about three weeks ago, my fiance received a letter from San Diego county informing him the amounts that they were going to report to the CRA's as arrears. They amounts were totally incorrect and included spousal support that should have stopped years ago (he didn't go to court though). We wrote a letter disputing these amounts and haven't heard anything back yet. 30 days is approaching, what should our next course of action be if the accounts still show up on his CRs?
I would ask the Att Gen to investigate the case, because you have different figures than they are showing. I got a child support negative into a positive tradeline by disputing. The only thing is you can't be late on payments. Charlie
This is a very sensitive subject for me, because I am an ex-wife w/ two kids to support. In other words, I have been on the "other side" of the story, and it is pure hell trying to raise children without fianancial help from the other parent. The kids are the ones who suffer most. I think your fiancee should pay the outstanding support and try to catch up, continuing to pay as mandated in his divorce decree. He can always go to court to recover the disputed amount later. But his children are entitled to his financial support. What does it matter whether or not the figures are exact in a situation like this? We are not talking about some nameless, faceless creditor like NCO or Gulf States. We are talking about living, breathing children who need their father's fiancial support in order to grow up heatlhy and strong...mentally, physically, and economically. Their basic needs should come before any credit report. I can tell you from experience that the state seldom reports a father's delinquent status unless he is exceedingly far behind in payments and has made no effort to work out an alternative arrangement. Your fiancee must have been very far behind on his payments for the state to report it to the credit bureaus. Did he try to get a second or third job like so many of us single moms are forced to do in order to support the kids? What caused him to stop supporting them? How in the world did it get to this point? I'm thinking he could have sent at least $21.95 per month, instead of having Internet access. That would amount to $263.40/per year. That would cover 1/2 the field trips, school lunches, tennis shoes, roof over their heads, clothing, etc. for ONE MONTH! And that's if their mother is on a strict budget and living like a pauper! I know, I know...I'm being a B*tch here. Sorry. But these are some of the thoughts I'm having upon reading your post, and I'm sure the attorney general in your state had them as well. It is not my intent to step on your toes; but like I said, I have been on the other side, and there is simply no excuse good enough for your fiancee not making those support and alimony payments. His failure to financially support those kids and pay alimony to his ex-wife has likely had a severe negative impact on those kids' lives in ways that you and your fiancee will probaly never know, simply because you don't live with them. A negative credit notation vs. the negative impact on those children's lives. Which is more important? And honestly, I am wondering why your fiancee isn't in jail right now, instead of just having to deal with the negative impact on his credit report. Having good credit is a BIG thing when you are talking about buying "things." It becomes a LITTLE thing in comparison to not supporting your children. I'm thinking that your fiancee should pay the entire balance owed and then go to court later to recover any overpayments that he can prove. Once he's all caught up, perhaps he can then dispute the notations off the credit report. Calmest_LA
before you jump to conclusions make sure you know the facts. He does have two jobs right now and is going to school full time. He does pay his current child support every month and more. If you read the post correctly it says the amounts owing on the credit reports are incorrect because one state agency is not talking with the other. I imagine raising kids alone can be hard. I would not have a child unless I was prepared to do this personally. Your situation is yours alone. This board is not about ethics anyway, it's about credit issues. Maybe you should spend more time with your kids properly instead of playing on the computer.
I am on BOTH sides of the fence right now, my hubby pays support for his son, and I receive support for my son. The mother refuses to let hubby take their son, and everytime (3) we take her to court for contempt of divorce decree(?), the judge says let him see his son and that's the end of that. We get to see him for a few weekends after that, then no more (she doesn't like MY children) He got injured at work 3 years ago, his kidneys went crazy and he was out of work for 4-6 months. The employer at the time never sent in the injury claim, long story short he got paid for his time out (1998) in 2001 3 YEARS LATER!!!!! *I* get support for a year straight then 6 months no support then 2 months of support then 1 year no support, SHIT Happens!!! I can not and DO NOT rely on that child support, I pretend as if he were dead, I'd surely get nothing from him then. The state says he owes more than he does, and *I'VE* even told them that, they don't care. Now back to hubby's ex, she uses her CS for God knows what, plus he is required to pay for 1/2 the medical bills, 1/2 the school necessities, and 1/2 of the extra-curriculum activites. *I* get $64 a week (when I am lucky). The state says HUBBY owes more than he does, again they dont care. Now a friend of mine (who is male) has joint custody of his children (6 months with 6 month without), but for the last 3 years he has had them all 12 months. HOWEVER, for the last 3 years his exwife has been collecting state aid and his tax return has been intercepted for the past 2 years, a total of over $9K. This is all occuring in the same state, we have ALL written to our congressmen and governor, we have gotten NO WHERE. Ok I am done rambling. I completely understand your situation from ALL ends. Call the child support office and ask them for an account history of the case. Maybe even file for a motion to modify support. Contact your state AG and governors office, let them know what's going on.
