My ex has made one child support payment in three years, a lump sum payment that doesn't cover anywhere close to half of what he owes. He says he's on disability (specifically SSI)...we'll come back to that.
I moved my son and I to Iowa last summer. Went through the process of getting the order changed from Ohio to Iowa. Actually had high hopes that we would start to see results because I had seen first hand with my fiance (who is definitely not a deadbeat, just fell on hard times for a while, but the state treats him like he is) just how aggressive Iowa is in fighting for the kids. In December, I got what I thought was a statement that it had officially been transferred. That was the last I heard or saw from them for six months. In June, my ex complains that Ohio is still going after him and didn't I say it was now Iowa's case? So I call my caseworker. Hit #1: It still hadn't transferred yet, and they were blaming the hold-up on missing paperwork from Ohio. My ex swears he's confused, so I give him my caseworker's number. He talks to her. Hit #2: He's on disability and qualifies for an exemption from all enforcement efforts. She literally told him to pay his bills first and IF there is anything left over, send that. Tells me that I should contact Social Security because my son should be eligible for benefits based on my ex's status.
My son has epilepsy. I was in the process of applying for SSI for him on his own merits anyway, so while I had them on the phone, I ask them about it. The nice gentleman says he can check, if I have my ex's social security number. It just so happens that I did our taxes while we were married and the records are still on my computer, so I give him the number. Hit #3: My son is not eligible for anything, which means that the ex is not on SSI as he claims. I am livid! First I send the ex a message, telling him what a big, fat liar he is. Then I call my caseworker and tell her he LIED and my son still gets nothing. She sticks to her claim that he is receiving something and they can't touch him. I lose it. "Do you mean to tell me that he gets away with never paying another dime ever again?" She says there is nothing they can do. "Then what's the point in having the order in the first place?" I scream. "I'll make a note in the file." I hung up on her.
It's not about the money. He's only ordered to pay $224 a month. It's that he lied, that he lives with his mom and has no expenses other than his beer and cigarettes and he can't support the son he likes to claim as his own. It's that my son is the one who suffers because while it's not much, it would certainly help.
My handsome little man - Reuben Benjamin
That's the thing...they WON'T throw him in jail because he is supposedly exempt from any enforcement actions the state can use, including jail. He's already behind by three years and they've pretty much told me that they can't touch him.
My handsome little man - Reuben Benjamin
My kids are getting social security because my ex is "disabled". When they were filling everything out and figuring if my kids can get money they said that if he didnt pay enough into social security then only my ex will get social security. So maybe your ex is on SSI but didn't pay enough into social security while working so the social security office cant get your son on SSI? I am not defending your ex though because I know what you are going through. My ex only had a 60 dollar child support payment for 2 kids and I only saw about 5 dollars every once in a while.
So very sad! How Pathedic
- ruthie11617
on Sep. 9, 2010 at 12:01 PM