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Government Spending 1 Government Spending On Child Support Enforcement Tamekia Johnson Axia College of University of Phoenix Government Spending 2 Introduction Government spending more money on funding for agencies to assist in collection of the money that is owed to children. This is where the question is, since the Government continues to spend billons to collect millions that are owed in delinquent child support? What is the important to the government, getting the non-custodial (bad) parents who do not pay, or helping the child who to me is the ultimate reason for their actions?
We spend billons of dollars on child support enforcement. In 2006, $3. 9 billion was available to help fund child support enforcement. This is the government aid that is given to states for obtaining payments from a court to all families. Financial help that were given to states for more effective programs to help aid in enforcement. One of the programs has made assistance available all those who requested help in collecting child support payments. The responsibility of the state is for administering enforcement of child support.
Over $2. 2 billion from federal and state funds was used by the state last year for support enforcement to collect $9 billion that was due already also they will use it to find and determine paternity for 554,205 children. When support payments are not made and mothers are trying to work more than one job to provide the are deemed unfit, only because the fathers who are finically stable will get custody because some fathers are not made to cooperate and pay past due payments (Kellum, 1995). The current state-based system of child support enforcement is failing children and custodial parents. Only half of custodial parents with a child support order actually receive what is due. A quarter receives partial payment and the other quarters receive nothing at all. As a result, $6 billion goes uncollected each year”, says Paula Roberts Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Law and Social Policy (Kellum, 1995). Government Spending 3 Margaret Campbell Haynes Director, American Bar Association Child Support Project and Former chair, U. S. Commission on Interstate Child Support states “In conclusion, I strongly believe that federal investment should not be in creating a new federal system that largely duplicates the state system or “creams” the easiest enforcement cases but rather in improving the state-based system. Reform should occur by mandating the need form more uniform among the states and ensuring that state child support agencies receive the resources they need. ” Rachel says, “Although the worthiness of these programs goes uncontested, should child support monies be spent on anything other than the specific children for? Whom they were meant? Collecting child support is the cornerstone of both federal state deliberations on welfare reform,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). It admits, however that, “although the child support program is generally attached to a social welfare agency, legislators increasingly treat child support in the same fashion as other state revenue-collection agencies. ” San Bernardino District Attorney Dennis Kottmeier states, “The insignificance of child support is that it is a money-maker. ” Unfortunately, it is not the children who benefit from the states’ collections when the mother is on AFDC.
The children receive a flat $50 of the money sent by their parent; the remainder is considered “welfare reimbursement” and is split between the state and federal governments. Therefore, a child whose father is paying $600 a month receives the same $50 as the child whose father is paying $150. The government intercepts the remaining $550 and $100, respectively. Therefore, incentive is high for states to get their hands in the pockets of those earning high wages; because success is measured in dollars collected; it is most rewarding for caseworkers to pursue responsible workingmen whose paychecks are easily attainable.
True deadbeats are not considered “cost-effective” and often escape. (Rachel J. 1997). Some may even go as far ask how to pay for the services that the government is already being paid for to help children. In addition to taking out of the payments from wealthy parents and giving only a percent to child, the government now has imposed an order by states that their will be a mandatory service fee for all those who use the government as a source to help in obtaining support payments. How does the government propose that the custodial parent pay for the service? The same services that are suppose to provided for these parents by the government.
After researching that was the question raised by many parents. Government Spending 4 In some states like Virginia just found out that there will be a $25 service fee that they will be required to pay in order for the Department of social service to help aid them in Aug. 24–In October, Virginia’s Child Support Enforcement Department will start collecting an annual fee from child support recipients to help offset the national deficit. This will already be taken out of the payments before the child receives it. Pam Colbert a mother of four girls in Virginia payment before the child receives it.
Pam Colbert a mother of four girls in Virginia says “It is not fair to steal from the children and that is what the federal government is doing, $25 is like a whole month of school lunches”. Colbert said she is going to drop out of the state child support system, so the state and federal governments can no longer deduct $25 from her children ages 11 and 9. (Kafka, L, 2007). The fee goes into effect in October and is being charged to custodial parents who receive at least $500 a year in their child support cases. Parents who have received public assistance such as welfare payments will not be charged the fee.
