Report: More Than $10 Billion in Child Support is Going Uncollected
In recent weeks, fresh attention is being paid to one of the most important financial issues affecting single parents in the United States: unpaid child support.
As noted in a recent report from CBS News, it’s estimated that more than $10 billion in child support is currently going uncollected. The report draws its conclusions from data provided in a recent study from the United States Census Bureau. Alarmingly, the study found that only 43.5 percent of single parents who receive ongoing child support payments are regularly getting the full amount owed. Also a significant number of custodial parents, 30 percent, receiving no child support at all.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Americans collectively owe $40 billion in child support each year.
However, only about $30 billion of that is actually paid when due. Of course, that means that many custodial parents, and thus their children, are not receiving the financial support that they need. Missing out on child support payments can put a tremendous financial burden on a family. As explained by the Oklahoma City child support attorneys at Brown & Gould, PLLC,
“Parents owed child support do have a number of different options available. The failure to pay child support is a violation of a court order. Through the Oklahoma Department of Human Services; a custodial parent who is owed past due child support may be able to collect that money through garnishment of wages. Also by obtaining a lien on the other parent’s property or bank account, or through the confiscation of a state or federal tax return. In addition, the intentional violation of a child support order could result in a persons arrest.”
Unpaid child support has long been a serious problem in the state of Oklahoma.
With one of the highest divorce rates in the nation, many children in Oklahoma live primarily with one parent. In 2015, state Child Support Services (CSS) noted that there was an active arrest warrant out for more than 11,000 Oklahomans who failed to appear in court for their unpaid child support hearing. These violators were all offered amnesty from arrest if they voluntarily came forward to work with state officials to satisfy their child support obligations.