Retiring DES Child Support Services Officer Collects Large Unexpected Payment for Father
For some parents, unresolved child support cases remain open years after the children become adults. The DES Division of Child Support Services can communicate between parents to come to a resolution to address past due payments. That was the case for Jordan who had custody of his daughter while she was growing up. He had given up hope of receiving the child support that had been owed during that time as he hadn’t received consistent payments from his daughter’s mother, even though it was court ordered. “My daughter had to do without certain things,” said Jordan. Many court hearings over child support and visitation took a toll on Jordan. He was ready to close the case and forgive the child support obligations earlier this year when Child Support Services Officer, Veronica, informed him of his options.
Veronica encouraged Jordan. “I was going to close the account that [the support payor] was supposed to be sending payments to years ago,“ said Jordan. Veronica informed him about his options as the support recipient. “She just kept working on it and that’s a wonderful thing.” Jordan was able to request three months of consistent payments from the mother, and then he could forgive the rest. “The money she was supposed to be giving was not for me,” he said. “It was for our daughter.”
If the offer was taken, this option could have been mutually beneficial; the payments would have compensated for those years when their daughter was younger, and it was substantially less than the full balance for which the support payor would have been responsible. Unfortunately, too much time passed and the option expired.
Veronica explained to the support payor that the full balance was due once again. “[The support payor] then said she sold some property that she inherited,” explained Veronica. Inheritances are eligible to be used towards child support payments. “She ended up paying off the balance on the case,” explained Veronica.
“I’m happy that Veronica was able to provide that for me and help my family out,” said Jordan. When his daughter was younger, Jordan would spend hours driving his daughter to and from visits with her mother during visitation. He knew it was important for his daughter to have a relationship with both parents. The money collected recently allowed the family to repair their car and alleviated other financial burdens. “It was wonderful to have that money come in,” said Jordan.
While Jordan was to be receiving child support payments for the daughter he was raising, he was also paying support for another child. He recognized how important his role was as a support payor and the implications if he chose to evade payments. “I hate to say it, but those people are only hurting their families,” he said. “They’re only hurting the people that they’re supposed to love.”
Jordan is proud of his daughter who is now over the age of 18. “She’s a wonderful girl and is providing for herself now,” he explained. His daughter is now in the military, following in Jordan’s footsteps.
Jordan is one of many clients Veronica has served during her 38 years of service with DCSS and 44 years dedicated to Arizona families; a long and fruitful career from which she is now retiring. “I’m satisfied to have worked in a role that made a difference for the families I served,” said Veronica. She is a dedicated employee known for her skilled casework and collecting financial support for Arizona families. “I am looking forward to learning how to play some musical instruments,” said Veronica. “I will be traveling with my family and I’d like to grow more in my faith.” DES wishes Veronica a fond farewell!
If you have a child support case with a large arrears balance and would like to consider settling, contact the DCSS Customer Service Center at 602-252-4045 or 1-800-882-4151, or email the DCSS Settlement Team to submit your settlement offer. For more information on child support services, please visit the Division of Child Support Services website.