Can Someone Explain Welfare and Child Support To Me?

Question

I'm 7 months pregnant and I'm trying to get assistance from welfare. I have been trying to get assistance since June and nothing has happened. I'm getting the "run around" and It's frustrating. I was told by my co worker that she will put my boyfriend on child support. I don't want that. She told me if I don't want it I can get him taken off. But he is hearing that the state will pick up my case even if I decide to take him off. Can someone help me out?

Answer 1

In my opinion, the only people that should be on welfare are those that a) are too ill to work to support themselves, b) are unmarried or divorced non-working mothers (or fathers) wtih children.

If you are working, why would you need to go on welfare?  All employers are supposed to give you Maternity leave (with pay, I beleive)  You don't give enough information about your situation to help us give you an informed answer - one that would be useful to you.  Do you intend to stop working once your child is born?  If so, you might want to re-think that.  Do anything and everything you can to stay off welfare.  But if you absolutely must go on public assistance, hound your case worker until he or she gets your application approved.

I hope this helps in some way, and I hope your new baby is everything you hope for.  Best of luck.

Answer 2

If you go on welfare they will open a child support order whether you want them to or not and they cannot get rid of it.  Every penny you get from them, they will "eventually" find your boyfriend and make him pay it back.  Besides if you are together, then both your incomes need to be counted.  You guys may be able to apply for foodstamps.  Also, have you tried WIC?  For other help call 2-1-1 for diapers, formula, clothes, rental/utility assistance, bus passes/gas vouchers, etc.  

Answer 3

It's when the government forces everybody to throw money in the pot and gives it to people like you.

Answer 4

The point that your case worker is trying to make is that you and your boyfriend share the first line of responsibility for the care of the baby.  For you, that means that you need to cooperate in whatever actions are necessary to get child support payments from your boyfriend, even if that means taking him to court.  If you can't afford to get an attorney and pay the cost of taking him to court, the welfare department will do it for you.  

If you refuse to cooperate in taking him to court you will probably be deemed ineligible for assistance.  If you take him to court and get an order of support and you then refuse to cooperate in whatever actions are necessary to force him to pay (such as garnishing his wages), your assistance will likely be terminated.  If you take him to court and then later release him of his court-ordered responsibility to pay child support, your assistance will likely be terminated.

The bottom line is that your boyfriend is going to have to either step up and accept responsibility for the child he helped to create or you are going to have to cooperate in whatever actions are necessary to force him to be responsible.  

Where I used to work a number of the residents thought that they could get welfare assistance without cooperating in an effort to get the fathers to pay support -- it didn't happen.  All of the women were either deemed ineligible or saw their assistance terminated.  



  

Answer 5

Your boyfriend will pay back any welfare payments you get. Why should taxpayers foot the bill for you and your child when he owes it?

Answer 6

If you ask the taxpayers to support you and your child, when not getting the support that should be paid by the parent of the child, then the taxpayers will seek to have the parent pay the child support to the welfare agency.  Parents have primary responsibility and the taxpayers do not, so if the taxpayers assume the responsibility, they will seek reimbursement from the person who should be responsible.

Answer 7

The answers you are getting are correct. When you apply for welfare you have to name the father of your child and co operate with them to collect child support. Your childs father is responsible to support his child. It doesn't matter that you don't want him to pay support. The state wants to be reimbursed for the money they pay you for your child. They get that from the father. The state will pick up the case and go after him for repayment.

If you aren't co operating with welfare regarding the child support,they will deny you any benefits.  

Answer 8

Did I get this right? You want the state to support your child and not the father? It does not work that way.

When you go to the hospital to give birth, who pays? If you don't have insurance or can't pay yourself, the state will pick up the bill, but they will make you and/or your boyfriend reimburse them. If you receive AFDC, your boyfriend will have to reimburse the state before you begin to receive child support payments from your boyfriend.

Your case worker is absolutely right, she cannot help you when you refuse to co-operate with them.

This may have worked in your grand-mother's time, but no longer. Thank God.

Why don't you want your boyfriend to support his child? Are you both planning on living off the dole while raising this child?