MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Frustrated and fed up.
Mid-South moms told WREG deadbeat dads aren’t making “full” child support payments and the state has been letting them get away with it.
They turned to the On Your Side Investigators, who got answers, they may not like, from the agency in charge.
Anika Jones was just one of the mothers 3 On Your Side talked with about problems getting the father of her children to pay exactly what he owes in child support.
“They’re not making these men pay child support,” exclaimed Jones. “They were sending me like a hundred and something dollars when it was supposed to be $271.”
Another parent who didn’t want her face shown had a similar story.
Her son’s almost 18-years-old.
“It’s been happening to me a long time. A long time.”
The parents complained partial, child support payments are now accepted with no repercussions.
“Sometimes it’s been like $60 something and the order of payment was like $193 and one time,” the second mom added. “I got a payment of like $18 to $22 of a $193 payment.”
Another mom called the On Your Side Investigators after she said she only got $24 of a $380 ordered payment.
The Department of Human Services, the agency that handles child support in Tennessee, said there are several ways to enforce payments including income withholding and even tax liens.
DHS spokesperson Stephanie Jarnigan said by email other methods include license revocation, or contempt which is subject to a judgement of the court.
“They can, but they don’t,” said Jones, explaining that she feels these enforcement methods aren’t used enough.
Even worse, the moms said they can’t get to the bottom of why this is happening.
“And you can’t really find out here, (Juvenile Court) you have to go over on Mendenhall (Child Support Office) and the people in Mendenhall is even worse because they don’t want to deal with you,” said Jones.
Administrators at Juvenile Court told WREG they can’t see the child support payment system, so they said they don’t have anything to do with that part of it.
Nobody from the local Child Support Office on Mendenhall could talk on camera.
DHS officials didn’t really explain why partial payments are accepted.
“Child support enforcement is handled on a case by case basis,” Jarnigan said.
She told WREG by phone that in general, parents should be making full payments, but the agency will always accept any payment.
She added parents are considered out of compliance as soon as a payment date is missed, and any unpaid amount, including what’s left after a partial payment, rolls into their balance and back pay which can also accrue interest.
The On Your Side Investigators also learned there is a program allowing parents to make smaller installments, like payments, called the “HOT”, or “Handling Obligations Today” Program.
However, it’s strictly for people who are unemployed, and there are specific guidelines.
The mothers WREG talked to, said they want the dads to pay what the court said they owe, and the state to fully enforce the rules.
“Instead of them just letting them just give whatever it is that they want to give for a child that’s supposed to be theirs, well, that is a part of them, they should be made to take care of them just as well as the mother. They laid and created them,” said Jones.
Ultimately, the moms said the children are the ones hurt in the end.
Jarnigan said anyone with a complaint should file it directly with the local office.