A mother in California was shocked to find out that she’d have to pay close to $500 a month in child support, but even worse, most of that money wouldn’t go to her children. Instead, that money would be used to pay back her ex-husband’s state aid.
The woman works as a police dispatcher full time and shares custody of three of her children with her ex-husband. He has the children three days a week, while she has them four days weekly.
Interestingly, the judge reduced the original support payment, which would have been over $500 monthly, but that doesn’t help reduce the overall fines to the state. When broken down, the woman is paying $425 towards her ex-husband’s aid, while only $50 goes toward child support. She believes this is extremely unfair and will cause hardship for her family, which is large.
People who receive state aid must forfeit the right to child support. The support that is paid then goes to the state instead as a kind of reimbursement for the support the parent receives through the state. The state has argued that the formulas for determining child support are based on income levels, so even though the woman has her children more often, she earns enough to have to pay her ex-husband.
If you find yourself in a situation like this, seeking a child custody modification might be a good choice. It can be hard to pay someone when you know that you’re already the primary caregiver for your children. Your attorney can help you find a solution if you’re stressed by child support issues.
Source: The Fresno Bee, “Her child support payments include reimbursing the state for her ex’s state aid,” Rory Appleton, Aug. 02, 2017