Child Support Foots Bill For The National Deficit
Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of Social Services
OCTOBER 30,2007 UPDATE
I received this letter from Senator JOHN WARNER of VIRGINIA.
Dear Ms. Wilson:
Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts on child support payments. I appreciate your thoughtful inquiry.
Child support enforcement laws are primarily established and enforced by the states. There are problems, however, when a parent of a child flees across state lines to avoid child support payments. In this case, state laws are no longer effective and payments are neglected. Congress has therefore attempted to federalize some laws to enforce child support in recognition of the limitations faced by the states when applying their laws. The federal government has also made efforts to hold individual parents accountable for neglecting to pay child support. By withholding driver's licenses or by garnishing federal wages, the federal government has attempted to remedy this problem, and I have supported these efforts.
Moreover, through the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the federal government, in partnership with the states, operates the Child Support Enforcement Program (CSE). The purpose of this program is to assure that financial and medical assistance is available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity and obligations, and enforcing those obligations.
As you may know, on February 8, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (S.1932) into law (P.L.109-171). A provision of this legislation imposes a $25 fee in instances where a family has used CSE services to collect at least $500 annually. The fee does not apply to families that participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. As enacted, this fee may be: (1) retained by the state from child support collected on behalf of the custodial parent, but not from the first $500 collected in a given federal fiscal year; (2) paid by the custodial parent who is applying for child support assistance; (3) recovered from the noncustodial parent; or (4) paid by the state out of state funds. While I supported final passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, I did vote in support of an amendment that urged all child support provisions be struck from the measure. While the Senate-passed bill contained no such provisions, the final conference report did include them.
You may be assured that I value your thoughts on this issue. I will be certain to keep your views in mind should legislation related to child support enforcement come before the Senate in the future.
Again, thank you for contacting me.
With kind regards, I am
Sincerely,
John W. Warner
United States Senator
August 2007
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CUSTODIAL PARENTS ABOUT $25 FEE
Dear Child Support Customer:
A new federal law* required that the Commonwealth of Virginia amend 63.2-1904 of the Code of Virginia. Effective October 1, 2007, this law requires the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) to impose an annual fee of $25 for each case in which DCSE has collected and disbursed at least $500 in child support. This fee will be collected every federal fiscal year which runs from October 1 through September 30. DCSE will deduct the fee each year from collections after you have received $500 in child support, either in current support or arrears. If you have multiple child support cases, the $25 fee will be collected on each case.
If you have questions concerning this notice, please contact the DCSE customer call center at 1-800-468-8894
This letter that you have just read was sent to me as well as 45,000 other custodial parents in Virginia. This charge was explained to a news reporter as to the reason for this. We are being charged this fee to cover the national deficit. I strongly advise anyone that is being charged this fee to sign this petition to stop the federal government from placing the burden and hardship on us. We have enough to deal with like feeding, clothing, housing and providing for our children.
This is a update that was just published today with the associated press. 08/21/07. Please pay close attention at who is not having to pay this $25 fee.
The state's Division of Child Support Enforcement is charging a $25 annual fee for the government's help in collecting past-due support payments.
About 130,000 Virginians are being notified of the fee in a letter. The fee goes into effect in October.
It is being charged to custodial parents who receive at least $500 a year in their child support cases. Parents who have received public assistance such as welfare payments are NOT charged the fee.
It is part of a federal change that was approved in the sprawling Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The fee is estimated to raise two million dollars in Virginia. Two-thirds of that will go to the federal government to reduce the deficit.
Officials say that if a state doesn't apply the fee to custodial parents, Virginia will lose federal funding.
This website will allow you to contact these people who decided this was a good idea.
This is who DCSE told me to contact about the 25.00 fee. Please everyone call or write them too.
Virginia's Congressional Delegation
http://www.soc-apps.state.va.us/Bluebook/PDFs/11_Vi
rginia%20Congressional%20Delegation.pdf
Thank you for your support.
A single mother who is concerned.
Monique E. Wilson
I would like to thank everyone who's taking the time out of their busy schedules to sign this petition. My children thank you and every other custodial parent that does not have the money out of their child/children childsupport to support the national deficit.
Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of Social Services
OCTOBER 30,2007 UPDATE
I received this letter from Senator JOHN WARNER of VIRGINIA.
Dear Ms. Wilson:
Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts on child support payments. I appreciate your thoughtful inquiry.
