The Truth About Child Support

[SensualScents]

I see alot of journals involving child support. I myself have never gone through the process of Child Support however I am an accountant and I deal with it in payroll. I am that person responsible of withholding the child support in accordance with the order and laws. Between the latest journal posts i have seen (not soley about but making reference to) and the phone calls I have dealt with the last few days I am compelled to talk about Child support.

First off, each state has requirements on how much can be withheld from payroll. The order might say $150 a week BUT states have stipulations about that. In NC (where I live) you CANNOT take out more than 50% of pay. SO what happens when the check is $150??? Only $75 is taking out, in accordance to law! I understand people get frustrated...I really do. The case managers and payroll accountants however are NOT the people to cuss out. Save that for the person the order is on (notice I didn't say dad....I currently have one dad and 3 mothers who are to pay CS!). I know its not fair to your child (not to you because it's by IRS standards its not your money, its the childs), but direct the anger in the right place. If you "know" that the person with the order on them is working under the table for someone else...and basically getting by without fulfilling their obligations, get a video on it. Trust me, the person who has hired them under the table won't side with you because there is all kinds of trouble awaiting them besides the issue of CS.

This post is not about making those who are supposed to pay and not paying seem like good people. I don't know and don't care to pass judgement on them without knowing there situation. Some women just want all the money, not to care for the child but to "stick it to the dad". Same has gone for our cases involving women paying to the fathers. I have seen people work hard at paying up their CS and the guardian of the child really try hard to make things still difficult for them (this helps the child how?). On the other hand I have seen people try to skip out on paying the CS. This post really is just helping me deal with the latest drama I have had to endure on the phone. I personally don't care what your situation is, yelling at me is not going to cause me to take the whole check and apply  it to you.

Oh and back to CS and the IRS. I often get yelled at for not allowing our clients to claim the child support they paid as a deduction on their taxes. Simply put the money is for the child. It didn't belong to you and that is how the IRS views it. It does NOT work the same as alimony. Alimony is paid to the taxpayer (your ex-spouse) and is used for the taxpayer. in the IRS eyes, CS is paid to the child (albeit through their gaurdian) and the child is not a taxpayer.

Anyway, I just needed to get that out.