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Question: Child Support and the use of other public assistance...

luvly75's picture

I was once told that if a parent utilizes other emergent-types of public assistance (such as the heating/cooling voucher), that the amount used from said types of public assistance is paid back to the state from child support payments. I was wondering if anyone knew whether this was true...?

BM to the SKIDS (SS/SD 14yo twins) is constantly saying that she isn't receiving the full amount of support. Now, she's a pathological liar, so she could just be lying. All I *do* know is that DH is paying the full amount, as it's taken directly out of his check every other week. So I was wondering if maybe she's using emergent-types of public assistance and the state is taking repayment out of the child support and thus, if it's true at all, this is why she isn't receiving the full amount.

We live in MI.

Example: Around this time last year, BM tried running game on DH to get $500.00 out of him. First, she had SS14 call to ask for the money, stating that it was for some soccer camp. DH declined. Within 10 minutes, SD14 calls, asking for $250.00, stating that it was for some music lessons. DH declined. 10 minutes later, SD14 calls DH again, asking for just $100, this time stating that it was for a medical bill. Concurrently, while SD14 is on the phone with DH (screaming at him), BM starts texting him. In the texts she claiming that the SKIDS incurred a medical bill for their annual immunizations. DH informs BM that if she mails him a copy of the bill, he would be happy to pay it. BM exploded on him, claiming that the bill was "packed away and she didn't feel like looking for it" and "I'll just file it with the court and you can deal with them." DH replied, "ok." She never filed anything with the court (because there was no medical bill). Same night, DH gets a call from the father of the oldest daughter. Apparently, BMs oldest daughter called him and is asking for money, because the electricity had been shut off at BMs house. That father offered to help get the power restored. BM agreed to provide him with the account number, etc so that he could call to make payment. He calls, finds out that BM is $2300.00 in arrears on her electric bill. He had to inform his daughter that he didn't have that kind of money. He put $300.00 toward the arrears.

To tie that in with my question, I'm wondering if she used an emergency voucher to get her power restored and now that $$$$ is being repaid out of DHs child support.

Does that actually happen, or is she just lying again?

Comments

luvly75's picture

Neither of us feel that it's DHs responsibility to make up for anything she isn't doing. She isn't financially contributing to the care of the SKIDS. If she's getting bent over by the state for over-using public assistance, too bad for her. It's a shame that the SKIDS ultimately suffer... but oh well. Hopefully they walk away with an important lesson: GET A JOB.

When they were little they used to come over and point out all of the "nice" things we have and whine that their mom "doesn't have nice things."

1. Digging through my personal belongings, taking pictures of my stuff to show to her mother (and her mother calling DH bitching about my "nice" things, how many sacrifices she has to make for the children, and how, because of those sacrifices she can't have nice things);
2. Ripping on us for having "new" cars ("mom has to save pennies to buy a crappy car");
3. Being able to go on vacation ("mom can't take a vacation");
4. We had a nice wedding ("mom had to get married on the front lawn of our home");
5. etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum

I got to the point that, every time the skids would come at us with crap like that, I'd look at them and say, "If your mom wanted nice things, to be able to take a vacation, have a reliable car, etc... then she could always go get herself a JOB. People who have JOBS can have nicer things. However, people who refuse to work, get what they get: CRAP. So the next time your mom bitches about not having nice things, just tell her to get a job."

Eventually this nonsense stopped. As far as I know.

furkidsforme's picture

Or, she could be thinking that the CS is what she wanted/asked for in court, and not what was actually awarded. Has your DH point blank asked "BM, the CS ordered is $500/mo. It is taken directly from my pay bi-weekly. What amount do you think you are supposed to be getting?"

She may just be trying to weasel more out of him. Or, maybe they have taken some as a reclamation payment. Your BM sounds like a winner.

NoWireCoatHangarsEVER's picture

I work in a utility company and spent four years in the department that turns people off for non payment of the bill. At least at my company, its not the government that pays their bills. It's charities like Catholic Charities and the United Way.

notarelative's picture

Here heating aid is figured separately from welfare (ADFC) and child support. Heating aid and electrical bill payment aid are run by the utility programs and charities. They are not unlimited and you can only receive so much aid a year from each group.

Child support does affect welfare here. Your child support is deducted from the welfare amount and you get the difference. If your welfare amount is $100 per week and you get $75 in child support, welfare gives you $25. Welfare is basic income. It is a floor income. So if your income is under it, welfare will supplement to the floor. If your child support is over the floor, no welfare is given.

$2300 in arrears is a huge amount. BM hasn't paid her bill in quite a while.

BM really is a fool. Threatening court for a bill she won't produce. Yep, your husband is supposed to believe that the court will just take her word for the amount and order him to pay.

I hope that if in the future your husband does decide to pay for anything extra he makes the check out directly to the organization. No cash.

luvly75's picture

I would think that the heating voucher I'm talking about is paid for through charities. It's a once per year program and one must prove an inability to pay to receive any amount from them.

So those don't get repaid through child support?

So she's just lying again. No surprise.

luvly75's picture

So maybe she isn't lying? Well, she's lying about him not paying, but maybe not lying about not getting the full amount?