FOX25 Investigates: Thousands of New England parents behind on child support

BOSTON — More than half of all noncustodial parents with current child support orders in Massachusetts are behind by $1,000 or more, according to Department of Revenue records obtained by FOX25 Investigates.

The worst offenders, nearly 6,000 parents, owe more than $60,000 in arrears, according the DOR. Thousands of other single mothers and fathers in New Hampshire are also owed back-child support and attempts to recover those funds have produced mixed results.

Out of Options

Kim Witkum of New Hampshire agreed to speak about her case with FOX25 Investigates because she says she has nowhere else to turn. She says her ex-husband has only made occasional payments to help their two daughters since the couple divorced eight years ago.

“He was good for a little while and, over time, it just kind of went away,” said Witkum.

Court records show Witkum’s ex-husband currently owes more than $30,000 in arrears. The couple has one daughter in college and another expected to start in the next few years.

“I just think there needs to be some accountability. It's not my money. It's my kids' money,” said Witkum. “I actually have friends and we talk about this. They're in the same exact situation. It's the same thing, it's the same battle.”

When FOX25 Investigates reached Witkum’s ex-husband on the phone, he declined an interview request, but also denied “dodging” child support and said a “disability” has limited his ability to pay the full amount of child support, about $300 a week, ordered by the court.

Widespread Problem

According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Witkum’s case is one of more than 28,000 in the state with overdue, unpaid child support. That number makes up nearly 75 percent of all open child support cases, statewide.

In Massachusetts, FOX25 Investigates discovered about 59,000 current child support cases in arrears by more than $1,000 .

While neither state would comment on specific cases, both told FOX25 they make “every attempt” to determine a parent’s ability to pay and to collect child support that’s due.

In an e-mail, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue wrote:

“We are looking at better ways to reach out to noncustodial parents and encourage them to work with us so that we help them get into a position where they can pay their child support… The parents who deliberately evade their support obligations while having the ability to pay – are subject to DOR’s wide range of enforcement remedies, these cases are taken very seriously and result in both administrative and judicial actions.”

Worst of the Worst

From 1992 to 2009, the DOR in Massachusetts published a “Top Ten” list with names and photos of parents who owed the most unpaid child support in the Commonwealth, but the DOR denied a request by FOX25 Investigates for that same information in 2015, saying it no longer provides “case specific information.”

However, the DOR did reveal a significant number of current cases involve large amounts of overdue child support.

• 25 percent or about 29,000 parents owe between $1,000 and $10,000
• 21 percent or about 24,500 parents owe between $10,000 and $60,000
• 5 percent or about 5,800 parents owe more than $60,000

Despite those figures, the DOR says Massachusetts remains in the top ten in the United States for collecting “current” child support. When asked whether it would consider returning to publishing its “Top Ten” list, the department would say only that it’s “reviewing all outreach strategies.”

A spokesperson pointed out that the DOR has seen the amount of child support collected increase about 14 percent since 2009.

Enforcement Options

In Massachusetts, the DOR has a range of enforcement options to collect child support, including withholding paychecks, suspending drivers licenses and seizing lottery winnings. The complete list can be viewed here.

New Hampshire’s Child Support Services has similar options, but Witkum says it hasn’t been enough, in her case.

“I feel like they've allowed this enormous number to get to 30 grand because he knows he doesn't have to pay,” said Witkum.

Court records in Witkum’s case revealed an attorney for the state declined to appear at one of her hearings, citing a “limited interest” in the case because the state wasn’t providing “any public assistance” to Witkum or her kids.

“I'm held to a different standard because I do go to work every day and people aren't willing to help me because I'm not looking for help,” said Witkum.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on Witkum’s case.

Last Resort

In the most extreme cases, states can enlist the help of law enforcement to get “deadbeat” parents to show up for court.

Norfolk County Sheriff Michael Bellotti has a deputy assigned to handle those cases, but he says most parents who are trying to avoid paying child support don’t respond to a simple letter warning them they could be arrested.

“Because some of these guys are pro's at it, they bounce around, they know how to stay off the grid, they go from one job to another, they work under the table,” said Bellotti. “They've made an incredibly concerted effort not to make this payment.”

While deputies can make a civil arrest to bring a parent to court, the DOR in Massachusetts confirmed non-payment of child support can sometimes become a criminal matter.

If a District Attorney’s Office or the US Attorney agrees to take a case, a parent could face a felony for “abandonment and nonsupport.”

The DOR could not say how many cases ended up in criminal court.

Cox Media Group