It’s hard to believe, but the head of child support collections for Idaho says that unemployment is the “‘unexpected’ silver lining to Idaho’s economic malaise.” Why? Because it’s easy to garnish dads’ unemployment checks!
This is the typical attitude of child support enforcement officials–their job is to collect as much money as possible, regardless of whether the dad is poor or homeless (not to mention if he has been unfairly denied the right to be a part of his children’s lives or isn’t even the father of the child). Federal incentives which reimburse states for their child support enforcement operations feed the problem, since they also largely ignore these issues.
From Higher Idaho joblessness yields child-support cash (Idaho Statesman, 1/25/09):
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Idaho’s rising jobless rate is apparently helping the state collect child support, as Department of Health and Welfare collectors garnish unemployment benefits.
Director Richard Armstrong told the Joint Finance-Appropriations budget writing committee Tuesday that rising collections from deadbeat dads have been an “unexpected” silver lining to Idaho’s economic malaise.
Some who historically haven’t paid child support have now filed to collect unemployment benefits after joblessness more than doubled in a year to 6.6%, the highest in more than 20 years.
Armstrong says his employees can more easily garnish deadbeats’ state checks – including to cover payments that are months in arrears.
How long this boost lasts is unclear. State unemployment benefits generally end after a maximum of 26 weeks.
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The story can also be found in other Idaho media outlets–click here for others.
9 users commented in " Child Support Official Says Bad Economy Helps Him Collect $–by Garnishing Dads’ Unemployment Checks! "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackGood for you Idaho. Sometimes those kids get hungry, too. Need clothes, rent, shoes…glad someone is collecting for all those deadbeat dads. Keep it up!!!!
Maybe voluntary sterilization should be offered, too. That way they wouldn’t incur anymore debt down the road, if they had the urge and not the 50 cents for the machine. Might save money in the long run all around figuring in collection cost and all. Just a thought.
Didn’t mean to be so flip in my remarks. I just know that people who have children should realize someone has to take care of them. Too often, it becomes the mother who has to try to make it on nothing, apply for assistance, fight for every dime she gets from the ex. The ex-dad’s change jobs or don’t get jobs cause they don’t want to pay child support. You produce a child, you make sure that it is well taken care of until they can take care of themselves. No matter what.
even if the mother’s parents are multi-millionaires and she receives 40k a year under the table and the ex-husband makes 350 a week and they take out 144 a week for child support? sounds fair to me. not!
its evil
Hmmmm, what about those parents who are not divorced and are jobless at the moment. Is the state going to make sure that the children are housed, clothed and feed to their standards?
Those mommy’s who argued so vehemently to change the laws are going to watch their children suffer the same fate, in the system that devoured the fathers. Maybe sterilization should be offered to all the guys. I for sure don’t want anymore kids. If I knew what the future had in store for me way back then, I surely would have no kids now. Very cold, but the truth.
I urge all parents to talk with their sons now and discuss this matter. Encourage them to use condoms & make sure that they flush the condoms after use. Disgusting but essential. Avoid marriage & stay single and reap the rewards of your hard earned money. Otherwise, prepare your kids to live out of their vehicles, cardboard boxes, and even in jail. Teach them to accept the courts decisions, how to beg for sympathy, how to search for food, & how to fight “the system” on blogs.
Divorce & separation are here to stay. Kids will unfortunately get forced to side with one parent. It is a cycle that we all have 50/50 chance of falling victim. It will not change until enough people get hurt & decide to make a stand. But until then, lets see how the government’s plan of “weaponized children” are used in the battle between ‘Custodians v Non-custodians’.
This is an evil corrupt system! It is one thing to “reasonably” pay for a child. It is ANOTHER when judges (Pinal Co. Arizona)do not follow laws pertaining to child support and REFUSE TO modify and reduce support payments when your income is drastically reduced and REFUSE to acknowledge additional children off your support payments, OPPOSITE to what your rights of the law are in this state, and probably all of them! Likewise; it is ridiculous to force a man to pay for a child that he gave up his parental rights too, or had no choice in deciding if he wanted to be a father! I’m SICK of all you women: you want the right too keep, the right to adopt and the right to abort BUT, if you choose to keep and he doesn’t want it…. you think the “sperm donor” is obligated to pay you!?! It is an evil corrupt system, and this woman is hoping all you no good for nothing women, judges, and lawyers will burn in hades!—The system needs to change judges need to be held accountable for NOT following the laws, it is no wonder suicide is becoming the norm for men, can we say dead broke, literally?
P.S. AZ is Corrupt
I am so fed up with this, I have been on the phone all morning trying to find out what happened to my payment to child support { D.E.S.}that was paid from the unemployment office { D.E.S.} 3 days ago. is there some connection here? I get all the responsibility of something I have no control over, they take my money and do whatever they want, and I’m left with nothing but the bill. something has got to change here .
All the people n women who put the blame on the so called “deadbeat” dads and not the child support division and courts, your naive dumbshits. I’ve been paying child support ever since my child was TAKEN from me by the courts 7yrs ago. My child was the best thing in my life and with a few little white lies along with no proof mother gets custody. I am nowhere near the first man to be raped of their child and parental rights while being allowed to financially be obligated. Now I should be, and I never complain about my responsibilities. I go to work every day and pay my child support even though along with mandatory health insurance it costs me over $800 a month, that ends up being 50% of my take home to take care of me and my other child (again my responsibility) not looking for handouts. Now I have to live with the minimal essentials so I can support my child and not even be able to speak or to see her. All while her mom can be a stay at home wife and be supported by her husband which makes my child support higher! Why better yourself when the laws allow you live comfortable and to be taken care of by her husband’s income along with my income also? Sounds like a great financial security scheme to me. So maybe it should be the woman who get their money makers tied also. The finger gets pointed way to much that men are deadbeats and don’t wanna pay. F**k that. I pay my responsibilities as a father and struggle to live, and the unjustified equality of child support system pushes people to the deadbeat status. I pay but I know sometimes I think about how much more stress free and comfortable id be being a dead beat dad. Basically, don’t judge the fathers who tried and all the system cared for was taking from them…..
Comment has been edited for use of language – BNN Editor
I’m personally tired of this one sided BS. The state of the american family court system is abysmal. There are absolutely no controls or checks in place to see how the “child support” is spent. NEWS FLASH: IT becomes padding for the mothers lifestyle and nothing more. Consistently and repeatedly fathers who are lucky enough to have 50/50 custody are forced to pay exorbitant sums. Why? Do we have the child less? are our expenses less? No. The mother has a crap job, the father has a good one…It is nothing but alimony. Bottom line: If you can’t afford to take care of the child without the fathers income, you can’t take care of them. Basically if you need support, you shouldn’t have primary custody (all other things being equal).
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