My husband has two screwed up child support accounts with San Diego County. Talk about a bunch of morons!! He has never been a deadbeat dad and support has always been taken out of his check by payroll deduction. However, California screwed up the records and refused payments from the State of Texas where we live. They report delinquencies and incorrect amounts and totally eroneous info. We got a recent notice saying they were upgrading their computer system an correcting false data. They turned around four months later and filed a lien for collection - which - you guessed it - shows up on his credit reports. Send a certified validiation letter to the following: Mr. Robert L. Lafer County of San Diego Department of Child Support Services 220 West Broadway - Room 5003 San Diego CA 92101 The key is vigilance. Never deal with the lollygagers on the phone. Of course, they said one thing and never do anything. Continue to send certified letters to the attorney (Lafer) for their division. They have until the end of July to straighten out their mess. If not, we'll have to seek legal counsel contact congressional representatives and the news media. My husband is trying to build positive credit after financial troubles before we married. Obviously, the child support liens make his FICO take a plunge. I'll post an update on our results. Hope this small info helps.
hmmm....class action against San Diego County?? We have sent in the dispute letter. That was my original question. Where do we go from there. We too got that "we've found the error of our ways letter". The next day we get a statement showing spousal support being calculated 3x's and child support 4x's. It said his CURRENT monthly payment was something like $2900 when it should be $413. I'm afraid the AG isn't going to be sympathetic. He disputed with CRA's today so maybe we can at least get it off there for awhile so we can close on our house.
I'm on both sides of that fence as well. My hubby pays support for one child, and I receive support from my ex-hubby for three children. Although both men make the same amount of money, the amount I get for all THREE of my kids does not even come close to what my hubby pays for his son. Such is life. This stinks! How awful that the judge gives her no more than a slap on the wrist...and THREE TIMES...while I've been threatened with jail for not allowing my children to be with their father at a time when he was being extremely violent and abusive to his wife. I couldn't prove his violence, since I couldn't convince her to be a witness, so I received a stern "last warning" and a threat that jail would happen the next time. Commiserating here...that's pretty much how I've been getting mine. Over the past 9+ years, the arrears now total $30,000+. I pretty much consider the CS as "found money" when it comes. I figure that I'm already providing all of the kids' housing, clothing, food, etc., so what I receive (when I receive it), I consider reimbursement for the care that I already provide to them. So no one can tell me what to do with that money. Something that my mother says that always troubles me, because not only is it horrifying, but true-- "If he (ex-hubby) were dead, at least you'd be collecting Social Security." She pretty much hates him. This is excellent advice....something we've done before for my hubby now, and it worked very well. He HAD no arrearages, but the state thought he did. After an investigation, that part of his file was taken care of.
Calmest- I'm having a hard time swallowing this last sentence. If you dispute an amount of anything, be it child support, electric bills, cc bil what have you, you should NOT pay the disputed amount. This is my opinion, and the opinion of most creditors. When any state agency steps in to collect on behalf of the Obligee, it makes for a very hard situation for the parents. As for making it difficult emotionally and mentally for the children, I STRONGLY disagree. Money and "things" don't make a better person, the love and friendship they share make a better person. I would rather to have my sons biological father to have been there and STILL be here from day one than all the money in the world. The only way it can make a child emotionally and mentally unstable is if the custodial parent is talking trash about the non-custodial parent, which *I* think is worse than not paying child support.
to Nicole For this thread, I could get definitely get into the middle of the child support issue itself...who has the biggest responsibility/who is not doing their part/role of the courts/etc. I have a two children, divorced for 12 years. Son 16, and daughter 20. My ex is $15K behind, has not made a payment since Sept2000, not a single penney. He is supposed to be only contributing to son, since his daughter is over 18now. And this is his second time around in not paying, he still owes me $2k from the arrearages 4 years ago. So, yes, I definitely do have opinions. All we ever ask is for him to pay his support of $500 per month. Not to pay for soccer camp, or clothes, or even his half of the insurance copays etc that he's supposed to pay and doesn't. Child support is a very volatile issue, with more than one side to the story as evidenced by the posts above. But Geez-Louise, Nicole, is it necessary to go off, making remarks about someone's parenting skills like you zapped above. Or maybe you think that since Calmest was querying with the what-'if's about your husband's situation, you think it's okay just to lash back with that type of belittling and personally directed comment? Just an observation,
Re: to Nicole Please refer to her response from original post stating my fiance should be in jail, etc... Enough said. I don't want to hash out child support issues here. I simply wanted to use this forum for its intended use of disputing incorrect information on credit reports HOWEVER, personally attack me and my family and it doesn't go unresponded to.