Child support enforcement laws are primarily established and enforced by the states. There are problems, however, when a parent of a child flees across state lines to avoid child support payments. In this case, state laws are no longer effective and payments are neglected. Congress has therefore attempted to federalize some laws to enforce child support in recognition of the limitations faced by the states when applying their laws. The federal government has also made efforts to hold individual parents accountable for neglecting to pay child support. By withholding driver's licenses or by garnishing federal wages, the federal government has attempted to remedy this problem, and I have supported these efforts.
Moreover, through the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the federal government, in partnership with the states, operates the Child Support Enforcement Program (CSE). The purpose of this program is to assure that financial and medical assistance is available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity and obligations, and enforcing those obligations.
As you may know, on February 8, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (S.1932) into law (P.L.109-171). A provision of this legislation imposes a $25 fee in instances where a family has used CSE services to collect at least $500 annually. The fee does not apply to families that participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. As enacted, this fee may be: (1) retained by the state from child support collected on behalf of the custodial parent, but not from the first $500 collected in a given federal fiscal year; (2) paid by the custodial parent who is applying for child support assistance; (3) recovered from the noncustodial parent; or (4) paid by the state out of state funds. While I supported final passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, I did vote in support of an amendment that urged all child support provisions be struck from the measure. While the Senate-passed bill contained no such provisions, the final conference report did include them.
You may be assured that I value your thoughts on this issue. I will be certain to keep your views in mind should legislation related to child support enforcement come before the Senate in the future.
Again, thank you for contacting me.
With kind regards, I am
Sincerely,
John W. Warner
United States Senator
August 2007
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CUSTODIAL PARENTS ABOUT $25 FEE
Dear Child Support Customer:
A new federal law* required that the Commonwealth of Virginia amend 63.2-1904 of the Code of Virginia. Effective October 1, 2007, this law requires the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) to impose an annual fee of $25 for each case in which DCSE has collected and disbursed at least $500 in child support. This fee will be collected every federal fiscal year which runs from October 1 through September 30. DCSE will deduct the fee each year from collections after you have received $500 in child support, either in current support or arrears. If you have multiple child support cases, the $25 fee will be collected on each case.
If you have questions concerning this notice, please contact the DCSE customer call center at 1-800-468-8894
This letter that you have just read was sent to me as well as 45,000 other custodial parents in Virginia. This charge was explained to a news reporter as to the reason for this. We are being charged this fee to cover the national deficit. I strongly advise anyone that is being charged this fee to sign this petition to stop the federal government from placing the burden and hardship on us. We have enough to deal with like feeding, clothing, housing and providing for our children.
This is a update that was just published today with the associated press. 08/21/07. Please pay close attention at who is not having to pay this $25 fee.
The state's Division of Child Support Enforcement is charging a $25 annual fee for the government's help in collecting past-due support payments.
About 130,000 Virginians are being notified of the fee in a letter. The fee goes into effect in October.
It is being charged to custodial parents who receive at least $500 a year in their child support cases. Parents who have received public assistance such as welfare payments are NOT charged the fee.
It is part of a federal change that was approved in the sprawling Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The fee is estimated to raise two million dollars in Virginia. Two-thirds of that will go to the federal government to reduce the deficit.
Officials say that if a state doesn't apply the fee to custodial parents, Virginia will lose federal funding.
This website will allow you to contact these people who decided this was a good idea.
This is who DCSE told me to contact about the 25.00 fee. Please everyone call or write them too.
Virginia's Congressional Delegation
http://www.soc-apps.state.va.us/Bluebook/PDFs/11_Vi
rginia%20Congressional%20Delegation.pdf
Thank you for your support.
A single mother who is concerned.
Monique E. Wilson
I would like to thank everyone who's taking the time out of their busy schedules to sign this petition. My children thank you and every other custodial parent that does not have the money out of their child/children childsupport to support the national deficit.
My name is Monique E. Wilson and I am just a single parent who feels robbed yet again. This time I am being robbed by my local and federal government. I guess I should say that it is not me who is being robbed, it is my children. The law that was amended to take $25 out of custodial parents child support is what I am speakingof.
We as custodial parents are asking our people who get paid to represent us to reconsider their decision. Please go to the website to get the full details of this situation. If you feel this situation is unfair and just outrageous, please sign this petition.
Thank you for your time
A custodial parent that just wants her children to have what belongs to them and not given to the government to pay off the NATIONAL DEFICIT.
