The Economy and Child Support Woes
Saturday / March 28, 2009
The economy puts people out of work and leads to
requests for reductions in child support.
The New York Time spotlights the effect of the
economic downturn on child support in "Fighting
Over Child Support After the Pink Slip Arrives."
(free registration required to view article). Mostly
the article talks about noncustodial fathers wanting
to reduce their child support, but it also includes
comments from custodial parents who don't know how
they will make ends meet if child support is reduced.
One man, said the article, had been laid off from a factory but managed to find work at Mets games at a pay cut. Another man asked for relief from child support payments of $315 per month because he said he was being evicted.
Some of the fathers used to be wealthy (read Lehman Brothers) but most are just average people who have lost their jobs.
Of the new Mets employee, the judge
So the father's child support was lowered. But can this continue? Said the judge, “Everybody who relies on the father gets hit.”
One man, said the article, had been laid off from a factory but managed to find work at Mets games at a pay cut. Another man asked for relief from child support payments of $315 per month because he said he was being evicted.
Some of the fathers used to be wealthy (read Lehman Brothers) but most are just average people who have lost their jobs.
Of the new Mets employee, the judge
lowered his monthly payment for his three teenagers to $50 per month, from $686. Otherwise, he feared, the father would be unable to meet his obligation and face a more drastic punishment: jail.“It wasn’t his fault he lost his job,” Judge Troy said. “I don’t want to throw a guy like that in the clink.”
So the father's child support was lowered. But can this continue? Said the judge, “Everybody who relies on the father gets hit.”
