Experienced, Empathetic Advocacy In Family Law And Criminal Defense

Fewer than half of single parents receive child support

On Behalf of | Feb 8, 2018 | Child Support

According to recently released Census Bureau data, only 43.5 percent of parents with physical custody of their children receive financial support from the other parent. That leaves many parents in Texas and across the nation with serious financial strain, on top of taking care of the bulk of child care duties. For those who are struggling to make ends meet, collecting unpaid child support is a priority.

Statistically, single mothers are at a far greater risk of falling into poverty than single fathers. Among custodial parents in poverty, fewer than 40 percent receive full child support payments. The total amount of unpaid child support for the year 2015 was $33.7 billion. Some non-custodial parents do make partial payments but are unable or unwilling to make their child support payments in full.

Collecting unpaid child support can be a challenge. Each scenario is unique, and parents who are not caught up on their payments respond differently to different collection efforts. In some cases, simply having an attorney write a letter requesting payment is sufficient to get the check in the mail. In fact, even broaching the subject of legal intervention is sometimes all that’s needed.

In other cases, legal action is the only way to enforce unpaid child support. Having a trusted legal advisor is an important part of the process. It may take some time and effort, but for Texas parents struggling financially, collecting unpaid child support is a worthy investment of both. Raising children is expensive, and parents need all the support they can muster.

Source: Bloomberg, “Less Than Half of U.S. Parents With Child Custody Get Funds“, Vincent Del Giudice, Jan. 30, 2018

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