{"id":1289,"date":"2018-09-05T03:00:14","date_gmt":"2018-09-05T10:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arwanilawfirm.com\/?p=1289"},"modified":"2018-09-04T10:12:25","modified_gmt":"2018-09-04T17:12:25","slug":"august-is-child-support-awareness-month-what-does-this-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arwanilawfirm.com\/august-is-child-support-awareness-month-what-does-this-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"August Is Child Support Awareness Month: What Does This Mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The month of August has been declared \u201cChild Support Awareness\u201d month. Below, we discuss some developments from the administration regarding federal child support programs, as well as some tips on how to deal with your ex failing to pay child support.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Administration Could Strain Child Support Programs Even More<\/strong><\/p>\n

On August 7, the White House called for an overhaul of federal child support enforcement to shift more responsibility \u201cfrom the government to parents.\u201d Specifically, White House officials have brought up people losing eligibility for somewhat unrelated benefits programs\u2014such as food stamps and housing aid\u2014if they fail to \u201ccooperate with child support enforcement.\u201d This policy shift could place an even higher burden on parents who pay child support, as well as others who significantly rely on it and other programs to take care of themselves and their families.<\/p>\n

The announcement stems from a report recently released by the Trump administration claiming that many beneficiaries of federal benefits programs could work, but chose not to. Although these policies are new to the White House, they echo the general direction in which the GOP is taking the country in terms of broader \u201cwelfare reform efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are a number of concerns about unforeseen consequences associated with these proposals, including the potential for victims of domestic violence<\/a> to be placed in a situation whereby they have to directly confront their abusers in order to properly take care of their children. Another concern is that by making circumstances even more difficult for noncustodial parents, they may end up giving up on paying child support altogether.<\/p>\n

If Your Ex Isn\u2019t Paying Enough\/Any Child Support <\/strong><\/p>\n

According to data from the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, more than $100 billion is pending in U.S. back payments owed to parents with child custody.<\/p>\n

If your ex is failing to pay child support, working with an experienced family law attorney is your best hope for addressing the situation. Some approaches you might take include:<\/p>\n