Parents owe $600,000 in back support

Thanks for not stating 'deadbeat dads' or 'fathers that owe'. My ex-wife has not paid one dime to me, 7 years and running. It is not just fathers that are ordered to pay child support and are on the run.

Why can't the court system keep up on these "deadbeats"? If someone hasn't paid in 7 years, there's something wrong. Can't get ahold of tax returns, garnish wages, etc. Go to the courthouse for help. Oh wait, that doesn't seem to be working either.

Why not list the 49 by name?

As a mother who never got a dime of child support I wonder how I ever managed to raise 3 children on my own ... hmmm lots of hard work and determination. Oh thats right, I was never on welfare. Thats the only time the government goes after dead-beats is when the money comes out of their pocket. When I asked how to get my ex to pay they said I had to pay them so much money to file and then if I didnt know where he was I had to look for him and call them every 6 months to let them know the status. Sorry peeps, not doing your job for you.

In some counties, the sheriff department maintains a list of outstanding warrants on their website. It helps the warrants get served and get these people in court faster and on their way to paying. If we knew who these 49 people were, the public could help find them. Last year the Banner listed the biggest offenders. Why not do that again?

Those that should pay, should be paying support payments. But I'm sure that someone out there that is not paying got a raw deal and shouldn't be paying support. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has heard of cases like that. JMO

The names are listed in the print version of the paper

you can also see the names on the e-edition which is free for subscribers for $7 a month for non-subscribers

I pay support on my child every week and on time, I also have her 14 days out of the month. I get by barley saving for school,rent,etc, I just dont get some people my father is paying on back support and im 23 the nerve of some parents.......

As a dad whom pays child support weekly before any other kids whom I have now, I know that in some cases we over pay and the court doesn't care. I pay more child support than i bring to my other family. Does a normal child need 200 dollars a week to live? you have to realize it is post to go for the child.Not for your own personal wants. Wealfare of the child not new cars, steak instead of meat. Does it cost that much more for electricity for 1 child? you have to have a place to live, but so does the dad. he has all the normal bills too. t

BACK child support should of been taken care of by the law way before it got this far out of hand.

I have always paid on time for the last 14 years in another county. Due to some "mistake" they have added arrearage to my weekly payments. They have taken title to my car and will not release it. For the last six months I call and they tell me "call back next week". They admit it seems to be a mistake but will not do anything about it. This was all done without a hearing of any type. I have filed for a modification hearing but keeps getting continued without reason. I have overpaid by over $2,000 and nobody in the office cares! It is very discouraging to see how their court system operates. If it is this bad for a civil case, what about criminal cases. Again, this case is NOT in Putnam County. I hope it is better here.

In order for people to get help collecting their child support payments, they need to sign up with the IV-D office. If they don't sign up for the program, then they have to seek help through an attorney. Some people don't ask for help and then they complain when nothing happens.

I know of someone that owed child support and now they're 6 feet under.The custodial parent was told since the non-custodial parent was deathly ill,that nothing could be done at the time.That was not fare at all for their children.You'd think the state would have done something in some way to help them children.Just think,all that back child support is still on record, now at a "dead" stop of increasing (only because the non-custodial parent is deceased), and those children are left with nothing from that parent.What about the rule, "kid's 1st"????

It takes two to make a kid but yet some fathers or mothers can't remember that. I being a single mother get no help from the father but yet he is still allowed to spend time with him and is trying to fight for custody. He pays no child support or medical bills, which our child has a lot of medical problems.

