Can I receive child support payments for a child that I kept for a year?

Question

I kept a child for one year, she said she needed to go to a funeral and never came back. I got some help from the childs father. I need my money back can I get back child support and from whom the mother or father or both?

Answer 1

That was something you should have pursued while you had the child and you could have received it from both, if you had legal custody.    God Bless.

Answer 2

I guess I'm confused.  You said you already received money from the father, and the girl isn't even living with you anymore.  Why would you need child support?

I understand that it probably cost you some money out of your own pocket to feed this girl for the year that she was living with you, but if you were going to work out some kind of financial agreement with the parents, the time to have done that was before she moved in, not now when she is already gone.  It's kind of tacky to turn around now and say, "I fed Amanda for a year--could you pay me $1200 please?"

If they are going back on some agreement you had to compensate you for the costs of caring for her, that's another thing.  You could see about taking them to small claims court.  But other than that, I don't see what your options are.

Answer 3

No, you cannot get back child support.  Child support is only ordered from the date of filing onward.  Plus, you would need to obtain custody of the child or guardianship to be eligible to receive child support for it.

Answer 4

Probably not.  You have to be the legal gardian.  

Answer 5

Why doesn't the father just take care of her?  The fact that he helps means that he at least cares, unlike the mother.  It's his child anyway.