Divorced parents have a lot going on in their lives after the separation. Some move to a different house or state, some have to search for a new job and plenty of them have to help their children cope with the stressful situation. That stress can get amplified in a state like California, which has drastically different costs and living conditions than the rest of the nation.
As a custodial parent, there might be times where you are too preoccupied to notice that your ex is not following the court’s orders on child support. Depending on the amount of money you have at first, it might not seem like that big of an issue. However, demanding costs from both you and your child’s futures might change your perspective on the matter. Thankfully, even after your child turns 18 and your ex’s child support period supposedly ends, you can still pursue them in court for the money they didn’t give to you before.
Neglect for half of a century
A San Diego senior has been making headlines for managing to acquire child support from her ex-husband nearly 50 years after their divorce. When they separated, the husband chose to move to Canada and refused to pay support for his 3-year-old daughter. The woman successfully raised her daughter on her own and forgot about the money her ex owed her for decades until she started getting close to retirement.
Realizing there’s no statute of limitations on child support, the woman called her ex to pay up. He initially owed $160 per month back in the 1970s, which meant he would have paid around $30,000 when his daughter graduated high school. However, the accrued interest gathered over the turn of the century increased the value to more than $170,000. The San Diego woman eventually agreed to a settlement of $150,000.
Keeping up with the court order
If there’s anything to take away from the woman’s story, it’s that it’s never too late to call your ex out if they are refusing to provide support to you and your child. Speaking with your ex on the matter is difficult and you might not feel like dealing with California’s courts again, but these payments could be crucial towards several parts of your life whether you are still raising your kid or not.
If you need to get months or years of neglected payment from your ex-spouse, make sure you seek legal assistance to help you with the issue. You and your child need as much as you can get to help you adjust properly after the separation.