In response to the 200 dollar a week comment. First of all they wouldn't set the support that high unless you were making a lot of money. They go by a worksheet and won't set it at an amount that you couldn't handle. If you have had a change in income then you should address that. The custodial parent can't go in and say "look judge I want 200 bucks a week so write it up" As far as your other family well The child/children you are paying support on comes first. They should be getting the bulk of your support. If you can't afford to pay your support on the first child then you should not have others. They did not ask for you to have more children so they could be put on the back burner. (which I am not saying you personally do but others do) No offense but you sound like one of those parents paying support that are okay with your child riding around in a car that is a bucket of crap and eating bologna and mac and cheese for supper and living in a mediocre house (because that"will do just fine") just so you don't have as much support. There isnt anything wrong with your ex buying a new car or buying steak on occasion instead of "meat" which are the same thing by the way. So you are saying that just b/c you pay support, your ex should never be able to have a new car? That is silly. I am sorry but that makes me mad. My ex says the same thing, that he "pays" for my new house. If that man never paid me another dime I would still have moved to a new house. My husband and I work hard for what we have, we don't just live off my ex husband's child support. We couldn't even if wanted to. News flash.....Children cost a lot of money (and not just electricity) and some of the non-custodial parents don't seem to understand the concept of child support. There are expenses all year long. Sure one month the custodial parent might only pay out 500 dollars for the care of the child and then 2 months later they need new clothes and there is a field trip,it also happens to be their birthday that month, and to top it all off they get sick too, and have to pay out 1000 or more. They are just angry that they are obligated to give their ex a check. Not only does the custodial parent have to provide a home including mortgage pymnt/rent and maintenance , electricity, house insurance, gas and water for the home if applies, phone, car insurance, a car, gas for the car that is now 4 dollars a gallon to run the child to and from any activities they may be involved in, food, other supplies for the home used daily for the child, daycare if it applies. Those are just some of the monthly bills. Then you have to have new school clothes and shoes usually twice a year. One set for cold weather and one set for warm b/c they have outgorwn everything they have, school supplies, book rental, school lunch, field trips and all the other things the school wants money for throughout the year. All of that has to be paid at one time by the custodial parent. ONTOP of all that the custodial parent should be thinking of the child's future. Saving for a car when they are 16 and college etc. Not to mention all the other luxuries kids want for entertainment, if they are involved in sports, television, games, toys, etc. Normal things children want to do and have. Why would you not want your child to be living as well as possible? I am not saying that all custodial parents do what they should with the support they receive. If the child is going without while the parent is living high on the hog then that is an issue that should definitely be addressed. But if the child has everything they could ever need and is well taken care of and maybe even lives a little better because of the amount of support you send, then be proud to be contributing to that. Be happy that money is going to the child. Being a mother who is owed back support (and I am signed up with the IV-D office) who is tired of hearing all the excuses of why my ex husband couldn't afford to pay his 75$ a week support when he makes more than $1000 a week, but seems to have enough money to start a new family, it gets old not getting any help unless they are physically taking the money from him. If I get lucky and he doesn't file rapid refund and they seize his tax check, then the state office holds it for at least 6 months b4 I get it. If when these people are brought into court the first time and they are told "if you miss one more payment.. you go to jail" and they miss one more payment PUT THEM IN JAIL!!! Make the bail money the amount owed and you would be surprised at how quickly they will be able to come up with the money they "don't have". Don't let them get 5, 10, 12 thousand dollars behind before you do something about it and they would be able to come up with the money easily if they were MADE to. I understand they have so many cases and can't keep up but if they would take care of it before it got out of hand then they wouldn't have so many. People would say "You don't want to not pay your support in Putnam County they will throw your hind end in jail" They continue to not pay because they get away with it. I don't know how these people, that don't want to help support the child that they helped make, lay their head down on their pillow at night and sleep peacefully. Indiana law is that the non-custodial parent pays child support until the child is 21 years of age unless they are emancipated whether they attend college or not. We all know the rules when we are making the baby. So step up and take care of your responsibilities.

just-me08:

My dad had to pay $200 a week in child support for 20 years. Neither of my parents had much money at all. I have no idea where they got that amount from. It was absurd. Thankfully, my mom passed the money directly to me once I left for college. Luckily he always paid..sometimes later than others.

Being someone that has been on both sides of the fences, alot of comments are missing the real agenda. People think it is all about the children, which would be great if it were true. With my expenience it's all about the money. Where is all that money before it gets to the parent to help? It's in the bank account of either the state or county, of course if it is in the bank for lets say a month or six months it's collecting interest. So the more money that is put in the account the more money is made in interest. Like I said, I have had to wait on money for child support, when I could get it. And then I have had to pay support, even when I had custody. Nothing makes sense when it has to do with the Proscuter of Child support, no matter which county you live in.

My husbands ex. said $200.00 a week on 2 kids and he did not want to fight it. He did not make that much but he wanted her out of his life! We are know dirt poor but the kids now of the sacrifice that was made for them and the Hell their father went through trying to keep up the support, collage, med. ins., car ins., and little extras---it was worth it, we have nothing nice for ourselves but it is called responsibility and we did the right thing by keeping things current and would do it again.

