When New Jersey residents hear about parents that refuse to or fail to pay child support, certain gender stereotypes may come to mind. However, a blogger analyzed the numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau and found that custodial mothers and fathers alike do not receive the child support that they are often owed.
In 2011, 32 percent of fathers who had custody of their kids reportedly failed to receive the child support that was owed by the mother. Alternatively, 25.1 percent of custodial mothers did not see the child support that was owed. Custodial fathers who received partial payments typically only received about 40 percent of what was owed, while custodial mothers typically earned about 52 percent of what was owed.
By themselves, the numbers indicate that non-custodial mothers are less likely to pay what they owe in child support. However, the blogger noted that custodial mothers may receive more in child support because they are more likely to have lower incomes. Further, custodial mothers were more likely to have two or more children living with them than custodial fathers. This may factor in to who is actually awarded child support and who is not awarded support.
Both custodial mothers and custodial fathers often do not receive support that they are entitled to receive. When parents go through divorce, it is likely that one parent will be ordered to pay child support. However, it may be difficult for the custodial parent to actually obtain the child support that they are owed. If there is evidence that the other parent is simply refusing to pay child support, a family law attorney may assist the custodial parent with seeking court assistance in getting the support that is owed. Additionally, they may help with seeking any back payments.