You need to take your complaints to everyone who will listen. I worked as a child support enforcement officer for California for 5 years. I can tell you, firsthand, that the benefit of the doubt will go to the custodial parent unless you stand up for yourself. If the agency is threatening to report arrearages then there are other actions in motion as well. It is highly likely the case is being submitted for Federal Tax refund intercepts as well as state. After a period of time if you reside in California a request for driver's license suspension may also be processed. In 5 years the majority of reporting I witnessed in regard to child support arrearages contained major errors - everything from the amount reported being twice what was actually owed to custodial parents collecting support directly from the non custodial parent, while collecting aid from the state and not reporting the child support. One of the major problems with California's system right now is they changed from a county based system, in which the employees worked for the county to a state employee system. It has been nothing but a mess since. Large counties like San Diego will tend to get to complaints when the have time. If you want some action begin by writing your Federal Representatives and explaining the situation in regard to the support. Most will forward an inquiry to the local child support office that handles the case. Nothing will get these people to jump like a congressman sending an inquiry. You may also want to file a complaint at the state level which is linked here: http://www.childsup.ca.gov/complaints.htm Send a copy to the Federal Regional office: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/region9/information/inquiries.htm And a courtesy copy to the D.C. office: Administration for Children and Families 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW Washington, DC 20447
***{child support, what happens now?}*** ====Child support is hounding a guy I know to pay his ex wife child support for his two sons who are in their early twenties. Both boys have jobs and are self supporting. Their mother spends most on her time going from bar to bar getting plastered. She has been picked up for DUI more than once and recently had her drivers license revoked for drunk driving. If he gave her any payments she would only use it to buy more boozes. The boys would never see a cent of it. It's things like this that makes child support crazy. = ==
lb,- there are always 2, and sometimes more, sides to a story. good to remember when you've only been presented with one person's version
So do you think I need to hear her side to decide if he should or should not pay child support for 2 self supporting adults. The same goes for giving her more money for booze when the guys will never see any of it Right!
Get a grip @ he is probably paying her NOT for support for now, not towards support for two sons who are now adults....he is probably paying towards the arrearages that he incurred for support payments that he didn't make per the court order. just because the boys are adults now, does that mean he is not supposed to pay towards the amount that should have been paid in full in the past? I don't think so. Does it mean that just because he didn't make his payments, now it's just all a forgotten deal, and she should just go on with her life, and he can get on with his? I don't think so. What did she have to do to put a roof over her sons' heads, food in their mouths, notebook paper in their backpack, lunch money in their accounts, and tennis shoes on their growing feet, all in the years when they were on their way to becoming adults? they don't just morph out like butterflies out of a cocoon . they have to have necessities, and most parents will sacrifice whatever it takes to do right by the kids that they have tucked in for the night, whether they are primary or joint custodial parents, or whether they have to be or only get to be part time parents. I'm just cautioning you to be careful about making judgements. You can make all kinds of comments about her problems with alcohol, her driving record, etc. ....but any and all of that does not release a parent from his/her financial obligations to help support offspring, if indeed, that 's what the court has decreed.
Re: to Nicole Nicole, Perhaps you should be a bit more open minded in reading. No doubt you didn't like the jail comment, however, fathers DO go to jail for this very thing. I'm not touching the support issue one way or the other. It would be more productive for you to eliminate the jail possibility and option in your hubby's life than to get mad and take personal cheap shots at Calmest_LA's parenting and computer time -- that was rude. Sassy
You can make all kinds of comments about her problems with alcohol, her driving record, etc. ....but any and all of that does not release a parent from his/her financial obligations to help support offspring, Maggie75 ==================== 1 ? How does pouring money down a drunk help support the 2 boys?
Re: to Nicole Additionally Nicole, You mentioned you wanted to dispute so you could close on a house. California has put child support liens on houses before. Sassy
Re: to Nicole I am a mother that pays child support for my kids, and I never begrudge the 1000 I pay every month - but the problem is when two states report it - the state that you are paying to and then they transfer it to the state that the custodial parent lives in. The first thing you need to do is make sure it only goes to ONE state, then you can work it out with the caseworker in charge of your case. You can do this by getting the caseworker of the state of the custodial parent to have your payments made with, NOT your state. Does that help? Oh yeah, and my lender did make me pay off the complete arrears before I could get my loan.
