Paying child support is often a part of getting a divorce for parents who live in Colorado and elsewhere. Working out an agreement that the non-custodial parent can comply with is a good way to start on the right foot, but sometimes there are cases when one party isn’t able to make their contribution to child support. In that instance, unless they are able to come up with it, they could face legal repercussions, especially if the payments are grossly past-due.
One idea for child maintenance evaders is coming out of Russia recently, where they use public photos of parents failing to pay their share to shame them into finding a way to make the payments. Images of these “alimony debtors” are displayed in various public forms such as billboards, posters and the like. But the method appears to be working: there has been a reported 30 percent decrease in people failing to pay their portion of child support between the years 2007 and 2011.
Such an encouraging boost in financial involvement from parents has resulted in several communities in the United States taking their own approach. One woman from another state has come up with the idea of putting faces of those who don’t make their payments on pizza boxes, due to how common ordering pizza is. The whole idea of shaming the other parent of your children into paying their share has sparked many different reactions from people. However, it may be something to keep an eye on and track its effectiveness.
Whether it’s due to insufficient income or a change in your situation, the reasons for being unable to pay child support can cause great financial and emotional strife for everyone involved. Working with an attorney who specializes in the field of child support can help a Colorado parent, custodial or non, when there has been an issue regarding the payments. Understanding the laws in your area is a good way to start, and working with a professional can help you know your options.
Source: Time News Feed, “Russia Considers Printing Photos of Deadbeat Dads on Pizza Boxes,” Regina Wang, Oct. 24, 2012