I owe thousands in back child support. Does the obligation to pay ever lapse?

Child support is a legal obligation that not even bankruptcy can eliminate. They are your children and they need your support, both materially and emotionally. If, as it seems, you are trying to avoid both them and your responsibility to them, they might be better off without you in their lives, but that doesn't cancel out the child support payments.

It should be mentioned that this question was originally phrased ' How long before this is old news and x and kids can kiss off?' The moderators toned it down somewhat!

If in doubt, always consult a lawyer - and do let us all know what the lawyer tells you!!

'When?' the answer is probably 'never.' As long as collection action takes place, it remains an active file with whatever child support enforcement agency operates in your jurisdiction.

You can go back to court to try to have the outstanding arrears reduced or eliminated, but you would have to prove to the court that the amount was set wrong in the first place or that you had already paid the arrears. Alternatively, you could negotiate with your ex and petition the court to have the new agreement filed in place of the previous order.

Unless you do one of these 2 things, the amount owing will remain owing. It doesn't go away if you ignore it.

I can't believe you are and have avoided helping out supporting your child/children. Great job and you suck

Yeah when you die

You will be going to jail and then after you still have to pay..

I hope you have to pay 10 times more.

You made the children you pay. Should have thought of this question before you big brain (in your pant) got ahead of the little brain in your head),,,

If you feel you are winning now..by not having paid.. I believe with all my heart you will pay somewhere else...I also bet yoou are the type of guy that doesn't answer questions you don't like!!!

Start mapplying SPF !00 now, you will need it!

...YOU ARE A PEICE OF **** !

The obligation does not elapse within any period of time. If you are not making support payments now or have failed to do so in the past, you still owe both the original payments and any interest penalties the court may levy. Even if the children were of an age at which they no longer would qualify to receive support, according to a separation agreement or divorce settlement, you would still be legally obliged to pay it. As the other poster stated, you may be able to have it reduced if your circumstances are such that you cannot absolutely pay. But you will need to hire a lawyer first and together find a very good legal reason why you should not pay the amounts owed or have them varied downwards.

No, unlike parenting time violations by mothers, there's no statute of limitations on enforcing child support violations by fathers.

Why are you behind in your support? Refusing to pay is dumb, but if you are laid off or off due to injuries, you could have filed for a reduction.

http://tinyurl.com/ChildSupportModification2

If one of these reasons are why you're behind, or because you were a victim of paternity fraud, you could file for a retroactive reduction.

"Our goal in issuing this PIQ is to clarify for State IV-D agencies the flexibility that exists under Federal IV-D requirements in setting support obligations and securing collections from low-income obligated parents."
Judge David Grey Ross, Commissioner of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement
http://tinyurl.com/RetroactiveArrearsModification

Why haven't you payed the child support? If you should pay for it you shouldn't even be asking yourself if it elapses.

Lack of responsibility is not paying for your child the one you had a part in creating. Sorry but buying cloths, food, doctor visits, medicine, gas to take them to school events, dentist, school lunches, school supplies, Health insurance what part are you suppose to pay if the parents that are raising the child is suppose to support them on our own. What part do you think your not responsible for or do you think the parent raising the child should pay for all it and you pay for none. You need to sit back and add up your little amount you pay each month or don't pay each month but are suppose to.... see if it comes anywhere near paying for all I mentioned plus the stuff I didn't mention. You that do/don't pay the support get off way easier then the parents who raise the child and pray for a payment to help feed cloth and support your child comes in that month. You all ought to be ashamed of yourself for being so disrespectful towards the raising of your child. Just How much do you love your child the one that is not getting all it should in life because you the parent that is suppose to pay thinks we spend it on our on personal gain. Wrong, people if you only knew. If you all would pay instead of gripe and complain or try to figure out how to get out of paying you wouldn't be behind in YOUR payments. The child suffers not you. You go to jail for not paying your child goes with out because you choose not to pay, now who is paying the real price here you or the children?

i am disgusted by so many negative comments , some people do not have thousands of dollars at hand ready to pay back child support, my boyfriend has a kid with an ex, she has 4 kids to 4 different men...she is only 22!! he looked after the kid when she was running around with other men and abandoned their child, he worked to support the kid,while she partied and did drugs...then she runs off with the kid and left him not knowing where the child was, now she has settled ??down and is preganant again to yet another man she has filed for child support and back child support , my guy has a bill for 14,000!!!! he just lost his job, any checks he got from his job were taken by the govenrment, he has no money!!! she however has plenty of money from now 4 guys stuggling to pay keep up with her iresponsibilty!!! how dare you all comment that the men are to pay!!! how about the woman who tell the men they are on the pill but get pregnant anyway and just cant keep their legs closed...she should be made to pay!!! for ruining peoples lives!!!!

I myself have fallen behind in paying child suppport. But it doesn't matter, because even when I worked nearly 48+ hours a week it still wasn't enough to cover the amount Child Support Services was demanding. So the arrears was always accumulating, which had the effect of making me look like a deadbeat when in fact I was working my ass off and always striving to make those payments--because I do care about my kids. And this was after I had the amount modified. A modification did me no good. At any rate, now I'm informed that I'll probably have to go to jail--for being unable to find work! How does that make any sense? Also, the state, because I was never able to make payment on the arrears for the reason already stated, revoked my drivers licence. How in the world does that make any sense? And this was back when I was working and paying what I could! I understand the need to hold "non-custodial" parents finanacially responsible for their children (by the way I'm not a non-custodial parent by choice--I got screwed out of my kids, but that's another story). But the child support system is seriously flawed, and definitely biased. I'm being punished for something that is beyond my power to control. I can't force an employer to hire me. What am I supposed to do? Plus it doesn't help when they pull your license. I mean, most employers are not inclined to hire you if you don't have a drivers license (by the way, in order for me to look for work, I'm forced to drive without a license. What the hell else am I supposed to do)? The "system" doesn't make sense.

