With half of all US marriages reportedly ending in divorce, many Fulton County residents will go through the process at some point in their lives. Child support is often a product of divorce. All around the nation, countless individuals are required by law to pay child support. The problem is that many of them do not pay it, leaving their children without financial aid. Child support is designed to help the custodial parent with the economic needs of a child. Failure to pay child support can potentially end in jail time. Former basketball star Allen Iverson was recently left with an ultimatum, pay child support or go to jail.
The former basketball all-star reportedly owed $40,000 to his ex-wife in unpaid child support. The original agreement was that Iverson would pay his ex $8,000 a month, but after missing payments for the last five months his ex-wife went back to court demanding the judge throw him in jail if he does not come up with the money. Iverson filed a document in Fulton County that he never paid the money because he thought he would reconcile with his ex-wife. Ultimately the judge gave Iverson three days to come up with the money or else he would face jail time. Iverson complied with the order and paid the child support in full for his ex-wife and the couple’s five children.
There are many parents out there who are unable to make child support payments. Whether it is due to financial difficulties, unemployment or remarriage, child support orders may be modified at any time. Child support is determined by a number of factors, including the number of children, who the custodial parent is and the incomes of both parties. A judge will then typically follow a set of guidelines to determine how much, if any, is to be issued and for how long.
Source: HipHopWired, “Allen Iverson Pays Child Support & Avoids Jail Time,” Alvin Aqua Blanco, July 15, 2013
