Department of Resources a BIG waste!

[The_Twisted_Ear]

I have a very close friend who's daughter divorced and has three kids at home.

She tried going through the courts to get her Husband to agree to child support and ended up that the deadbeat (by court order) has to pay $250.00 per child for a total of $750 a month.

Her X has absolutely no assets in his name (he puts it in a friends name) - gets paid for his work in cash and/or check - and claims practically nothing each year on his income tax.

Her lawyer said it would cost a bunch to hire a investigator to document his actual income and suggested she go through the Department of Resources (since she couldn't afford to hire an investigator). Well, that took for ever but finally her X was told to make his $750.00 payment to the state.

So guess what? Every three months - her X pays the state $200 and they mark him paid and caught up! Yes, they say he made a payment, know it was far less then the court ordr, but technically he made a payment so their is nothing more they can do AND they can't do anything until he misses a payment for three months - so, he pays his $200 every three months.

Does that sound right? In the meantime, he has bought two new cars, still has his rights for visitation and laughs in her face when she asked for the money to help pay dental, school and so forth. No, he has no insurance!

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting the Department of Resources to do something?

 

[tommyjo]

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting the Department of Resources to do something?

Sad story...

More interesting is your tagline: "Proud Conservative".

By the comments on this page, that means you abhor govt.

Yet here you are complaining that govt isn't doing enough for you or your sister??? And expect the govt to do more???

Why don't you all pull up your own bootstraps and fix the problem yourself? Why are you looking to the taxpayer for a handout? Give her the money yourself...hire the investigator yourself...go to a "faith based" organization and have them help you...send a request for money to Glen Beck or Rush Limbaugh...I am sure with your tagline they'd just bend over backwards to help.

 

[Rommey]

In the meantime, he has bought two new cars, still has his rights for visitation and laughs in her face when she asked for the money to help pay dental, school and so forth. No, he has no insurance!

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting the Department of Resources to do something?

My first thought was use the kids a pawns and deny visitation, but that could be punishing the kids...but if he isn't paying then he is already punishing the kids.

By the comments on this page, that means you abhor govt.

It's not an "all-or-nothing" proposition. Limiting government doesn't mean NO government. Notwithstanding your usual flippant responses, how about addressing the fact that there is a government agency and a judicial system that seems to be failing the very people they are supposed to help.

Doesn't it seem odd that the agency will accept a $200 payment every 3 months as being paid-in-full for a $750/mo court ordered payment? The $200 isn't even 10% due for the the 3 month period.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

Sad story...Yet here you are complaining that govt isn't doing enough for you or your sister??? And expect the govt to do more?.

My goodness tommyjo - where did all that come from? She isn't my "sister" but a friends daughter. I am not sure what you are implying... I wasn't asking the a handout - just some recommendations on what to do. My close friend works, pay hers taxes, get absolutely no assistance from the Federal Government so she isn't asking for a handout tommyjo. FWIW - the Department of Resources does get paid for their service - maybe not what it is worth - but they do get paid. Anyway - my apologies for getting you going.

Rommey - you are so right. The kids visitation has nothing to do with their Dad's reluctance to pay the proper amount of support. Like you said - absolutely nothing is served by holding back visitation - that was never an option for her.

I welcome all constructive comments.

 

[Ken King]

Has your friend's daughter written a letter to the judge that issued the order letting him/her know that the order they issued isn't being complied with? The judge might be interested in knowing this and could/should issue a contempt citation that would pull the "deadbeat" back into court to explain why they aren't complying and maybe give them some time in lockup to reflect on them not making the required payments.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

Has your friend's daughter written a letter to the judge that issued the order letting him/her know that the order they issued isn't being complied with...

Thanks for the suggestion - I just copied your comments and sent her an e-mail. I will let ya know how it goes. Thanks again...

 

[Gilligan]

My goodness tommyjo - where did all that come from?

She's always that cranky unless her meds have kicked in all the way.

 

[Tami2red]

Sad story...

More interesting is your tagline: "Proud Conservative".

By the comments on this page, that means you abhor govt.

Yet here you are complaining that govt isn't doing enough for you or your sister??? And expect the govt to do more???

Why don't you all pull up your own bootstraps and fix the problem yourself? Why are you looking to the taxpayer for a handout? Give her the money yourself...hire the investigator yourself...go to a "faith based" organization and have them help you...send a request for money to Glen Beck or Rush Limbaugh...I am sure with your tagline they'd just bend over backwards to help.

My, my my. Aren't you quite the angry idiot?

 

[Vince]

A man that won't take care of his kids is a waste.

 

[Shutout]

I have never heard the "he made a payment. we can't do anything." line. My ex was court ordered to pay through the state and then the state mailed a check to me.

All I did was contact them when payments were not made on a consistent basis and the state handled the situaiton.

