What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
California
I have a complicated situation and haven't been able to find any similar questions in the archives. I apologize in advance if this question has already been answered.
I am now marrying my 4 year old son's father. There was a period of time (roughly two years) in which we weren't together that I received welfare, food stamps and medical coverage for myself and our son through the state of California. During that time, my now-fiance was ordered by the state to pay $500 per month, which covered child support for me and reimbursed the state for the public assistance we were receiving. However, he did not pay this because he felt it was unfairly high based on his income at the time (which it was). So, of course it accumulated each month.
My fiance, son and myself are now living together and neither of us (nor our son) are receiving any type of public assistance, and there is no longer any form of child support order in place. We earn only enough income to afford basic living expenses in Southern California, yet my fiance is being harassed by child support services to fork over just under $10,000 in back child support payments (again, for our own son who we now support together). Last week, they seized his bank accounts and took every penny ($2,700) in his checking and savings -- money that was supposed to be for food and rent. It's to the point that we might not be able to provide for our child and ourselves *without* going on public assistance! Pretty absurd.
Everyone we talk to over the phone at child support services is incredibly rude (we have literally been "hung-up" on), unhelpful and unwilling to work out a reasonable payment plan or reduce the principle. We can't afford our own lawyers right now, which is why I am asking for advice here.
What can we do? Is there any way this debt can be lowered or excused? What's ironic is that child support services supposedly exists to "help families," yet our family is being hurt!
Help!
Thank you,
Leigh
California
I have a complicated situation and haven't been able to find any similar questions in the archives. I apologize in advance if this question has already been answered.
I am now marrying my 4 year old son's father. There was a period of time (roughly two years) in which we weren't together that I received welfare, food stamps and medical coverage for myself and our son through the state of California. During that time, my now-fiance was ordered by the state to pay $500 per month, which covered child support for me and reimbursed the state for the public assistance we were receiving. However, he did not pay this because he felt it was unfairly high based on his income at the time (which it was). So, of course it accumulated each month.
My fiance, son and myself are now living together and neither of us (nor our son) are receiving any type of public assistance, and there is no longer any form of child support order in place. We earn only enough income to afford basic living expenses in Southern California, yet my fiance is being harassed by child support services to fork over just under $10,000 in back child support payments (again, for our own son who we now support together). Last week, they seized his bank accounts and took every penny ($2,700) in his checking and savings -- money that was supposed to be for food and rent. It's to the point that we might not be able to provide for our child and ourselves *without* going on public assistance! Pretty absurd.
Everyone we talk to over the phone at child support services is incredibly rude (we have literally been "hung-up" on), unhelpful and unwilling to work out a reasonable payment plan or reduce the principle. We can't afford our own lawyers right now, which is why I am asking for advice here.
What can we do? Is there any way this debt can be lowered or excused? What's ironic is that child support services supposedly exists to "help families," yet our family is being hurt!
Help!
Thank you,
Leigh