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The recent economic downturn and higher unemployment rates may be of great concern to noncustodial parents who pay court-ordered child support. However, there are signs that things are beginning to turn around as the economy recovers. Child support payments in Michigan are reported to be on the rise, and there is evidence that more noncustodial parents are getting back into the workforce.
Berrien County is among many counties reporting an increase in payments of court-ordered child support. Collections had dropped 1.7 percent from 2009-11. During the same period, collections fell 3.4 percent statewide. However, child support collections are projected to rise by 2 percent in 2012 throughout the state.
Statistics also show a decrease of child support payments coming out of Michigan unemployment benefits. In 2009, 10.1 percent of child support payments in Berrien County came from unemployment checks. That figure dropped to 5.6 percent in 2011 and is expected to be at 4.7 percent for 2012. The average for the entire state in 2012 is projected to be slightly lower, at 4.2 percent. County officials attribute the difference to a slightly lower unemployment rate for the state than in the county.
Even as the economy improves, parents may still experience an unexpected change in financial status for the worse. They may find themselves struggling to pay child support in addition to making ends meet. In Michigan, noncustodial parents can file a petition to have their child support payments reduced if they are laid off or face other significant financial hardships. Such modifications could mean the difference between a parent being able to continue providing something for the welfare of a child and avoiding what officials call “nontraditional enforcement” that can include being arrested.
Source: The Herald Palladium, “Child support rises with economy,” Scott Aiken, Nov. 30, 2012