The child support system was established to serve the needs of divorced parents that had steady employment. However, the system is archaic and still approaches the financial needs from traditional but outdated gender-role stereotypes. As a result, there are several challenges and issues within the child & spousal support system.

The Wrong Focus

Within the current system, the focus is on enforcing support orders and collecting payments. Billions of dollar each year are collected from noncustodial parents, and when it comes to enforcement, this an area where the system succeeds. However, many would prefer that there is a greater emphasis placed on parental involvement, particularly in the area of fathers having more to do with their children.

The Perpetual Myth

Many hear the stories of fathers that refuse to pay their child & spousal support orders, leading to the label of deadbeat dad for non paying individuals. However, the statistics show that over half of the cases where no payments were made were due to the financial inability to meet the demands of the court.

The Inequality of Payment

For about 30% of the families in the child support system, life below the poverty line makes it difficult for either parent to meet the financial rulings of family court. Since child support payments aren’t automatically stopped, whenever a parent falls on hard times, it is easy for their account to gall into arrears. It then becomes even more difficult to get out from under the debt, especially when a state incarcerates an individual for failure to pay. Though applying for child support modification can help a father or mother navigate these challenges, the task is complex and may require hiring an attorney.

There is a need to make sure that children have their needs met, especially in situations where a custodial parent may not have the resources available to ensure this is done. However, there should be some modifications to the entire child & spousal support system to make it more equitable and efficient.