(Yang Wang, Houston Chronicle)
About one million parents across Texas are required to pay child support, but 460,000 were delinquent last year by at least a month or more on payments meant to help their children.
In Harris County, an average of 42 percent, or at least 4 of 10 parents ordered to pay child support are past due; in Bexar County, 43 percent; in Dallas County, 46 percent, based on the latest records provided by Texas Attorney General’s Office.
And despite aggressive enforcement efforts, the cost to children over the years carries a staggering price tag: nearly $11 billion left unpaid.
State and national authorities say a fluctuating economy and erratic jobless rates are taking a toll on parents who pay child support, though some simply defy orders to pay up. Delinquencies appeared to peak in 2009.
Ultimately, the hardship falls to the custodial parent’s children, who rely on the money to make ends meet.
“Consistent complete child support is critical for most families. When the support is not paid or is incomplete or late, the rent or house payment, car payment or food and school expenses suffer. Late fees accrue on rent and autos and the downward spiral continues,” said Terry Elizondo, a Houston attorney specializing in family law.
The U.S. Administration for Children and Families estimates that $10.8 billion was past due in Texas at the start of 2011, and the amount continues to grow.
The government typically collects from unwilling parents by withholding wages, tax refunds, lottery winnings or suspending professional licenses. The enforcement resulted in $3.5 billion recovered from current and past due accounts as of August, an increase from $2 billion six years ago.
“We have seen our caseload increase because more parents have applied for enforcement services, perhaps because of custodial parents’ reduced earnings due to the economy. We also saw parents who pay child support apply for downward modification,” said Janece Rolfe, spokeswoman for the attorney general’s child support division.
(Read more of the this article at the Houston Chronicle)
LOCAL AREA HEADLINES:
- Good Samaritan’s daring rescue in burning car caught on tape (KHOU 11 News)
- Texas Southern Students, Band Member React To Hazing Allegations (92 FM News)
- HPD shooting sparks cries for independent investigation (KRIV 26 News)
- Mobile Benefit Clinic For Vets Comes To Houston (KUHF Public Radio)
- Volunteers clean up neglected Acres Homes cemetery (KTRK 13 News)
- Challenging Childhood Cancer (Part 1): A Three-Part Series (92 FM News)
- Student loan defaults continue to rise (Houston Chronicle)
- At UH, serving Hispanics translates into serving Houston (Houston Chronicle)
STATE, NATION & WORLD
- A Closer Look at Whether Millions of Dollars in Texas EPA Lawsuits Are a ‘Bargain’ (State Impact Texas)
- Death Penalty Witness Condemned by Courts (Texas Tribune)
- Public Schools Turn to Parents’ Dollars for Support (Texas Tribune)
- Hospitals to be fined for readmitted patients (USA Today)
- Looking, Very Closely, for Voter Fraud (New York Times)
- Despite Record Drought, Farmers Expect Banner Year (NPR)
- US military deaths in Afghanistan hit 2,000 (AP)
- Cambodia wrestles with justice for former Khmer Rouge (Washington Post)