Child Support Services (enforcement)

[Newlydivmomto4]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

I received a packet in the mail yesterday for Child Support Services application. Should I/Do I have to go through Child Support Services if my ex is already following the court order? There is an order in place for child support, I have full physical/legal custody and visitation is "as agreed upon by both parents."
For the most part, my ex is pretty good about paying child support, but has mentioned "things are tight, I might not be able to pay my full half of daycare this month." Or said the, "I don't know if I'll be able to afford to come see the kids if I have to pay such and such for daycare." To cover my rear, should I complete the paperwork? Or is it required that I complete the paperwork?

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Isis1]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

I received a packet in the mail yesterday for Child Support Services application. Should I/Do I have to go through Child Support Services if my ex is already following the court order? There is an order in place for child support, I have full physical/legal custody and visitation is "as agreed upon by both parents."
For the most part, my ex is pretty good about paying child support, but has mentioned "things are tight, I might not be able to pay my full half of daycare this month." Or said the, "I don't know if I'll be able to afford to come see the kids if I have to pay such and such for daycare." To cover my rear, should I complete the paperwork? Or is it required that I complete the paperwork?

Thanks so much for your help.

if you applied for any type of state walfare, you are required to go through child support services for child support collection. so you'd submit the application along with the court order. and the CSE will just monitor the payments as opposed to opening a new order unless it needs to be modified if it does not meet state guidelines

 

[RockMomster]

Another Mom's Story

This is just the experience and opinion of a Mom of One. My ex-husband and I had no orders of the Court except the paragraphs in our Summary Decree of Divorce. He paid the $325.00 per month as set forth in the divorce - for the most part. He would skip a month when it was convenient for him while I did NOT skip a month for housing or feeding our child. When he remarried and relocated, he skipped paying child support for 10 months! I filed my case with Child Support Enforcement in NC as soon as he was two months in arrears and it STILL took an agonizingly long time even though I provided them with all the required information. Nothing happened until I contacted a state senator who, within a week, goaded my caseworker into action. Sometimes, knowing that "Big Brother" is watching them can make non-custodial parents do the right thing. In my experience, having child support payments go through State authorities de-personalizes the whole transaction, i.e., it's not just "you against him". He won't have to agonize over whether or not to write you a check - the State will just take it out of his paycheck for him and keep track with his payments which is beneficial to the non-custodial parent. If you are not receiving any aid from the State, however, thanks to George Bush's budget balancing (Ha!) act of 2005, you will be charged $25.00 per year as an administrative charge for handling the money between the two parties. Despite that, I think it is a good idea because you never know when an amicable situation will go bad AND it helps keep impartial records for both the custodial and non-custodial parent.