ACTUALLY, IT IS ONLY FAIR THAT WE PAY. THINK ABOUT IT WE ARE THE ONES THAT INVOLVED THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE TO FIND THE DEAD BEAT PARENTS TO GET SUPPORT PAYMENTS. DID WE THINK WE COULD CONTINUE TO GET THOSE SERVICES FOR FREE. I HAVE TO PAY ALSO SO DON'T THINK I AM NOT UPSET BUT THE TRUTH HURTS. SOI HAVE A CHOICE DO I CANCEL THE SUPPORT AND WE WORK IT OUT OR PAY $50.
That should be a crime..if anyone should have to pay for the fee the non-custodial parent. The one that we had to turn in in order to get someones help in getting them to pay the child support. Not us parents..
I AM THE MOTHER OF 4 BOYS 2 ALREADY OF AGE AND 2 UNDER AGE AND AND 3 STEP SONS MY EX HUSBAND PAYS ON TIME EVERY MONTH BUT MY NEW HUSBANDS EX WIFE MOVED TO WY. AND CHANGES JOBS EVERY TIME THE COURTS HERE IN SC FIND OUT WHERE SHE WORKS SO THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THE WAGE WITH HOLDING ON HER CHECK,SHE THEN FINDS ANOTHER JOB SO THEY THEY CAN NOT KEEP UP WITH HER. I REALLY HOPE SOMEONE CAN COME UP WITH A WAY TO MAKE THESE DEAD BEAT PARENTS PAY.IT IS VERY HARD ON MY HUSBAND AND I BECASE I AM UNABLE TO WORK DUE TO SOME HEALTH PROBLEMS AND REALLY I HAVE A FULL TIME JOB WITH MY CHILDREN AND MY HUSBANDS CHILDREN. THE AGES ARE 6,10,12,12,13,AND THEY REALLY NEED ME AT HOME FOR THEM BECAUSE MY STEP BOYS MOM RARELY SEES THEM AND MY BOYS DO NOT SPEND ANY TIME WITH MY EX HUSBAND EXCEPT FOR MAYBE ABOUT 4 HOURS EACH MONTH SO I REALLY TRY TO BE HERE FOR THEM AT ALL TIMES. THANK YOU Rita Havrilla
I am a father of 3 boys with full custody and a child support for child support.My exwife moved to the state of WY.to get out of paying child suppport,each time I find out where she works she will quit her job and move on to the next job so the courts will not be able to do wage with holding.I hope some better way will be found soon on how to get the child support that the children should have it is very hard to not have any help in finances to help with my 3 boys,I have remarried and she has become the mother of my boys because Jen does not really visit with my boys so Rita has had to take over he roll as mom she has 4 boys of her own 2 that are of age and 2 still under age but her exhusband pays his support on time always but it is still very hard when we have 5 boys still in the home and because of health problems she is unable to work.I really hope some one can come up with a way to make these dead beat parents pay the child support the children need.I have reduced her support to try and help her out but that still did not make her start paying she is now $11260.00 behind and it is so hard to get the help I need to cross all the state lines to get her to pay.......THANK YOU Chad Havrilla
This fee is ridiculous! We aren't the ones who drove up the deficit in the first place! And why isn't the WELFARE people having to pay? They are the ones using all the governments money! And stop giving welfare to illegal aliens! They don't even belong here and yet they get paid to sit on their butts and have babies! When my hubby risks his life for this country and we're being punished by having the gov't take even more money from us! This is the worst thing Bush has done yet!
This fee is ridiculous. Why shouldn't they tack that onto the non-custodial parent who OWES money. My ex owes over $11,645 for our two children, and keeps trying to get lower paying jobs and have support lowered. I have to abide by the court ordered visitation, but he gets by without abiding by court ordered support. Then, I am told they won't even GO AFTER HIM until he has not paid for 3 months!! What, why wait. As soon as you know he doesn't have a job, AGAIN, let's go after him. He hasn't paid in almost 2 months. Why wait any longer? Ridiculous. And now, when they do collect, even if they collect LESS than 1 month's worth, a portion of that is taken away to go to this fee. What about the kids? Why is the money being taken from them? And since they are being the ones to go without, why can't we try to get to the parents that aren't paying faster once payments stop??
Yes, WV mom with over $10,000 due in child support arrearages. Got downsized, working for 1/2 the amount of money I used to earn. Applied for foodstamps and they count hit and go payments as income and do not count those payments as arrears. Of course, OCSE is privatized and doesn't respond. Desperate to feed her child.
