People in Montgomery, Tennessee, may have come across a recent report by the U. S. census bureau that says that nationwide, more than $14 billion is owed for child support. Factors contributing to this situation include the unstable economy as well as some of the natural disasters that have swept across the United States in the past few years. The result is that many children and their single-parents are struggling to make ends meet.
A recent high-profile child support case involves Guardian Angel founder and prominent radio show host Curtis Sliwa. At a court hearing, Sliwa declared he cannot afford to pay child support as directed by the court. His present income is now only a fraction of what he used to earn at the peak of his radio career. He stated his employer suffered serious damages during Hurricane Sandy, which forced him to take a huge pay cut.
In 2009, Sliwa earned $688,000 per year, but since the end of 2012 his pay has been $120,000 per year. According to Sliwa, he cannot afford the $12,000 per month that he pays toward child support for his 9-year-old child with his ex-wife. According to Sliwa’s ex-wife, she has had to give up her $150,000-a-year position with the Guardian Angels after her divorce, and has since been earning only $55,000 a year. She also doubts the truth of Sliwa’s claims, calling him an “inveterate, world-class liar.”
This is a high-profile legal battle involving famous and influential people, but cases like this can occur in Montgomery as well. Defaulters are common, and the reason for their default can be either authentic or fabricated. In either instance, Tennesseans may benefit from discussing their situation with an experienced family law attorney.
Source: New York Post, “Angels founder Sliwa: I can’t afford child support,” Laurel Babcock and Julia Marsh, Dec. 9, 2013
