Do you think the child support system should be changed?

Question

Should the man have the right to know what his support is going toward? Should men have to pay more/less?

Would you support child support consisting of actuall items instead of money?

Or are you comfortable with the current system?

Answer 1

yes,??when i was younger my father had to pay child support-and i neva saw a cent of it-so it would be nice if they changed it..

Answer 2

I don't think the system should be changed in my state.

We have a separate account that our child support is directly deposited to.  We use it for the items our kids need, such as school clothes, school supplies, new shoes.  Things they want as well, lunch out, toys etc.  We collect receipts and give them to their Dad, he doesn't ask, we just do it, he appreciates it and our relationship is better for it.  We make enough to cover their shelter, food and bills without the child support, and when their Dad is short on money we give him some from the child support account.  He deserves to have a life too right?

EDIT:  johnnys mommy....that is horrible.  They put you in jail almost immediately where I live AND suspend any certifications or licenses you may hold.  It may also be that my ex is too stupid to know how to work under the table, plus he has no skills in any area that would be conducive to working under the table.

Answer 3

I hate the current system. The children are not protected at all. The father's are taken to the cleaners.

Someone that is paying for his children should have the right to know that the money they are contributing is actually going for the right things for his children.  

For instance, in my situation, my stepson is being neglected. My stepdaughter gets luxuries like manis and pedis along with her hair colored whenever she feels like it. My stepson's basic needs are being ignored such as good hygiene and swimming lessons. Don't get me started about clothes. Often they aren't even appropriate. Why my husband won't fight for custody is beyond me. It's kind of late to possibly regret having kids with someone else. I'm not the person that is able to just walk away or ignore it. I care. I'm willing to step up and be responsible. I don't want to be a parent. But what is done is done. I like kids.

Yes, I would support a system that was based on actual items. I hate our current system.

edit: The system needs to be revised to be more in tune with children's needs. The fathers are entitled to have an idea of where that money is going. It's really only an issue when their kids are being neglected and money is actually being mismanaged. There needs to be accountable. That is what is lacking with the current system!!

Answer 4

I'm not comfortable.  I would have accept things instead of actual money, but 11 out of 12 months I received nothing.  I get excuses and my child gets nothing...luckily I have been doing fine without it, but those that really need it...it sucks.  It also takes so long to even receive a payment.

Answer 5

in nc your case is updated every 3 yearsa, well my daughters absent parent has changed rank in the usmc 3 times since then and they have yet to realize it even after i sent them notification and had his master sergeant call them. they told me that the case is up for review in february and unless i have proof of a substantial change in the situation it wont be looked at earlier. right now i get $341 a month for my 3 year old and that was from when he was a lcpl, now hes a ssgt. i was pretty upset, that is a huge change in income.

as for the detailed list, i wouldnt mind giving a detailed list of what it is spent on, i dont think its neccessary in my case, i use the whole thing every month to pay my car payment, i have to have a car to drive to get to work to parovide fo rher so i dont feel like i should be ashamed of it at all.

however i do know people that use it to get their nails done and buy frivolous things.

Answer 6

dont get me started on this one...my ex has paid virtually nothing in support, nor does he provide material things...i have had his wages garnished, so he chooses not to work,at least not legally...at one point support was dropped to $25/month, yes A MONTH and it wasnt paid.  nothing was ever done..you cant force someone to work.  the only time my daughter, who is now almost 21 received any $ from her "sperm donor" was once when the IRS grabbed a tax refund, after that, he never filed again.  A few years ago he got a workers comp settlement and she got some of that..at one point i got a judgment against him for $20k, but its just on paper...i dont think you should have to keep records of where the $ goes, i dont think the paying parent gives that much $ to wonder where it goes..i mean can you expect me to keep track of what i did with a whopping $25? i paid for daycare, medical, clothing, food, shelter...$25 might have got me 2 packs of diapers...

Answer 7

For you to even wonder where child support is going means that you are not living in reality. Children need shelter, which includes rent and  utilities. They need clothing, food. They need childcare.They need health care. Child support does not just go to "items"?

The system is terribly flawed........against the person collecting the support, not the other way around.

Answer 8

no the men shouldn't know what its going towrd because as of now im sixteen and my dad pay s my mom child support and i know it goes towrds bills and food mostly because it is somthing i use.

i personnally think its not in his right or his buisness.

and getting money is better then getting items because the money can go to different things eachtime

i know i don't know every detail of how it works cause I'm just a kid but i think its fine, just becuase i've never heard my parents mention it or anything.

Answer 9

The system is terribly flawed - but not towards the non-custodial parent, but towards the custodial parent.

My son's father is working 'under the table' and they do nothing about it but let him keep accruing back child support.  Meanwhile, I'm sitting here struggling wondering how I'm supposed to pay my rent while he's out moving into a house with his best friend, out partying every weekend and drugging it up like the true loser he is, all the while not giving a sh*t about his son.

But when I call child support enforcement, all they tell me is that even if he makes a $5 payment a month, they will not suspend his license, take him back to court, nothing.  Because that $5 a month is proving that he's 'trying' to make a payment.  He's supposed to pay over $600 per month.  They don't care.

Answer 10

alot of men don't end up paying their child support and when most do-it really isn't that much

In my opinion, it is not a great system.

Answer 11

The current system is fine except for the mothers not being held accountable for where the money is going..I know seven ladies that live in my neighborhood that receive child support ..all of them brag about they can't wait for the check to it in so they can get There hair done or nails buy clothes...but each and everyone of them spend that most of that money on THEMSELVES...I 've asked a few of them why they do this and the answer I got was " because I can "..personally I think if the mother doesn't need the money to pay for things for her child/children she should save the money for the child/children in a CD or savings account...if these ladies I know were made to list out what the child support paid for they wouldn't be able to spend the money on themselves...I know this can't just be happening in my neighborhood.....The father 100% should know what that money is going towards..it's his money and his child/childern..

Answer 12

Absolutely!!!!!  I would have no problem if my ex wanted to know where his children's support goes.  That is because I am doing the right things with it which in my opinion is what it is intended for.  My current husbands ex however never spends the money on her kids and she lives at home with her parents.  He pays over a 1,000 a month for two kids yet when they come to our house we have to buy them clothes and other things.  It is an outrage that she can steal my step sons money which is what I feel she is doing.  The current system needs a definite overhaul and the ONLY people that would not agree are using support money on themselves and not their children.

Answer 13

I think that the current system is fine where it considers a certain percentage of wages for the amount of child support owed. I think that mothers and fathers should have open communication to the point where he knows where the money is going. But I do not support a report of what it is spent on and saving receipts. Child support costs will only go up and tax payers money will go up for the people they would need to hire to monitor this.

I do not support father's giving actual items instead of money, because every child's needs are different. If a mom is behind on rent and uses her child support check to pay it, that is fine because it provides a roof over that child's head. Fathers certainly do not want their child and their child's mother homeless. Or if it goes to other bills, like electric. Mom may need to restock the fridge. Many times support goes to the child's school fees (unless in a divorce the father/mother is required to pay these separately.) So, items could not replace those things.

(edit: children do not see that money because it is usually spent on things that children do not realize need to be paid for. Where did these clothes come from? How are the lights on? Those things are more important than giving a huge allowance to a child who does not understand what is going on. Perhaps an allowance could be worked out at an older age, but its more important that your lights are turned on and you are eating.)