I have had to deal with my ex, and titleIVfor the past 12 years.It has always been very discouraging. My ex is over 12,000 behind in his support. I am the one who has to keep calling every week to get anything done about it. I FEEL AS IF I HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH HOOPS EVERY TIME I CALL. It seems as if no one has an ansewer to any of my questions. He has been charged with felony non-support of a child,contempt of court(5 times) put in jail on a 10,000 bond (10%=1000)and released with another court order. Stopped paying again and I was told they would look at it the next month to see if he was making any effort,even though there was a court order for him to report to jail any time he did not make his payment.His arrerage payments on 12,000 is only 6.00 a week (BIG DEAL HUH).When I call TITLE IV,they say it is up to the Prosecutor,when I call them, they say, call TITLEIV.He has 3 other children and 1 step child who get to have father of the year treatment. My son has never had any sort of contact with him, and it does bother him.My son is an outstanding young man,not because of his father as a role model, but because of what I have instilled in him. Maybe if thepayee were allowed to have a tax credit for what they pay, that would be some kind of incentive for them to at least pay support, I know nothing can make them be real fathers, but at least paying child-support does give the child something.TITLEIV,PROSECUTOS,JUDGES,AND COURTS,PLEASE STOP BACKING DOWN ON ORDERS,HELP US MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN ARE GETTING WHAT THEY DESERVE,NOT THE DEAD-BEAT PARENTS.BE THE VOICE FOR MY CHILD.

If you want to know what you should be paying in child support go to http://www.in.gov/judiciary/childsupport/ then go down to Select a Child Support Calculator. It is easy to use and you can see if you are over or under paying. You can also complete the forms to take up and have your child support redone. I belive you have to have 14 percent change in amount before they will do the adjustment. Also note if the ex is not disabled, is capable of working but isn't you are allowed to figure thier income at the minumum wage amount times 40 hours. There is also a formula for figuring the amount they should be paying on back support.

I have been on both sides of this. I originally had custody of my kids for almost 3 years, never seen a dime from my ex. We ended up doing joint custody and splitting the children, with me paying support to her. Have never missed a payment. I take offense when people lable it a man's world when it comes to child support. A Deadbeat parent is a deadbeat parent if they are man or woman. The courts never helped me with the support.

the percentage for filing a change to child support is 20% and over 1 year elasped since last change.

Sorry just-me08 but the until 21 rule went out along time ago. 18 or over and not in school for 4 months you can have then emancipated.

Below reason for filing emancipation orders is stright from IN.GOV

The child has turned twenty-one (21) years of age.

The child is at least eighteen (18) years of age; the child has not attended secondary or post-secondary school for the past four (4) months and is not enrolled in a secondary or post-secondary school; and the child is or is capable of supporting himself/herself through employment.

The child has joined the United States armed services.

The child has married.

The child is not under the care or control of either parent or an individual or agency approved by the court.

Also here is another quirk in Indiana, child support isn't stopped by a child reaching 21. You have to go to court and have this done or you are still liable for paying.

Lottidah, excuse me, but JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS ON WELFARE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT IS THE ONLY TIME THE GOVERNMENT HELPS. IF THAT WERE THE CASE THEN ALL AND I MEAN ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON WELFARE INCLUDING CHILDREN WOULD BE GETTING WHAT IS OWED TO THEM BY THE WONDERFUL DEADBEATS WHO CLAIM TO CARE.This system is the pits. They don't want to do their jobs, and it is because of them AND because of the deadbeats that our children suffer. THE WELFARE SYSTEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.Maybe one day, you'll know what it feels like to have to rely on the WELFARE SYSTEM to help you out, and you won't be so quick to judge the rest of us hard working individuals who feel like we are no better than bubble gum on the bottom of their shoes!

