Getting divorced can completely alter a person's financial situation, which is why many divorce settlements include spousal support and child support to help spouses have an easier transition into life after divorce. One Wisconsin woman has dealt with an ex-spouse that consistently failed to pay child support over the course of a decade. As a result, she and her children lived in very tough financial circumstances.
At the time of their divorce, the woman's husband was earning a healthy salary as an employee of the IRS and she stayed home to raise the kids. Eventually, the man quit his job and eventually stopped paying his monthly child support. In 1994, a court found that the man was "shirking" his responsibilities, but no charges were filed against him. Since that time, the man has failed to pay $231,000 in child support.
Though the man now claims to be entirely disabled and unable to pay back the child support, he has been found to spend many hours a week at the casino gambling away hundreds of dollars. The man's whereabouts are not unknown; his children and ex-wife know where he is and what he is doing with his money. The woman has attempted to take legal action against her ex-husband, but nothing has been done.
There were times that the woman would have to take her kids to the food shelf in order to have a meal. After many years of watching his mother struggle, the woman's son commented, "It's like they just don't care."
Wisconsin officials have responded to her efforts by saying they do not want to turn the case over to Illinois, which is where the negligent ex-husband is currently living.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Too many Wisconsin parents struggle to make ends meet because their ex-spouse has failed to fulfill their responsibility. With the right help, families in this situation can work to get the support payments they need to thrive. Because she knows her children suffered when they were young, the woman in this case does not plan to give up until justice is served.
Source: FOX6 News, "Hiding in plain sight: Deadbeat dad owes $231,000," Bryan Polcyn, Feb. 12, 2012
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