Maryland CS guidelines

[Kenneth S.]

The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.




"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
three points:

"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

"(2) Because of the continued glass ceiling on paternal custody,
child support is nearly always money that fathers pay mothers. This
one-way flow of funds has very significant political repercussions. In
most states, fathers are effectively ignored when changes in child in
child support are under consideration. It would be worth talking to
fathers' representatives in Maryland in the context of any future
stories on this subject. (Incidentally, if Maryland is like other
states, there is no requirement that all, or even any, of the child
support be spent on the children.)

"(3) You may want to consider asking Maryland child support officials
about the proportion of cases in which child support is being paid by
mothers to custodial fathers. Many like to skate over this aspect by
habitually talking about 'non-custodial parents' in this context.
However, it is very likely that in Maryland only a handful of fathers
are receiving child support -- because (a) only a small number of
fathers have custody, and (b) many fathers consider themselves lucky
to get custody of their children, and do not also seek child support
from their exes."

[Bob W]

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families. If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen none,
then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.

If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause the
CS amounts to go down.

The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising children
by single parents is a disgrace. If the researchers were to examine single
parent expenditures on children they would be forced to acknowledge the
contributions made by both parents in their separate households.

[Kenneth S.]

Post by Bob W

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families. If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen none,
then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.
If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause the
CS amounts to go down.
The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising children
by single parents is a disgrace. If the researchers were to examine single
parent expenditures on children they would be forced to acknowledge the
contributions made by both parents in their separate households.

I haven't been actively involved in this issue for some years.
However, when I was, the "research" involved in setting state CS
guidelines was utterly phony. So I agree with the point made above.

Some years back, most states relied on the very shaky findings
of Robert G. Williams, of Denver-based Policy Studies, Inc. He
pandered to his audience (state CS bureaucrats who paid him big
consulting fees), and plucked figures out of the air to justify
increases in what fathers had to pay. For all I know, this may still
be going on.

For years, it was never even acknowledged that the costs of
children to noncustodial parents were not taken into account when CS
guidelines were being cooked up. This defect was most conspicuous
when it came to the fixed costs, like the extra housing costs that
fathers had to pay to provide accommodation for their children, even
if the children were with them only every other weekend and for a
period during the summer. I suspect the situation hasn't changed.

It is many years since my younger child reached the age of
majority, and I could at last get my ex-wife off my payroll. However,
the grotesque anti-male discrimination in all aspects of CS still
bothers me.

Then there are the social costs of the present system. No one
even bothers to consider whether, in the wider context, it is wise to
provide mothers with major tax-free incentives to establish fatherless
families by expelling their husbands. Surely we know enough about the
social pathologies associated with fatherless families to stop
subsidizing their creation.

[Big D]

Post by Bob W

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines.  The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
   "There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments."  However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents.  See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php.  So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it.  If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families.  If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen none,
then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.
If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause the
CS amounts to go down.
The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising children
by single parents is a disgrace.  If the researchers were to examine single
parent expenditures on children they would be forced to acknowledge the
contributions made by both parents in their separate households.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

The guidelines will continue to increase in the amounts in order for
CSE to be able to just hassle the parents that do pay it (usually
divorced parents) as opposed to enforcing all cases that are in
arrears.
Honestly, do you think Tyrone is going to pay child support for the
kid he has with Keisha?-No, he isn't, but he will feel no recoil for
not being current, because Jim is divorced, loves his kids, and pays.
Should Jim miss a payment, CSE will ride him until he is current with
the obserd amount of monthly child support, and Jim will pay it
because he wants to see his kids, where as Tyrone doesn't give a crap
and will not pay.
If you take all of the single mothers on welfare, and actually
collected from the absent parents, the monthly amounts would be
significantly lower because CSE wouldn't be chasing the cash, rather
the absent parent-whom we are all picking up the slack for.

[Bob W]

Post by Bob W

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families. If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen none,
then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.
If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause the
CS amounts to go down.
The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising children
by single parents is a disgrace. If the researchers were to examine single
parent expenditures on children they would be forced to acknowledge the
contributions made by both parents in their separate households.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

The guidelines will continue to increase in the amounts in order for
CSE to be able to just hassle the parents that do pay it (usually
divorced parents) as opposed to enforcing all cases that are in
arrears.
Honestly, do you think Tyrone is going to pay child support for the
kid he has with Keisha?-No, he isn't, but he will feel no recoil for
not being current, because Jim is divorced, loves his kids, and pays.
Should Jim miss a payment, CSE will ride him until he is current with
the obserd amount of monthly child support, and Jim will pay it
because he wants to see his kids, where as Tyrone doesn't give a crap
and will not pay.
If you take all of the single mothers on welfare, and actually
collected from the absent parents, the monthly amounts would be
significantly lower because CSE wouldn't be chasing the cash, rather
the absent parent-whom we are all picking up the slack for.

======

The issue is if the guidelines are increased and incomes also increase the
result will be a double dip stretching the actual CS awards above the
average of 25% of total family expenditures for one child, 37% for two
children, and 44% for three children.

On your other point, collecting more welfare case CS dollars is not on the
states' list of priorities. The states are paid federal bonus money based
on collection to cost ratios. The cost to collect low-end welfare case
support orders is high for the dollars collected. So the states naturally
apply their collection resources against the high-end CS orders to maximize
their federal bonus payouts for their effort.