bradsdad...did I not say UNLESS THEY ARE EMANCIPATED???!!!! I am aware that they can be emancipated, which has to be done in a court of law. But if they are not then the support paying parent IS still obligated to pay until the age of 21!!! My husband has a daughter that is 23 years old now and just finished her senior year of College. 10 years ago he got a year behind on support and his ex signed up with the IV-D office. The state itself could NOT collect child support from him after she turned 21 years of age. I was there I heard the caseworker say that as far as the state is concerned his child suport obligation is over the day she turns 21 EVEN though she was in college. BUT his daughter could then take him to court and they would set a new ammount of support for him to pay, taking, the childs, his and her mother's income into consideration, and it would be considerably lower. But that would have to be filed personally by his daughter. We told her that we would help her when we could and she DID NOT take him to court and he NO LONGER pays support on her. They sent him a letter telling him that because she was 21 years of age his child support obligation was terminated. On the other side of that story my step father paid support on his daughter until she was 21 years old and she was NOT in college. He did this to help her out and the courts had no idea that she wasn't in college and continued to collect support from him. Unless they are emancipated you DO have to pay until they are 21.

cty-govt-a-muck

Number one, don't run your mouth if you don't have the intelligence enough to do your research. The government, or IV-D office, has certain steps to follow, they give the paying parent every chance to come up with the money on their own before they start garnishing wages, and tax returns, and filing negligence on support.

Ugh. This is annoying. I seriously hate that everyone on here is saying that it's the title IV-D office's or the court's fault. That they aren't doing their jobs, that they don't care. All of this couldn't be further from the truth.

They take crap from people day in and day out. They get threatened, harassed, and cussed out. Which isn't fair seeing how they work hard to get the child the support they need. Their number one interest is the child, unlike some of the parents who seem to have money on the mind all the time.

You actually have to sign on to the program as well. That means taking initiative about your baby mama or baby daddy not paying his support, instead of wining about how the non-responsive parent isn't in the child's life.

You actually have to bring everything, yes that means do some work. Find out who your baby daddy is, bring in all paperwork that they ask for, and be patient. It took 40 weeks to grow that child, surely you can wait an extra few weeks to get your support.

I think it's sad that we have a wonderful IV-D office, and the parents who they work hard for, are sitting here bashing them. If you don't want the responsibility of a child, stop having unprotected sex. It is that simple.

mamma6- they don't back down. They fight, they fight hard. The fact that your ex has been in jail several times proves that they are doing their jobs.

churchmouse- they do their jobs. And I bet a few of them have been where you are, they understand, and do not judge.

Did anyone on here read this, "In 2007, nearly $3 million in child support was collected in Putnam County." No? I didn't think so. That's a lot of money...someone in that office must be doing their jobs ( I'd take a great bet as to every single one of them are working hard.)

How about this? How about we thank the people in the Prosecutors office for working hard to clean up the messes we make? How about, if we don't want the responsibility of a child, we stop having unprotected sex. How about, Putnam County, we grow up and take responsibility for our actions, and their consequences...instead of winning and complaining about everything? Oh wait, that takes way to much time an effort, it's easier to wine about our circumstances instead of taking initiative.

Here are the Indiana Child Support Laws, educate yourself, and shut up.

http://www.child-support-laws-state-by-state.com/indiana-child-support.html

Signed,

someone who has been helped by Putnam County, someone who respects the hard work these ladies do.

Thank you for taking time away from your families to help us when we need you. You all are First Class!

If you hadn't been helped would you still feel that way? By the way I do have the intelligence. At least I don't say "baby mama" or "baby daddy". I think the correct term would be, babies mother or babies father. Is that lingo the same as "uncle daddy"?

cty-govt-a-muck

I was speaking on most of the people's lingo. With ACT and SAT scores off the charts, and earning my PHD in Psychology with a major in Sociology, I know what the correct terms are and the proper ways in which to use them.

And if I hadn't been helped, yes I'd still be grateful that there are people out there willing to serve others, selflessly.

Trust me, you have no idea what these people who are in social services, not just in Putnam Co., but everywhere, what they deal with day in and day out.

cty-govt-a-muck:

P.S.

I find it interesting that out of everything I said, you pick that one thing to tear apart.

"It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well."

No, trust me I DO KNOW! You have no idea what everyone else has had to go through. Good for you who has went on and received such high degrees. But you do not know what type of education everyone else has!

when you put a non child supporter name in the paper..... And do not arrest them right away.... doesnt that give them time to leave the state or county to avoid getting arrested.I know of one person that is possibly leaving the State but telling everyone else he is going to go and pick up his daughter when he is not scheduled until next mon. So while we wait for the judge to sign the warrent he is skipping town.... cause his name was released before he is arrested .. he ows over $20,000 in back support. And should already be in jail..