@ericsnow It’s the parents that abuse the system that gives CS a bad rap.
Dead beat parents (both fathers and mothers) that don’t want to contribute because their lives are in shambles. Ok, then why did you have a kid? If you had a kid, be responsible for your child’s expenses.
The other type of bad wrap, and unfortunately, more mothers withhold their children from fit, able and willing fathers just to collect child support. Most states will still have one parent pay child support if the income difference is large. There is no reason a child should be without equal access to both parents. Money should never be a reason!
Then you have the abusers. My ex being one of them. She played the victim card, dragged me through court and two years later, we are in 50/50 and I pay child support. Mind you, she earns 6 figures, has over $1million in liquid assets but she doesn’t believe a divorced mother should pay for her children if their dad earns a lot of money. Her exact words where “I am a mother and entitled to child support”. Obviously, using the state collection office to enforce it. I am ok paying it if she wasn’t a high earner also, but to refuse any kind of financial responsibility for her children because I fathered them? That’s abuse.
It’s not taboo. It’s needed to support the child. But if both parents are fit, willing and able, then the child should be 50/50 and each parent responsible for the child’s expenses. Then 50/50 for extra curricular activities and unreimbursed medical bills.
It’s not a fair system today due to title IV-D and the corruption in family court. In texas, judges get their retirement from the judicial retirement fund. That fund is funded via the states federal reimbursement money out of the special title IV-D federal budget. That budget is determined via how much the state collects in child support. It’s taboo because it’s legalized corruption and extortion.
If you need it, then absolutely file for it.