This happen a few times but was resolved by the state/courts.

That said I kept excellent records, and stayed in constant touch via mail or phone calls about my case at the first hint that it was not correct or current.

 

[Radiant1]

As far as I know, there's nothing she can do except bring forth PROOF that he has more income and then revisit the child support case for a modification to include any future tax refund to be captured on her behalf. His $200 every three months is a purge. That's enough to keep him out of jail for another few months. Usually in the state of Maryland what he owes is not considered paid; he still owes back child support. She's lucky he's in court every three months, usually it takes six or more.

Good on her for allowing the kids to still see him, as the custody/visitation order is usually different from the child support order; in this way she's not in contempt of court herself and she's not hurting the kids anymore than they already have been.

It's completely unfair and it sucks, but I don't think there's much she can do about it. When seeing my lawyer for a similar situation my lawyer opened by asking me what I wanted. I replied, "Justice." She laughed her ass off.

 

[ZARA]

I have a very close friend who's daughter divorced and has three kids at home.

She tried going through the courts to get her Husband to agree to child support and ended up that the deadbeat (by court order) has to pay $250.00 per child for a total of $750 a month.

Her X has absolutely no assets in his name (he puts it in a friends name) - gets paid for his work in cash and/or check - and claims practically nothing each year on his income tax.

Her lawyer said it would cost a bunch to hire a investigator to document his actual income and suggested she go through the Department of Resources (since she couldn't afford to hire an investigator). Well, that took for ever but finally her X was told to make his $750.00 payment to the state.

So guess what? Every three months - her X pays the state $200 and they mark him paid and caught up! Yes, they say he made a payment, know it was far less then the court ordr, but technically he made a payment so their is nothing more they can do AND they can't do anything until he misses a payment for three months - so, he pays his $200 every three months.

Does that sound right? In the meantime, he has bought two new cars, still has his rights for visitation and laughs in her face when she asked for the money to help pay dental, school and so forth. No, he has no insurance!

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting the Department of Resources to do something?

If she really wants to stick it to him, apply for all welfare services. The state of MD will chase him, suspend his license, and send him to jail. If he is behind on his child support and files income tax returns, they (MD) will confiscate it directly from the IRS, hold it for 6 months, then release it to her.

You gotta know how to work the system.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

I have never heard the "he made a payment. we can't do anything." line. My ex was court ordered to pay through the state and then the state mailed a check to me - SNIP

I was surprised as well. She has documented everything (word for word and who she spoke to) and that is the line she gets everytime. Maybe things have changed. Anyway - I told her to keep documenting and her day will come.

Thanks for your comments - I will relay them to her.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

As far as I know, there's nothing she can do except bring forth PROOF that he has more income and then revisit the child support case for a modification to include any future tax refund to be captured on her behalf. His $200 every three months is a purge. That's enough to keep him out of jail for another few months. Usually in the state of Maryland what he owes is not considered paid; he still owes back child support. She's lucky he's in court every three months, usually it takes six or more. SNIP

She is keeping complete documentation. The problem is his business ONLY accepts cash and checks so their is absolutely no paper trail. He keeps no records and would never share his income amount with her and only give her an estimate. His tax return never reflects his actual income. He always owes each year. His business building is in his brother's name so her lawyer said their wasn't anything that could be done about that (when they got a divorce). As far as going to court every few months - that never happens because like clockwork - he knows exactly when to send in $200. Yes, he is getting advice on just what to do, what to say and when to do it!

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

If she really wants to stick it to him, apply for all welfare services. SNIP

As usual - she makes a few dollars more a month at her job to disqualify her from any type of state or federal assistance.

 

[ZARA]

As usual - she makes a few dollars more a month at her job to disqualify her from any type of state or federal assistance.

Doesn't matter if she qualifies- apply for everything anyways. And supply all information on him that she has. You just have to get it jump started and then that snowball turns into an avalanche.

Speaking from experience.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

Doesn't matter if she qualifies- apply for everything anyways. And supply all information on him that she has. You just have to get it jump started and then that snowball turns into an avalanche. Speaking from experience.

I will relay your suggestion - thanks ZARA.

 

[dave1959]

Maybe it's me... But, what the hell is a "department of resources"....

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

Maybe it's me... But, what the hell is a "department of resources"....

When my friends daughter wasn't getting any child support - her lawyer suggested she go to the Department of Human Resources for assistance. They are the agency in St. Mary's County that collects child support.

Sorry everyone - just noticed I titled this "Department of Resources" - I left out "Human" - it is Department of Human Resources." Sorry for mistake.

 

[ZARA]

When my friends daughter wasn't getting any child support - her lawyer suggested she go to the Department of Resources for assistance. They are the agency in St. Mary's County that collects child support.

Oh...side note. I don't know if it matters, but PG County is where mine took place. So if she has a friend that will let her use an address there....