My ex hasn’t paid his court-ordered support in full for six years. Now the state is supposed to collect the arrears, but they claim nothing has been taken so far. He’s mad about this and is threatening me to ‘sign it off.’ On top of that, he’s started a GoFundMe claiming he doesn’t owe $50,000 and needs money for a lawyer. Meanwhile, he’s taken no parenting time during these six years but thinks his ‘little contribution’ was enough. He also says we ‘had an agreement,’ which we didn’t. I’m completely lost here—what’s the next best step? Should I just wait for the state to handle it, or should I get a lawyer? Would I even be able to get his tax return if he’s in arrears? This is all new to me, and the child has special needs, so the money would be a huge help. Any advice?
That sounds super stressful. I’d probably get a lawyer if you can afford one. The state sometimes moves slow, and you don’t want to wait forever, especially with a special needs child depending on the support.
@Alden
Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too. Do you think a lawyer would help speed things up? I don’t even know where to start.
@Alden
For sure. A lawyer can guide you through this mess. They’ll know how to push things forward if the state isn’t doing much.
Wait, what does he mean by ‘sign it off’? Like, you’re supposed to just let it go?
Dariel said:
Wait, what does he mean by ‘sign it off’? Like, you’re supposed to just let it go?
Exactly. He’s asking me to say he doesn’t owe the arrears so he can get off the hook. Like, seriously?
Dariel said:
Wait, what does he mean by ‘sign it off’? Like, you’re supposed to just let it go?
That’s wild. Don’t sign anything. He’s just trying to manipulate you.
Doesn’t the state automatically take arrears from tax returns? I thought that’s how it works.
Trinity said:
Doesn’t the state automatically take arrears from tax returns? I thought that’s how it works.
That’s what I thought too, but so far, they haven’t taken anything. Maybe it’s just a slow process?
Trinity said:
Doesn’t the state automatically take arrears from tax returns? I thought that’s how it works.
Sometimes it takes a while. You might want to call the child support office to check what’s going on.
Wait, what’s a GoFundMe? Is that like a fundraiser?
Alison said:
Wait, what’s a GoFundMe? Is that like a fundraiser?
Yeah, it’s an online platform where people can raise money for stuff. Sounds like he’s using it to dodge responsibility, though.
Alison said:
Wait, what’s a GoFundMe? Is that like a fundraiser?
Exactly. He’s probably hoping people will feel bad for him without knowing the full story.
If your child has special needs, I wouldn’t wait on the state. They’re notorious for being slow. A lawyer might be worth it, even if it’s just for advice.
Jamie said:
If your child has special needs, I wouldn’t wait on the state. They’re notorious for being slow. A lawyer might be worth it, even if it’s just for advice.
Good point. I guess I’ll start looking into finding one. Any tips on what kind of lawyer I’d need?
Jamie said:
If your child has special needs, I wouldn’t wait on the state. They’re notorious for being slow. A lawyer might be worth it, even if it’s just for advice.
A family law attorney should be the one you need. Look for someone with experience in child support cases.