[Chris]

Post by Bob W

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families. If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen none,
then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.
If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause the
CS amounts to go down.
The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising children
by single parents is a disgrace. If the researchers were to examine single
parent expenditures on children they would be forced to acknowledge the
contributions made by both parents in their separate households.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

The guidelines will continue to increase in the amounts in order for
CSE to be able to just hassle the parents that do pay it (usually
divorced parents) as opposed to enforcing all cases that are in
arrears.
Honestly, do you think Tyrone is going to pay child support for the
kid he has with Keisha?-No, he isn't, but he will feel no recoil for
not being current, because Jim is divorced, loves his kids, and pays.
Should Jim miss a payment, CSE will ride him until he is current with
the obserd amount of monthly child support, and Jim will pay it
because he wants to see his kids, where as Tyrone doesn't give a crap
and will not pay.
If you take all of the single mothers on welfare, and actually
collected from the absent parents, the monthly amounts would be
significantly lower because CSE wouldn't be chasing the cash, rather
the absent parent-whom we are all picking up the slack for.

****************

Not hardly. Such "slack" being picked up is for the woman on welfare, not
some poor schmuck.

[Dusty]

Post by Bob W

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families. If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen none,
then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.
If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause the
CS amounts to go down.
The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising children
by single parents is a disgrace. If the researchers were to examine single
parent expenditures on children they would be forced to acknowledge the
contributions made by both parents in their separate households.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

The guidelines will continue to increase in the amounts in order for
CSE to be able to just hassle the parents that do pay it (usually
divorced parents) as opposed to enforcing all cases that are in
arrears.

------------------------------------------------------------
ERRRNNNTTTT!!! Wrong answer.

State "guidelines" do not go up just to provide CSE agencies (and their
agents) with the joy of being able "hassle" divorced parents. The
"guidelines" go up for a very simple reason - GREED. Each increase in the
"guidelines" results in a constant flow of cash from one parent to the
other. C$ is nothing more than paying to (hopefully) remain a part of your
kids lives.
------------------------------------------------------------

Honestly, do you think Tyrone is going to pay child support for the
kid he has with Keisha?-No, he isn't, but he will feel no recoil for
not being current, because Jim is divorced, loves his kids, and pays.
Should Jim miss a payment, CSE will ride him until he is current with
the obserd amount of monthly child support, and Jim will pay it
because he wants to see his kids, where as Tyrone doesn't give a crap
and will not pay.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Correct!! Well, to a point, that is. In many cases Billy has been raised
by a single Mom and only knows a string of "boyfriends", no real Father-type
interaction at all. And grew up seeing how his "Mommy" was treated, treated
her that way (and got away with it for as long as he can remember) and
therefore treats his "bitches" the same, like they are all expendable and a
dime a dozen.

It's all he knows, he can't help himself. He's a product of his
environment. He can't help the fact that he's only known one parent and
that that "parent" sucked ass.
----------------------------------------------------------

If you take all of the single mothers on welfare, and actually
collected from the absent parents, the monthly amounts would be
significantly lower because CSE wouldn't be chasing the cash, rather
the absent parent-whom we are all picking up the slack for.

---------------------------------------------------------
Absent Parent, eh? I know what it's like to be absent. I also know what
it's like to be a parent. Care to explain how one is an "absent parent"?
Sounds like someone got lost or something.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know full well what it is you meant by that and I
find that term despicable and very offensive. Absent Parent, my ass. IMO,
so-called "Absent Parent's" are made due to interference by the state
(passport and license revocations, for example) and CP meddling (often
involving Parental Alienation and constant legal harassment).

Here's the thing, the state (and Billy) knows that there's no financial gain
by chasing after someone who's always lived on the fringes of society and
just doesn't give a shit about themselves, much less anyone else. So, they
go after the guys (and very few women) that do give a damn - fathers that
the state has forced out into the street. These are the guys they go after,
the one's with a JOB, a HOUSE, a CAR, INSURANCE and other tangible things
that they can SELL for cash and make a PROFIT from. Then the state places
that guys name on a list that they send to the Feds and they get more money
by claiming that the guy is a "Deadbeat".

It's a "Win-Win" for the state. They make money both ways.
--------------------------------------------------------

[Chris]

Post by Bob W

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families. If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen none,
then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.
If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause
the CS amounts to go down.
The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising
children by single parents is a disgrace. If the researchers were to
examine single parent expenditures on children they would be forced to
acknowledge the contributions made by both parents in their separate
households.

Not to mention, governments are givng themselves raises all across the
board. And they call this a "recession"? I get it; a recession for everyone
else EXCEPT them!

[Dusty]

Post by Chris

Post by Bob W

Post by Kenneth S.
The November 4 Washington Post contained a story about a proposed
increase in Maryland child support guidelines. The following is an
e-mail that I sent to the reporter who wrote the story.
"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about child support.
Your story was clear and well-written, but in any future stories you
write about child support, I hope you will keep in mind the following
"(1) Apparently, Maryland officials are talking about "the first
increase in 20 years in recommended child support payments." However,
the fact is that the state's existing CS guidelines (like those of
most states) are tied to the incomes of parents. See
http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/help.php. So if parental income
rises, the child support amounts rise with it. If, on top of this,
the numbers in the state guidelines are raised, non-custodial parents
are being told that the state doesn't care about their ability to pay,
which is linked to their income levels.

The CS guidelines are based on social science research detailing the
expenditures for rearing children in intact families. If there are no
reported increases in the costs of rearing children, and I have seen
none, then increases in CS amounts are completely arbitrary without any
justification.
If anything, it would be my guess the current economic conditions are
causing the expenditures on children to decrease, which would then cause
the CS amounts to go down.
The total lack of social science research into the costs of raising
children by single parents is a disgrace. If the researchers were to
examine single parent expenditures on children they would be forced to
acknowledge the contributions made by both parents in their separate
households.

Not to mention, governments are givng themselves raises all across the
board. And they call this a "recession"? I get it; a recession for
everyone else EXCEPT them!

Oh come on, Chris, didn't you know that the (so-called) stimulus package
counts as a pay raise for NCP's?!?