Deadbeat Moms
Deadbeat Moms
Let's face it: certain preconceptions about divorce in America are as deeply ingrained in our cultural marrow as foot ball and apple pie. Perhaps the largest-looming of these stereotypes is that of the infamous deadbeat dad, the irresponsible, non-existent father figure who habitually neglects his share of child support and fails to respect custody issues. Even before divorce became significantly more socially accepted in the 1960's and '70's, the image of the father turning his back and walking out on his family for good was an all-too-common one.
However, while courts continue to rule massively in favor of mothers in terms of assigning custody, recent evidence suggests that in applicable cases, moms are actually more likely to be deadbeats than dads. It is estimated that only 57 percent of mothers render some or all of the payments with which they are charged by courts. In contrast, the figure for fathers in somewhere closer to 70 percent.
While the sheer number of fathers required to pay child support - around 4.3 million - means there are far more of them who fall behind in payments, women are often required to pay nearly half as much as their male counterparts, a fact with which many single dads take issue. Moms were also permitted to keep almost 20 percent more of what they earned.
Apart from non-custodial mothers who fail to pay their share, the idea of the deadbeat mom to some means a custodial mother who capitalizes on a wealthier father's faithful monetary support for her own gains. While perhaps comparatively rare, such cases do exist. Consider the woman whose ex-husband pays so much in support that she doesn't work, while he and his new wife struggle to make ends meet. Or the man whose ex-wife used his child payments to pay for breast implants, a fact that she flaunted in his face at a courthouse meeting.
Those who are skeptical of the claims of single dads point out the massive gap in earning power between males and females. Non-custodial dads make an average of $40,000 per year, while their female counterparts earn about $15,000. However, it is important to note that such disparities do not excuse either partner from neglecting to pay an amount that the court has set.
A spouse's poor child support payment habits can be incredibly frustrating and discouraging for even the most resilient mom or dad. For more information on the legal action you can take, contact the experienced teams of San Jose divorce attorneys at the law offices of Daniel Jensen, P.C., today.
Let's face it: certain preconceptions about divorce in America are as deeply ingrained in our cultural marrow as foot ball and apple pie. Perhaps the largest-looming of these stereotypes is that of the infamous deadbeat dad, the irresponsible, non-existent father figure who habitually neglects his share of child support and fails to respect custody issues. Even before divorce became significantly more socially accepted in the 1960's and '70's, the image of the father turning his back and walking out on his family for good was an all-too-common one.
However, while courts continue to rule massively in favor of mothers in terms of assigning custody, recent evidence suggests that in applicable cases, moms are actually more likely to be deadbeats than dads. It is estimated that only 57 percent of mothers render some or all of the payments with which they are charged by courts. In contrast, the figure for fathers in somewhere closer to 70 percent.
While the sheer number of fathers required to pay child support - around 4.3 million - means there are far more of them who fall behind in payments, women are often required to pay nearly half as much as their male counterparts, a fact with which many single dads take issue. Moms were also permitted to keep almost 20 percent more of what they earned.
Apart from non-custodial mothers who fail to pay their share, the idea of the deadbeat mom to some means a custodial mother who capitalizes on a wealthier father's faithful monetary support for her own gains. While perhaps comparatively rare, such cases do exist. Consider the woman whose ex-husband pays so much in support that she doesn't work, while he and his new wife struggle to make ends meet. Or the man whose ex-wife used his child payments to pay for breast implants, a fact that she flaunted in his face at a courthouse meeting.
Those who are skeptical of the claims of single dads point out the massive gap in earning power between males and females. Non-custodial dads make an average of $40,000 per year, while their female counterparts earn about $15,000. However, it is important to note that such disparities do not excuse either partner from neglecting to pay an amount that the court has set.
A spouse's poor child support payment habits can be incredibly frustrating and discouraging for even the most resilient mom or dad. For more information on the legal action you can take, contact the experienced teams of San Jose divorce attorneys at the law offices of Daniel Jensen, P.C., today.