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Father still being charged child support for child that died 25 years ago

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by BenPoquette, Feb 16, 2013.

  1. BenPoquette

    BenPoquette Active Member

    http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/father-says-hes-still-paying-child-support-for-3-year-old-son-who-died-25-years-ago

    I guess I can understand the Friend of the Court still charging if no one informed them of the child's death, but after he has been paying extra for 25 years how can they claim he still owes thousands of dollars? Something shady is going on here.
     
  2. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    Definitely something shady with the Friend of the Court, but how on earth could he have not questioned this before? I mean, come on, 25 years?

    I can understand he thought he was paying for his other child, too, but um ... the child is 34 now. By the time the child hit 18, I would have started to question it.

    How do you just write the same checks every month and have absolutely no idea what you're paying for?
     
  3. fossywriter8

    fossywriter8 Well-Known Member

    From the story:
     
  4. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    I get that he thought the money was for a different child. But it took him over a decade after *that* child turned 18 that he thought to question the payments?

    If I'm pay anything on a regular basis, I examine my receipts, I know the balance and if it seems outrageous, I question it. And I know darn well when the payments will end. It tends to be circled on my calendar.

    Even if the father assumed the money was going to a child who was seven years older than the deceased one, that son turned 18 over 15 years ago.

    Even if he thought he was paying back support, at some point in a year or so, I certainly would question exactly how delinquent I'd been.

    It took him that long to stop and question, "Geez, what is all this for, anyway? When's it going to stop?"

    No excuse for the Friend of the Court, but little due diligence on the part of the father, either. And it sure doesn't say much about the mother or the older son -- if they received the payments.
     
  5. waterytart

    waterytart Active Member

    The father should absolutely be tracking his payments, but the child turning 18 does not take the father off the hook for arrears. If you are ordered to pay $X/month support for a 2-year-old and you do so, then you might be done after 16 years. If you only pay 25% of X each month, you're looking at 64 years, before interest gets added.
     
  6. BenPoquette

    BenPoquette Active Member

    There are a TON of people who do not track what they pay in monthly bills. They get a bill and pay it...no questions asked. While I check everything, monthly bills, insurance payments, student loan balances, etc., I guess I can see where this guy just paid what he thought was the proper amount.

    I think my big question is why does the amount they tell him he owes keep changing after every "audit?" That's what I don't understand. Something shady is going on.
     
  7. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    So where did the money go and how does he get it back?
     
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