Most states have statutes of limitations. California has no statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is usually 10 years after the child is 18. You need to check with an attorney in your state.

to my knowledge you ex or ur adult children would have to release you from ur obligation to pay.
when ur kids reach 18 they can sue you civily for at least a portion of the back support owed.
some will always be owed to someone.even if your ex raised the kids to adulthood they still didn't have the money when they were growing up

Nope.

With my experience, the system has done nothing to collect...nothing to the deadbeat dad...he should be in jail for sure...my dead beat ex is 70,000 in arrears and has never been in jail.

My opinion is controversial but ill stand by it if anyone wants to take issue. The government is way out of bounds when it gets involved in the internal affairs of a family like when it mandates child support payments. I think that a parent should support his children, absolutely, but that is not the government’s right to get involved there. And sending someone to jail for being late or behind on their support payments is completely unproductive if the goal is for that person to earn money. If anything in that case the government should contact the individual with advice on how to find employment and work with him to create a realistic payment agreement.

No the obligatiopn doeas not lapse.You can attempt to have it reduced and I wish you luck on that 1.
I have three children and have paid child support on all 3 as well as insurance on all of them.
But when it comes to me seeing my kids or spending time with them even though it is court ordered I can not get my rights enforced. I have dealt with this for over 10 years..spent a bundle on attorneys but never get my rights enforced. I do not do drugs..do not drink...smoke or whatever..have no record..but in the state I live in (MO) men basically have no rights. Im always told to hire an attorney but now make less than I used to since the recession. My ex made it hell on me to see my kids since I did not take her back after she cheated on me..and also she was abusive...I have been told I should have hit her back..U decide if i should have..to me a man never hits a woman. Anyway since i didnt take her back..she told me that i would never see my kids again..and the courts have proven her right so far.
Hiring attorneys and paying them in this state is a joke..dont waste your money..just pray that your ex is decent and not hell bent on revenge for creating a situation herself and blaming you.
Men have to pay even if their rights are not enforced!! I say if they dont get to see the kids and are good dads let the mom do it on her own if she keeps the kids from them!!!Then maybe the dads will have a better chance to see their kids instead of having to hire useless attorneys!!!Dont get me wrong men should take of their own..but lets make it fair..and let us see our kids..enforce our rights as fathers!!

THIS IS TO -- gettintooled-- WHO POSTED ABOVE STATING "I THINK CHILD SUPPORT IS SHIT" Say THAT TO MY FACE!!!!! I DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! email me at alli36830(at)gmail.com I'll show you child support BIG BOY. ANYTIME ANY PLACE I'LL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR EMAIL

I think I understand what you are saying but I'm not sure, could you help me out please?

Hi George, I hear what you are saying. There are always 2 sides and opinions. The person who wrote the question gave me nothing to work with...I answered the question not all the what if? Sounds Like you have had a few difficulties in this area to be so passionate! Maybe not. I have answered the question and will not change it without more info from pecoskid !

I'm not sure how you can be bold enough to even ask this.

It's your child's right to be supported by both parents ... he or she did not ask to be born. As a parent you should want to make it so your child has the best life possible and realities are that it involves financial support as well as emotional support.

I'm just hoping that your child never knows that you even asked this question.

I think child support is a bunch of shit. It takes 2 people to make a baby, why should 1 be finacially responsible and the other live the good life because of the payment. It should be called ex dumb bitch support because more often then not thats where it goes. America and its system is fucked. Let a bitch spread her legs and get knocked up run off, get the house and get paid becaue she had a baby. Its not that damn special, people have been having babies for a long time now. Besides all that what about all this equal rights bullshit that these women cried about and most still do, well, get a fuckin job and do some thing for yourself and work to support the outcome of your own choices, and if you can't then let the daddy have the kids. be fuckking responsible for your own choices for once and quit your bitchin about how its someone else responsibility to pay. these judges that rule in the favor of support should be hanged for conspiracy to ruin America. look back in time, America was great and beautiful, then about the 50's sometime we white male Americans gave a lil to these pussy assed activists and now after all the inches that they've taken and turned to feet stolen, we now have a waste land ran by a bunch of jackasses that call themselves a government for the people by the people but in fact half aren't really even citizens based upon the first palns of America. we have a muslim president, a bunches of non working over paid congress, a failing economy, a loss of unemployment benefits, and still yet after all this, we are still as a public that owns its government allows them to continue to pass laws that aid in the failure of 'FAMILY' and fights to disrupt the future of our free nation. Not stupid enough yet, look into the laws that this president and the rest of our so called government did to the Native Americans, yup, you guessed it they/ we are still taking away from them and reniggin on our agreements with them. You are all responsible for such a disgrace to humanity, ine step at a time, the seat belt law, howard stern gettin the boot off the radio, child support, all one small step to a loss of freedom, due to lack of responsiblity.