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4:15 am PST, Jan 20,
Victoria Mary Stong / Community Activist, New York
Stop making the good and responsible people pay for the fast-talking criminal non-custodial parents who don't care about their kids! |
This needs to be straightened out. Something is wrong. I bet this will change. The money is already taxed and then paid to reduce the deficit?? The parent paying the child support should pay the fee if anyone because they are the reason that child support enforcement has to attach their wages. Lawmakers didn't even suggest that both parties split the fee. What is wrong with doing things that make sense? Taking money from a child is wrong and that is exactly what they are doing. This should be changed ACROSS THE BOARD (federally) for all states. Most parents receiving child support do not get what they should as it is. IF a fee needs to be imposed, make the parent paying child support, pay it, or split it between the two parties. DON'T TAKE MONEY FROM THE CHILD.
this fee to the custodial parent is an abuse. As a single parent myself I was upset when I got the letter, what upset me even more is that DCSE dose not collect my child support. I get it directly from Puerto Rico. The reason I didnt transfer it to DCSE in virginia is that the check wher coming late already and tranfering it to a thir party will make it even worse to track down my check. It is unfair to the kids. this charge is should be charged to the non-custodial parents and not the kids, add the fee to the non-custodial parent. Although I have not been affected by this, as a single parent and dealing with the pain of waiting for the child suport check to pay for the kids needs, $25 still make a big hole.
Ridiculous to expect parents with a court order for child support to pay a fee to reduce the federal deficit. Is it not enough that we pay taxes.
Amen to all the Parents in the same boat. I live in Maryland and work as a waitress. My arrears are 62,497.27 for my daughters and the state did the same new deal to us. The joke is that I haven't received more than $450.00 per year for the last 2 years. This means that when I do finally succeed at receiving money, the Maryland Child Support Agency will take theirs right away. Did I mention that I tracked down the deadbeat myself! So do I get paid for my time and effort? I raise my daughters to be self sufficient and never received welfare, such a joke.
It's bad enough that we have to pay to apply for child support, the non-custodial parent should foot the bill.
In addition to this unfair $25 fee, child support also collects a $25 fee for tax interception. What happens if there are 3 mothers collecting child support from 1 man? Well, I am in this exact situation and questioned the MD Office of Child Support Enforcement and was told that I did not foot this tax interception by my self. Each mother had been charged a $25 fee for the tax interception of one man. How is this possible when only one tax interception had occurred in order to pay 3 mothers? Are the absent parents paying child support or are the kids paying child support? This is outrageous behavior! Find the absent parent and charge it to them.
In MARYLAND contact Joe Jackins The excutive director of child support enforcement to complain (410) 767-7065
My father is is supposed to receive child support for me and has been shorted 25 dollars out of his direct deposit He is disabled and on a fixed income How could they do this to our family Everyone that this is happening to in Md should call Joe Jackins (410) 767-7065 to complain He is the executive director of child support in Md
I'm outraged our country is taking money from the parents who care for the children. This is unbelievable!
I am owed 18,000 and my kids are both over 18. If they take money from my case I will be irrate. As you can see they haven't enforced my case in the whole 16 years it's been open. Now that he only owes arrearages he is making payments. So they sat on their a---s for 16 years and did nothing and expect me to gladly hand them $25? What a joke. How about fire all the lazy workers who do nothing. When I talked to them this week they said they have 20 days to respond to my work order. Maybe if we all sue them they will get the point. Repeal this unjust law. NOW!!!!
The 25 dollar fee is unconstitutional due to it changing the court ordered amount that we all receive. The legislative branch of the goverment cannot pass laws that change or amend court orders. This is a violation of the seperation of powers. We need to contact an attorney to start a class action lawsuit agaist the states involved.
I just cannot put into words the inpact this has on the children who are not getting the amount of money that the courts decide is needed for them. I have two children for whom I receive support, two dads, that is $50, some may think it is only $50, but whan you have a tight budget it is a lot.
You should take the $50.00 out extra on the person who is supposed to be paying the child support in the first place. Since they didn't want to voluntarily pay child support, they should have to pay the fee on top of child support. Hit it where it hurts them, their pocket.
Taking food and necessities out of the mouths of children to reduce the deficit?!?! Some of us have deadbeat ex's who refuse to work and therefore have child support calculated based on less income than a high school student could make working at a fast food place?? Not nearly enough to support a child and now they want the children to pay for the deficit?! This government has finally sunk below any level I thought possible.
