What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida
I pay my ex child support for my two sons. In fact, I typically round up my payment and pay with every pay period versus twice a month as we agreed. We have an active child support order and marital settlement agreement on file with the court. I should mention, I have the kids at least 50% of the time or more and I also pay their health insurance and I pay his cell phone and their cell phones and his car insurance. Just because I know he needs the help--he's been unemployed for some time. I say all this to be sure everyone understands I'm NOT a deadbeat who doesn't pay child support.
SO he has been receiving food stamps because of his lack of consistent work.
So today I received a summons from the DOR acknowledging that I am current on child support payments, but saying they are seeking to modify my child support order so that I pay THEM every two weeks (presumably they will pay him?) instead of him and for this privilege, I should pay their reasonable attorney fees. According to him, he had to allow them to do this in order to continue to get food stamps. Again, I am not behind on anything, how can they force me to do something I'm already doing but differently?
Now I have 20 days to file a response. Here's the thing, I don't begrudge him the child support, I have always paid it (and then some), but do I have any recourse against paying the child support through the state? I mean I guess it's the same to me either way, but I'd rather continue to pay him as I have over the years. And this seems like a collosal waste of taxpaper money by seeking an order to force me to do something I'm already doing DIFFERENTLY. Further, is there a chance they'll actually require me to pay attorney's fees for this?
Okay, so essentially my questions are: 1) What do I do next? I believe I've found the appropriate answer form online, which I believe I have to affirm, deny or have no knowlege of each of their allegations. But that form does not allow me to respond to their remedy requests. SO 2) Should I even bother to respond since I don't have a problem with paying the state if that's what I'm going to have to do (despite the fact that on principal I find it a waste of taxpayer $$)? and 3) If I do file the answer, will I have an opportunity to either mediate or settle this matter before a hearing? The lawyer who filed it refuses to speak to me about settlement to avoid the need for a hearig.
Thanks in advance for any insights. I'm having trouble digging up anything of benefit online.
I pay my ex child support for my two sons. In fact, I typically round up my payment and pay with every pay period versus twice a month as we agreed. We have an active child support order and marital settlement agreement on file with the court. I should mention, I have the kids at least 50% of the time or more and I also pay their health insurance and I pay his cell phone and their cell phones and his car insurance. Just because I know he needs the help--he's been unemployed for some time. I say all this to be sure everyone understands I'm NOT a deadbeat who doesn't pay child support.
SO he has been receiving food stamps because of his lack of consistent work.
So today I received a summons from the DOR acknowledging that I am current on child support payments, but saying they are seeking to modify my child support order so that I pay THEM every two weeks (presumably they will pay him?) instead of him and for this privilege, I should pay their reasonable attorney fees. According to him, he had to allow them to do this in order to continue to get food stamps. Again, I am not behind on anything, how can they force me to do something I'm already doing but differently?
Now I have 20 days to file a response. Here's the thing, I don't begrudge him the child support, I have always paid it (and then some), but do I have any recourse against paying the child support through the state? I mean I guess it's the same to me either way, but I'd rather continue to pay him as I have over the years. And this seems like a collosal waste of taxpaper money by seeking an order to force me to do something I'm already doing DIFFERENTLY. Further, is there a chance they'll actually require me to pay attorney's fees for this?
Okay, so essentially my questions are: 1) What do I do next? I believe I've found the appropriate answer form online, which I believe I have to affirm, deny or have no knowlege of each of their allegations. But that form does not allow me to respond to their remedy requests. SO 2) Should I even bother to respond since I don't have a problem with paying the state if that's what I'm going to have to do (despite the fact that on principal I find it a waste of taxpayer $$)? and 3) If I do file the answer, will I have an opportunity to either mediate or settle this matter before a hearing? The lawyer who filed it refuses to speak to me about settlement to avoid the need for a hearig.
Thanks in advance for any insights. I'm having trouble digging up anything of benefit online.