INDIANA DAD FINDS OUT HAS CHILD 17 YEARS-NOW PAYING CHILD SUPPORT

by CINDY
(Indiana)

My husband had a one night, drunken sexual encounter 25 years ago. Seventeen years later, he receives an order to have a paternity test, because apparently this woman had a child. Lo and behold, he turned out to be the father. We live in Indiana, but the Mother and Child live in Ohio, so we had to hire an Ohio attorney. Long story short, he was ordered to pay $200.00 a month for 18 years, or approx. $60,000. He has had that taken out of his paycheck ever since. Never late, never missed. A couple of years later, they started taking our tax refunds, then of course they got $500.00 twice from the stimulus packages. Last year they tried to take one of our savings accounts. I had to prove that the only money in there was from my paychecks every 2 weeks. Now, this week, they have asked our bank to take up to $40,000 our of a checking account that has my name only on it. First, how can they even look into accounts with only my name on it. What about all those privacy laws. Next, as long as he is paying what was ordered by the court, never missed, never late, how can they take this other money. We are not rich people! As a matter of fact, I about had to laugh when they asked the bank to take out up to $40,000. We don't even have $4000.00 in a checking account and 2 savings account. Not even close. My husband works in the auto industry, and has recently taken a $200.00 a week cut in pay. He has severe rheumatoid arthritis and would be on disability right now if we could afford it. His medicine is $7000.00 a month. Luckily we have insurance, but still, we have to pay over $400.00 a month "out of pocket".

The child, who is of course blameless in this mess, has since then gone to college, graduated, and is now a teacher, probably making more than him. He doesn't want to stop paying what was ordered by the court, but is the rest of this fair. Going back just a little, why didn't he know about this before the child was 17 years old. The mother said she tried to find him, but my husband had the same phone #(as a matter of fact, we still have the same phone #) and worked at the same company up until right before he was notified of this. He wants to do what is right, and paying what was ordered by the court is the right thing to do, but come on, are we not allowed to live? We are in our late 50's now, and with his health, I will be working forever. This is nothing but harassment! No retirement for us. If anyone knows Ohio law, or if anyone has any ideal if this is legal, please write. Thank you for letting me vent. This has really been hard on our marriage! PS Soon after my husband was proven to be the father, he called the child (18 yrs old) He had to leave her a voice message, but she never returned his phone call, then out of the blue he gets a letter from her a couple of months ago. She said she wanted to get to know him. He called her, and again he left a voice message. We haven't heard from her since! PPS The mother had 2 more children out of wedlock, never been married. His daughter did tell him that her grandmother basically raised her, and now she is basically raising her 2 younger sisters because her mom is an alcoholic. How sad! I hope she is getting the money, but who knows, they are too worried they're not getting enough from my husband.


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