Effects of Divorce on Children – Some Interesting Statistics

divorce child support kids statistics

Financial Statistics Reveal Compelling Divorce Data

The Financial and Emotional Impact for Kids of Divorce – What do the Statistics Really Say?

divorce child support kids statisticsI have always found statistics and research studies quite interesting. I like to look at them to see how they compare to my own perceptions and life experiences.

As a divorce lawyer for 40 plus years, and publisher of the Ohio Family Law Blog since 2009, keeping on top of divorce trends is something I enjoy doing. In searching the internet recently, I came across the website www.financesonline.com. I found this website to have an amazingly broad aggregation of divorce related information and statistics  (including footnotes to their sources). I spent a fair amount of time reading it and thought sharing the link might be worthwhile to our blog readers. Here is a sample section. Perhaps it will pique your interest!

EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN:

  • Divorced spouses evade over 30% of child support payments, with less than 50% paid in full. (Leefeldt, 2019)
  • Moreover, only 43.5% of custodial parents receive full support from their former spouses. (Leefeldt, 2019)
  • In addition, more than $10 billion in child support payments in the US go uncollected. (Leefeldt, 2019)
  • 26.5%
Read More... “Effects of Divorce on Children – Some Interesting Statistics”

What Are Your Options of How You Can Receive Support From Ohio Child Support Payment Central?

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Child Support Payments can be Sent to a Platnium smiONE Visa Debit Card or Direct Bank Deposit

child support smiONEIn Ohio, the Office of Child Support, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, has made electronic disbursements mandatory as a way of processing child support payments.

What exactly is an e-Disbursement? It is when money is electronically transferred from the Ohio Child Support Payment Central to either a debit card with a chip, a magnetic strip credit card, or to a saving and loan bank, or a credit union account. Paper checks are no longer an option, unless the custodial parent can show proof why it is impossible for them to receive funds electronically.

There are two different methods that Ohio has established to receive child support payments. You can either receive the money through direct deposit, or through a Platinum smiONE Visa card. These two methods for receiving child support are offered in order to provide a safer, faster, and simpler way to receive the money. In addition, eliminating mailing paper checks saves the State of Ohio an incredible amount of money!

Child Support Payments: Direct Deposit Vs. Debit Card

Direct Deposit can be used if the custodial … Read More... “What Are Your Options of How You Can Receive Support From Ohio Child Support Payment Central?”

Can I Demand Proof Where my Ex Spends the Child Support I Pay?

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Can A Parent Request Accounting Of The Child Support Expenses?

child support payments expenses

This is a frequent question that I hear as a Dayton, Ohio, divorce lawyer. In Ohio, the short answer is “no” as long as the child’s basic needs are being taken care of. There are a few states (such as Washington) which allow for a parent to request an accounting of the child support expenditures.

In most states there is a common misconception that child support must be spent on things that ONLY benefit the child only. In Ohio, child support may be used to pay for a very broad range of expenses including:

  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Mortgage/rent of the home where the child lives
  • Utility bills, internet, cell phones
  • Medical expenses
  • Transportation and vehicle costs (including gas, auto insurance and car repairs)
  • Childcare/babysitters/camp costs/sports/extracurricular activities
  • School fees and supplies
  • Entertainment for the child
  • Any miscellaneous expenses that contribute to the general welfare of the child.

Does the Custodial Parent need to Account for the Support Money?

This is a corollary question to the one above. The general answer in Ohio is “no”.  Nonetheless, if this issue is raised, it would be prudent to look back over the past month or … Read More... “Can I Demand Proof Where my Ex Spends the Child Support I Pay?”