More Mothers Paying Child Support Than Fathers Says Report

More Mothers Paying Child Support

In the case of child custody and child support, more and more fathers are obtaining physical placement of their children, leaving more and more mothers in the position of having to pay child support for their minor children. The rise in this trend began with the decline of stay-at-home moms as more and more women were forced to enter the workforce to help balance the housing budget within the marriage.

As women were lured away from the nest, men were no longer the sole bread-winner, creating a gap in childcare at home, and the massive growth in the child care industry in general. With men reaching the peak in their careers and able to work less hours, while still making substantially more money than women in similar position, this left more fathers able to be home for the children.

Many women were then left with the decision to continue in the careers to which they had devoted a good portion of their lives, or resign themselves to working at less demanding jobs in order to balance out the parenting roles and be home as well. As divorce rates climbed in 2008, another trend emerged involving more moms paying child support, with increases in the amounts they were required to pay, as well as fewer fathers on the opposite side.

More Moms Paying Child Support Say Top Divorce Attorneys

Latest National Survey also Reveals Increase in Payment Amounts

CHICAGO, IL, October 1, 2008 — More women are paying child support these days, according to the latest survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). In all, 55% of the respondents have cited an increase in the number of mothers who have been assigned to make child support payments over the past five years. Additionally, 42% of the divorce attorneys have seen the size of overall payment amounts rise during the same period of time.

“The changes in our society are almost always reflected in divorce courts and the legal system. The issues involved with child custody payments are certainly not an exception,” says James Hennenhoefer, president of the AAML. “If one spouse is better suited to provide financial care, it is in the best interests of the court and all parties involved to put the needs of the child first.

Interestingly enough, results from the survey revealed that only 1% of AAML members have seen an increase in fathers making child support payments during the past five years. There was a response total of 44% who noticed no difference.

In addition to the question regarding which party is now making child support payments, the divorce lawyers have also cited changes in the size of those payments. Overall, 42% of the respondents said that the amount a spouse must pay has actually increased over the last five years. Only 14% said the payments have gotten smaller, while 44% have cited no change in payment totals during the five year time frame.

Read the full article HERE

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