On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in child support on Friday, September 14, 2018.
If asked to come up with an image of a deadbeat dad, most in Wichita may likely envision a man with no job, few prospects and little money. This likely comes from the assumption that those who can afford to make child support payments would, if (for nothing else) than to the avoid the potential legal trouble that can come from missing it. Yet the concept of the “deadbeat dad” may be more of a reflection of an attitude than it is one’s financial situation.
To understand this, one need only look at the “Deadbeats Most Wanted List,” an online posting listing the divorced parents in Illinois that owe the most in child support arrears. This list came about as a result of new legislation passed by the state’s governor in 2001. A review of the list shows several people one might think would be more than capable of making their payments. For example, currently occupying the top spot is a private-equity professional with a graduate degree from Harvard. He currenlty owes in excess of $5 million, having not made a payment since 2011.
Another member of the top ten of this notorious list is a business owner whose family owns a successful restaurant franchise business. Federal officials are currently intervening to try and get him to pay the more than $750,000 he owes in arrears.
While not everyone has the advantage of relying on public embarrassment as a child support enforcement tool, there may be resources available to almost anyone to assist in the collection of unpaid support. An attorney is one such resource, and those needing assistance collecting their child support may be wise to enlist the services of such a professional.
