New statistics: Unpaid child support figures are worse than ever

On behalf of Barli & Associates LLC posted in child custody on Wednesday, February 7, 2018.

Most parents who have full physical custody of their children have the right to receive child support money from the noncustodial parent. This money, received in the form of monthly payments, often represents a lifeline of financial support for the child and the mother or father who is taking care of him or her. Nevertheless, even though New Jersey courts will almost always award child custody payments to custodial parents, it doesn’t mean that the paying parent always pays.

According to statistics from 2015, under 50 percent of parents — approximately 43.5 percent — got the full amount of child support that they were supposed to receive. In fact, U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that 30 percent of custodial parents got nothing. These child support delinquency figures were the highest they’ve been since 1993.

Perhaps as a result of these statistics, among all mothers, single mothers showed the highest chances of being in poverty. Single mothers also had a higher chance of poverty compared to single fathers. Twenty-nine percent of single mothers were in poverty while only 16.7 percent of single fathers were.

The total amount of child support money still owed by the end 2015 was $33.7 billion. This was $14 billion lower than it was in 2003; nevertheless, it seems that our nation’s courts — and our nation’s child support paying parents — have a lot of work to do.

If you’re a single parent, and you’re not receiving the child support money you deserve in New Jersey, it’s time for your learn about your legal rights and options. If you take appropriate legal action, you might be able to get the money you’re owed.

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