“The percentage of ‘deadbeat’ moms is actually higher than that of dads who won’t pay, even though mothers are more consistently awarded custody of children by the courts,” FOXNews reports.
“Census figures show only 57 percent of moms required to pay child support — 385,000 women out of a total of 674,000 — give up some or all of the money they owe. That leaves some 289,000 ‘deadbeat’ mothers out there, a fact that has barely been reported in the media.
“That compares with 68 percent of dads who pay up, according to the figures.”
Men who are due child support are also getting tired of deadbeat moms’ excuse that they can’t pony up the money, and some courts have responded.
California lawyer Eudene Eunique in February was denied a passport because she was $30,000 behind in child-support. Instead of spending money on visiting her family in Mexico and on business contracts, the appeals court ruled Eunique
4 Replies to “Richard Bennett Springs a Chubby? (I’m only guessing, of course…)”
The mom usually gets the kids unless there’s something wrong with her. So a non-custodial mother is much more likely to have serious problems—substance abuse, depression, poor health, etc.—than a non-custodial father. Also, a custodial mother is more likely to have been out of the workforce or working part-time before the divorce than a custodial father. And women, on average, earn less than men.
It’s not surprising that non-custodial mothers are less responsible and that they’re ordered to pay less, or that custodial fathers work more than custodial mothers.
Good points, Joanne—though it’s the first point (“The mom usually gets the kids unless there’s something wrong with her”) that leads to many of the gripes that follow.
I’m less willing than Joanne to give deadbeat mothers a free pass while holding deadbeat dads’ feet to the fire. Both parents are responsible for the support of the child, and when either takes a timeout, it’s a problem, whether the non-contributing parent is a welfare queen training to be a stock broker, or a teenaged dad who quits his job at McDonalds so he can hang with this homies. CS should be awarded at a realistic level, and if it were compliance would be over 90% for both men and women.
The most interesting factoid about gender and CS shows that 90% of NCP fathers are ordered to pay, while only about 50% of NCP moms are ordered to pay. Given the low compliance of NCP moms., the courts are probably recognizing an exercise in futility when they see it.
my friend is a struggling father with two kids and the mother , a product of “professional welfare mom” system was her moms way of livin’ and now this girl is doing the same.the system is their 40 hr work week.(idiots) how does he get child support out of her? does california have good progams to help these single dad heros? he has made attemps to recieve help but, his jumping through hoops with the state became fustrating. resulting in him having to borrow money from hard earned paychecks early leaving an even smaller paycheck. any advice?
we’re in california.