Williams, a mother who lives in Richmond said, “Her son has Type 1 diabetes, so there are medical bills to pay both her children are trying to work and pay off student loans while attending college. I do not think that people raising children on a limited income should be the ones paying the fee,” Williams said. “It should be the ones who owe us money. ” (Simpson, E. 2007. ) However, American taxpayers need to know that 40% of these children are the responsibility of the parents who should be supporting them. When all the obligations are met, by the parents who can pay then poverty would go down.
We spend more money trying to enforce a program. So with the help of Attorney General’s office, district attorney office, human services department, department of revenue, and other law enforcement agencies and appropriate child support programs with Federal funding then the custodial parent would be able to care and support the welfare of their children (Koch, 2006). In fact, Stephanie Walton program manager at the National Conference of State Legislatures, reported that there are about 500 bills in statehouses that are pending. These bills will help improve child support collections throughout all 50 states.
Government Spending 5 Everyday more than 17 million children in the United States struggle to live without the child support payments that they have a court order for and do not receive. The 105th Congress in 1998 followed its predecessors in clearing bills aimed at helping ensure that absent parents make court-ordered child support payments. The first bill (HR 3130???PL 105-200) reduced federal penalties on states that failed to meet a federal deadline for computerizing their child-support enforcement systems. (1993 action, Congress and the Nation Vol. IX, p. 576)
The bipartisan measure was intended to fix a problem arising from the 1988 Family Support Act (PL 100-485), which set an Oct. 1, 1995, deadline for states to implement Automated data processing systems to aid in child-support enforcement. The federal government agreed to pay 90 percent of administrative costs for creating the systems Excerpt from (Child Support enforcement 1997-1998 legislative chronologies (2002). The above excerpt is an example of the money that government has been spending, the bipartisan measure was intended to fix the problem that was causing poverty arising daily.
However, there is hope in 2006,as it is written in Business APA reports the payroll decided to step and their departments agreed to deposit 64. 3% of the totals from the IRS collections. The employers would help collect and remit 69% child support payments. The payroll will use this to get some extra leeway with the laws and regulations that will effect the employers. Scott Mezistrano, CPP, senior manager, and William Dunn, CPP, manager, government relations, both of the American Payroll Association, At the APA 25th Annual Congress the two spoke on the benefits of the lobbying efforts that they have rendered.
Just as it is described in the bill: Impact of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 on child support payments. An act that was designed to help cut the federal incentives fund match. This is what created the mandatory annual fee $25 on all child support cases. Now it is clear the states have decided how to handle the fee. Government Spending 6 In conclusion the government spends too much money on the enforcement of child support, which in turns sends single, parents into poverty. These same single parents now have to pay $25 monthly fees in order to get help.
Employers are working with them to get the funds, all from the hands of the children who need it the most. The Government has to find a better way to support either the laws that need funding or the children who need financial help. (September 2007) References APA Reports on Lobbying Efforts for the Payroll Community. (2007, September). Payroll Manager’s Report, Retrieved September 4, 2007, from Business Source Complete database. Child custody and support. CQ Researcher, 5, 25-48. Kellam, S (1995, January 13) Retrieved August 5, 2007, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library. qpress. com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1995011300 Child support enforcement, 1984 Legislative Chronology. (1985) In Congress and the nation, 1981-1984 (Vol. 6). Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved August 5, 2007, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Congress Collection, http://library. cqpress. com/congress Child support enforcement,1997-1998 legislative chronology. (2002). In Congress and the nation 1997-2001 (Vol. 10). Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Congress Collection, http://library. cqpress. om/congress/ “Creative efforts ensure parents pay. (News)(States collecting more child support). ” Koch, Wendy. USA Today. (March 15,2006). Opposing Viewpoints Resource center. Thomson Gale. Apollo Group http://find. galegroup. com Executive Order 12953 ??? Actions Required of All Executive Agencies To Facilitate Payment of Child Support, February 27, 1995= Most Non-custodial father’s Support Their Children. ” Opposing Viewpoints: Welfare. Ed. Charles P. Cozic. San Diego: Green haven Press, 1997 Opposing viewpoints resource Center.
Thomson gale. Apollo Group http://find. galegroup. com Parents see new child-support fees from state. (August 22, 2007). Virginian-Pilot Norfolk, VA). ,??p. na. Retrieved??September 03, 2007,??from??General OneFile??via??Gale: http://find. galegroup. com/ips/start. Sorensen, Elaine, and Ariel Halpern. “The Government Must Enforce Child Welfare Payments. ” Opposing Viewpoints: Welfare. Ed. James Haley. San Diego Green haven Press, 2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Apollo Group. 29 Aug. 2007