Child Support Payments and Christian Single Parents
Receiving child support payments is a major worry for Christian single parents, who often struggle to keep their kids well fed and clothed. It’s no wonder then that custodial single parents rank collecting child support payments ahead of concerns like single parent dating with kids. Of course, when it comes to child support payments, these single parents are not alone.
Skirting Child Support Payments: A Worldwide Problem
According to ACES (The Association for Children for Enforcement of Support) only half of US custodial single parents who are supposed to receive child support payments actually do so. Folks, that’s a lot of deadbeat dads and moms getting away without paying child support. And I suspect these numbers on child support payments in places like the UK, Australia and Canada are similar.
Child Support Payment Enforcement
Many non-custodial parents get away without worrying about having to make child support payments because the party who has residential custody simply gives up trying to collect in family court.
Family court can be a scary, stressful, frustrating , money wasting and time consuming proposition. I should know, because I have worked there for over two ( oh my Lord!) decades. But it’s the only system we have, and can be used for good if you know to do it.
Therefore, if you are a Christian single parent at your wit’s end over getting child support payments, please don’t give up to discouragement and depression Let me instead suggest a positive course of action:
Educate Yourself
Get to know your rights regarding child support payments and the family law in your area. The following sites offer some great resources:
In the UK: www.csa.gov.uk/
In the US: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/index.html
In Canada: www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/sup/
In Australia: www.csa.gov.au/
Take action by filing a child support enforcement complaint
If you don’t find satisfaction with child support payments through the courts alone, there are private companies who can help you and the court track down the deadbeat. Here are a few off the top of my head:
NationalChildSupport.com
SupportKids.com
SupportCollectors.com
While most of these do not charge up front fees, they will catch charge between 30 and 50% of the recouped child support payments. Pray about wether this makes sense for you.
Remember The Promises Of God’s Provision
Ultimately, human agencies are not the answer for your needs. Remember, your saviour, Jesus, will never leave you nor forsake you. Your Heavenly Father knows what you need, and promises to provide for you and the kids. So if the child support payments don’t come in, let’s believe Him together that he will provide what you and the kids need some other way. Okay?
Bible Verse of the Day
“I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.”
Psalm 37:25,36
Are you a Christian single parent with something to share about child support payments?
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Hello. Im a Cgristian single father (parent) of one, and I went through a very nasty divorce with my ex wife. I was paying 400.00 a month in child support payments according to the courts. Her mother claims to know Christ, and yet was so petty and vindictive asked for a frame, that had a picture of the Last Supper. It reminds me of the mother of the woman that wanted John the baptist’s head on a charger, I have not seen my child in over three years, as her mother was so vindictive, Im still paying the 400.00 a month in child support payments, as I cannot afford to hire an attorney to help. By Sept of this yeat I will have paid over twenty one thousand dollars in child support, and have not seen my daughter yet, I hope you print this story. as you make it seem that woman can do no wrong and its always the MANS fault!
I wish my baby’s father wanted to see my six month old daughter. We are not together and he told me that God said to put her up for adoption and that I should listen to him because he is more spiritually mature than me, but if I decided to keep her, than I should trust God to do it by myself without any financial help from him. It’s hard trying to do it by myself financially, but it’s also hard to try and make someone do something that there heart is not into doing.
I am a mother of one.I had my daughter out of wedlock with a married man.We had a short fling.When I was 3months preganant I met a wonderful man.He has been with my daughter and me since she was born he was with me at delivery.Her biological Father kept bullying me and said he was going to get custody odf my daughter.Finally I saw a lawywer and he sees her one overnight per week.He hasn’t tried for more which is okay.I am a believer and I turned him in because he is so far behind on child support,but I have given him chances to negotiate but he refuses to meet with me.Well now he is furious because he just found out I turned him in.I don’t know if it was the right thing to do.I am so nervius because he likes to bully me,so far just with words.Should I drop the case or pursue.Please God talk to me through someone because I don’t know the right thing to do. I have only been a believer since I became pregnant and I know it was wrong having a child out of wedlock.Does somebody have an answer or suggestions.Thankyou Diane
Dear Diane, you were so faithful to God in having your daughter. It couldn’t have been an easy decision for you. Your daughter’s biological father has a responsibility to her. Emotionally, spirutually and (YES) financially. Just because she was conceived out of wedlock doesn’t make her any less a gift, or any less deserving. I can understand the temptation to run the other direction and avoid the possibility of being bullied. I remember when my EX used to get me on the phone and rip me apart. It would cut to my soul and I would end up in tears. We have 2 children together so I couldn’t sever all communication. With God’s strength we can face anyone. One day I prayed for the Holy spirit to give me the right words. When he started in on me, I calmly said “I am not your wife, you have no authority over me and you are not allowed to speak to me that way” and I hung up. Anytime he would start I would politely end the conversation. He doesn’t even bother trying those tactics anymore. That isn’t to say that in your situation he may try MANY times to intimidate you. God is always at our side with us in our battles.
Read Psalm 59. It is all about God’s promise to help us be victorious over anyone who comes again God’s children. In times of trouble HE is our refuge!
God Bless,
Jodi
Diane I made that mistake 10 years ago, I dropped the Child Support case just cause i did not want to deal with him. Sweety don’t close the case save the money for your child’s college for your present needs, don’t close it because if he does move out of state or far away it’s going to be a headache to open it, You don’t feel the heavy financial burden too much now, but think about your child’s future. Be blessed and be strong, take up your cross and serve HIM in spirit and in truth!
this is a tough issue -one that I am struggling with as well -it seems unGodly to pursue child support -you can’t get blood from a stone -but yet it is disgusting that someone would be more concerned with their own extravagant needs than meeting the basic needs of a child -listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit and God -I believe the answer is there