actually made me laugh because the customer service # that you have to call is only customer service, they know NOTHING except what the case workers enter in your file. Even if you are able to talk w/your caseworker(which is almost impossible)or a supervisor it won't make a difference because the decisions aren't made by them. They are made by the judges and good luck in trying to talk to them. At this point I still call after every court date to see what happened but have pretty much given up on seeing any money. My daughter hasn't seen him in going on 3 years now and she doesn't talk about him or even seem to care which I'm sure is because my husband is really good to her and and loves her like she is his own. Someone responded and said that it's BOTH parents responibility and I agree, but you ARE holding up your end of the responsibility and shouldn't have to do it alone! Unless your sons father suddenly decides to help you, you have a long road ahead of you. Someone also mentioned going to congress which I've never thought of but think is a great idea! If you get fed up w/no results try that. Post it on here if you do because I'm sure there are plenty of other mothers also getting nowhere w/child support services that would love to join you, myself included. Sorry for going on and on and on. I just want you to understand the reality of child support services. I wish you the best of luck!
S.

Ask for a supervisor. And for them to say call back in a month is irresponsible. Have all the dates when you filed, etc. If their supposed to start after 20 days, then they need to supply you an explanation as to what's going on. Don't let them get off the phone without giving you the information you need. For them to tell you well it's in process after 4 months, is bad. If they are behind that much, then they should have been hiring more staff and that is not your problem. You still deserve TIMELY answers and results.

I know what you are going through. I moved here from C.A. and i deal with the C.A. people still. I did not recieve any money for 2 yrs. When the fathers switch jobs or move, it takes about another 6 months. I have learned not to hold my breath and when i get money its a great feeling. I would just keep calling and only talk to your case worker and ask how much more time do they need and what step is next. If you all ready have a court order and it states how much he has to pay then all the months he is behind he will owe back pay plus intrest. In CA intrest is 25%. If they get to far behind you will recieve there taxes every year. O THEY JUST LOVE THAT!!!!!
So just hang in there and it will soon be here it just takes time. I was a single mom for 4 yrs. and im 28 so you can do it and when you get your first check buy something nice!!!!!!!!

GOOD LUCK

I agree with everyone when they say ask for the supervisor, but don't let them say, She is busy. You then have your next response, say who am I speaking with and when can I expect a response from your supervisor? Also ask for the super's voice mail and extension. When you are told anything like I can' tell you, I can't give you that information, tell them to write that response down and you will be there to pick it up in writing, trust me, they'll help you then.
If they say they are waiting for a certain doc. from him, tell them you will be there to pay for return receipt postage so there is a date stamp, I am 100% sure they will say that's not necessary. You can also tell them you want an income verification form, possibly available on line, and you mail it return receipt requested to his employer. You have to have an ASSERTIVE response ready for everyone of there door shutting comments.
If all else fails, call your congressman, that is their job, to help you! Develop an I am going to get my money this week attitude and don't take NO!
In NC you can go back 3 years BUT you have to have all receipts so basically it is there way of shutting you up.
PS - going there in person is best. If they say you don't have an appointment that they can't help you, tell them you want an answer and you are NOT leaving. Worse case if they wont help you, write the super a note, have them stamp it received and make you a copy.
Good luck.
M.

I had to go to DHS and actually file for FIP or cash Assistance and from there the state took over filing all the paper work, court cases, and everything else. The state didnt seem to care that I wasnt getting the money that was owed to me but when it came to money that they were having to give me on his behalf they got right on it. Email me if you need any more info.

Hi J.! I empathize with your situtation, been there done that. It has been eight years for me since I went through the beginning stages of filing for Child Support. My daughter was born in March 1999 and I did not receive my first Child Support Check untill August or September that year. All I can say is it does take time and be patient. Continue to call them the Child Support Recovery Unit, but don't be difficult with them. You don't want to burn any bridges, they are thier to help even when it doesn't seem like it.

Another tip is whenever Child Support does finalize everything and the order is filed in your County for his wages to be garnished, they will not go back and collect for those past months, you have to hire an attorney and do this yourself if you want any back Child Support payments. I always used it as ammo with my ex that if he didn't pay I would hire an attorney to collect the back child support payments from birth, but it may be wise to also hire an attorney. If funds are an issue check locally (sorry I am in Des Moines) for those that assist low-income.

I hope it all falls in to place for you soon. Take Care!

Hello J. F.
Write a letter to the dead beat and demand 1/4 of his GROSS income, state that you will send a letter to his employer demanding that his paychecks be garnished. This might help with a response from him and it he might be afraid of the embarrassment. If not get a lawyer. Check out the ones that will bill the dead beat. You can also get back pay support (up to 3 years-the last time I checked). Good luck.
I've been in your shoes.
D.

Hi J.,

I work in a child support enforcement office, so I do have a little bit of insight for you... Unfortunately, it is going to take awhile!!! When you go through a state support agency, which it sounds like you are doing, there are certain procedures that are required by law to do and there is no getting around it. Aside from this, if they are anything like my office, they are EXTREMELY busy. There are hundreds and hundreds of cases being worked on at any given time.
I totally understand how frustrating it can be!!! I have been through child support stuff myself. Something to think about is going through a private lawyer and trying to get a support order without going to court over it. That would really speed things up! The major difference would be that going through a state support agency is free, the other will cost you a good chunk of change.

Hope I helped!

give them time he may be slowing things down. and no matter how long it takes for them to get the order in most states he has to pay support from te time you filed it with them. so you would get support from nov. 2006 through the time the child is of age to stop reciveing it.

Hello
I know if you are recieing any jind of help such as medical assistance they send out information also. That is how I got my sons dad support obligations up todate