Struggles with Child Support
A while back I had some friends of mine tell me I didn't need to be
depending on child support. I just brushed it off as a whatever
and went on my way. I mean, I understood what they were saying and then
again I didn't. My three kids depend on child support for school
activities, food, shelter, transportation, toiletries, etc.
In November 2007 right after Thanksgiving, I received a phone call I
didn't expect to get. My ex husband lost his job. Well, actually, he
lied and said he had been fired. It wasn't until after Christmas did I
find out the truth that the place he worked at laid a bunch of people
off. That meant he was getting unemployment benefits.
My ex husband actually slipped up and told me he was getting
unemployment but he couldn't live and pay child support. I let it go
for almost two months believing he was actively looking for a job.
Then my consulting job ended quite abruptly. Luckily I received my tax
return and then the IRS Tax Rebate to keep my family living going for a
little while longer.
But as time passed I was getting more and more frustrated. I
finally had enough one day so a friend of mine took me to the local
child support office.
I had been waiting on a court date to be set as well. The last lady I
had spoke to told me these things aren't supposed to take six months.
Hello! This one did! Here it is May 2008 and my ex husband lost
his job in November 2007? Go figure. I realize the child support
system is strained but so are the single parents, mostly moms.
Unless I can find ways to make money from home, my kids and I will be facing homelessness in two to four weeks.
I am lucky to still have my internet connection at the moment. My
best friend and his wife paid for last months cell phone bill and
electric bill the month prior.
Two weeks ago I had to get back on Food Stamps.
What irked me the most was my ex husband saying he expected the
government to take care of his children while he wasn't working????
Because my ex husband was NOT behind at least $500 in October of last
year, he received nearly $5000 on his tax return for 2007! Did my
kids see any of that money? NOPE. Unless you consider a "partial
payment" of $50 (weekly payments were $96.23). As of May 15, 2008 my ex
husband is behind $1800+ in child support.
I found out four days after he started a new job (finally) he was
working. Tomorrow I will be talking to the child support office to
report this.
I have waited kindly and patiently until now.
My kids have not had me on a field trip like last school year because I
have had to find ways to make money. I have worked at my best
friends house as well as them giving me items to sell on Ebay just to
make enough money to pay a utility bill. I have worked off what
they have paid. I still owe so much to them but I am grateful to their
kindness and open hearts to me and my children.
Truthfully, I feel the IRS should be giving people who pick up the tab
for these deadbeat dads credits for doing something they shouldn't be
having to do at all. My best friends have paid thousands of
dollars to feed us, pay for field trips, pay utility bills, gas for
transportation, personally babysat for me, among so many other things.
They didn't have to do any of this, but they did.
My best friend Mike also helped me build this website to help others
out hoping to inspire them to make changes in their life for the better
not just for themselves, but their family.
Only time will tell when child support grabs ahold of my ex husband and
shakes the money out of him so my children can once again have a normal
life.