I hear many complaints from people who are unable to collect their child support, do not get the remedies they are promised by the Department of Revenue for getting arrears paid, or in some cases, there are people who have been paying child support who are not getting their proper credits. This doesn't occur in every case, but in many cases, people are lost in the system and there are many questions about whether or not the Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement Division is being properly managed. The following article addresses one local woman's problem with child support, specifically the Department of Revenue. If you have had similar problems, please let us know about them and/or contact your local congressman/woman. Perhaps with a little bit of effort we all can help make some changes.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-asecsupport041909apr19,0,6230693.story
10 comments:
Christine,
I think this is a problem that goes beyond Florida as well. Here in Maryland, budgetary problems also mean less enforcement, and it comes at a time when the custodial parent needs the money the most.
Heather Sunderman
I am a noncustodial parent living in the state of Florida. I have similar problems with the DOR.
However it is from the other side of the problem. You see back on 10-10-2006 the DOR filed an upward modification of child support. However to this very day the case is still pending. (2.5 years later)
The DOR knows where I live and work, but chose not to bring the case to trial for whatever reason?
I am very sure they will come up with some type of reasoning why they continue to victimize the mothers and fathers around the state.
It seems to me that the rules and guidelines need to be OVERHAULED just like the Child Custody and Visitation rules were not long ago.
I will say this, in my case, I have filed to Motion to dismiss, and I will push this case all the way to the Florida Supreme Court. It’s not about me anymore; it’s about the 1000’s of Men and women around the state, that the DOR victimize each and every day by their careless, unprofessional, cowardly acts.
The Florida DOR is the biggest waste of State Tax Funds, I have ever seen in any State in the union.
Florida Child Support Services is a complete disgrace! I have never seen anything so disorganized. I have waited for almost 3 years to get an order in place and was told by Florida Child support call center to hire my own attorney! Then when I did that they told me they couldn't help me...how sneaky. Not to mention that Florida never filed the original claim in the first place...even though they had me take several days off work to go into the office to file....but nothing was done until I hired an attorney....! More over, I called the call center for a whole year and was told to just wait. They gave me the run around to allow more time for the other state involved. No one really looked into the case or even followed up on it. This lack of job ownership/responsibility cost everyone money. Why would they have me hire an attorney with money that should be used to feed/house/clothe my daughter?? What is the point of having a system if it doesn't work?
Now Florida child support enforcement is telling me that they are going to close my case because I am not cooperating...but no one can tell me why or even how I am not cooperating! Yet, the father is the one that won't produce tax returns, the state of VA and the judge confirmed in court that I have produced everything needed yet Florida child support services continues to me that I am not cooperating.
I wrote to Charlie Crist previously...He never responded. He doesn't care about children and keeping families together.
Better yet, I heard about the new high tech immigration services/buildings that Florida tax payors paid for to make things more accomidating for our immigrants...not to say that isn't nice...but does anyone in Florida care about CHILDREN? No wonder the crime rates are so high!!
They should try to help the parent's that are trying to do things right and not attempting to live off the system. Right?
Why not have these deadbeat fathers/mothers pay for all of this instead of tax payers? Then maybe they (the bad parent's) would stop running away from their responsibilities? Let's stop penalizing the parents that have stepped up to the plate to raise the child!!
Come on Florida let's re-evaluate how we spend our money? This system is not working and it's a waste of everyone's time and money!!
Amen Anonymous!!!
I agree 100%. The FL Child Support system is a joke. My child's father is a professional man that files his taxes every year yet they can't locate him?????? Nonsense!!! They intercept his income tax returns to recoup arrearages but they can't find him to serve a Motion.
He purchased a home in Palm Beach County right around the corner from the child support office and by the time they found his address (3 years later) the house had been foreclosed on 2 months prior and now they can't find him.
He use to pay religiously, when he was afraid of them, but he seems very confident that they aren't doing their job and they never will.
They even had the nerve to tell me that they can not suspend his driver's license because they can't find him.
STUPID!!!
I was just involved in a recent child support modification hearing (Florida DOR) in which I was trying to get my monthly support lowered due to a change in my income. My original child support obligation was based on my job in CA and was based on my income in that state. After moving to the stae of CT becuase of a job oppurtunity for my wife, I contacted the state here to look into pursueing getting my support modified as I know was making what I was in CA. The attorney appointed by the state of Florida denied my motion to modify due to the fact that I left voluntarily. Our household income has been drastically reduced and I no longer can afford the order in which the attorney has now made enforceable by the state of Florida. There are also many conflicts with what the 2 states (CA and Fl.) says I owe in arrearages. It also seems like the DOR office I dealt with has no communication with the stae of Fl as I had filled out combined household income affadavits through CT that went to the state of FL. What can I do if anything?
I now live in FL, I came from MD, the deadbeat dad lived in PA - moved to NJ and works under the table in NY. I contacted local, state, regional and Federal CSE for all areas. I am nothing no one cares. I sent informative info on where he is - he's even on facebook. I handed his head over on a silver platter. Nothing. He owes almost $30,000. Never showed for court a year ago, still free.
Shot I called them with my new job info a few years back before i started the job, the whole year i was there they done nothing to have it deducted from my check. Every time i called they gave me the excuse that they have to wait for the system to update.....one year for update? i think not. They really got some highly incompetent idiotic jackasses working there and running it considering they don't do their jobs and have over 500 foster kids lost in the system that they cant locate. So when it comes time that i get a part time ob with less pay, they automatically start deducting. Seriously get off of your lazy high payed asses and do your jobs! You are full of your selves and don't deserve the trust of ANY Florida resident and beyond!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I too think the Child Support Enforcement Dept. in Florida is a joke. I am the custodial parent and the father is a professional (Lawyer). He has never made support payments on time when he did pay, and he is probably about 2 years in arrears ( note: I said arrears because I was told as long as he pays something he isn't delinquent. His driver's license has been suspended several times and the state says they can not go after his professional/business license. I was told I could hire my own attorney however I would not be able to get any public assistance from the state and they consider that being uncooperative
and they would no longer help me pursue my case. Talk about a broken system. This lawyer is playing like a fiddle.
What if the father is paying his support but the mother doesnt comply with the order for daily contact by phone? Father sees child every 2 wks for wknd stay, but since child is very young (3), she will soon forget about him, because when father calls, mother says the child is here, there, busy, sleeping, and most recently the child says she does not want to get on the phone! Father is very upset by this, and says mother is "playing with childs head".. what does a father who pays his support do? so far, he has kept a log of dates of calls etc.. but going to court every time mother is in contempt is impossible.. father is barely able to live, much less hire atty.
The Child Support System in Florida is a joke. I can't even get them to assist me. My child father is in the military and they are saying they can't find him. Are you kidding me? He's in the military. They keep telling me to bring them more and more information. The more I bring, the less they do. Now they are saying they are going to drop my case because they can't find him. Is there no help?
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