Some non-custodial parents will do just about anything to get out of making support payments to an ex. Because of technology, however, it is not as easy as it may have been 20 or more years ago to escape paying spousal or child support. Pennsylvania parents may be interested in the report of a man who tried to evade his financial responsibilities of spousal and child support by changing his identity.
The man figured he could apply for a new Social Security number in an attempt to put his past behind him. He went to a Social Security office and claimed he had never been given a number or card, as he was Amish but had recently been excommunicated from his community. Through an investigation into his background, a clerk found he had legally changed his name just months prior and that he had, in fact, been given a card in 1976.
The man was hoping to be able to get a new driver’s license with his new Social Security card, as his old one had been revoked because he did not pay the spousal or child support he owed his ex. A total amount of his debt has not been revealed, but he will be paying nearly $2,000 each month, according to a garnishment order. He entered a guilty plea on the charge of Social Security fraud and has been sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. His attorney plans to appeal the sentence.
Most single parents know how essential child support can be and how dire the consequences when they do not receive it. Every child deserves to have the necessities of shelter, clothing, food and medical care that both parents should provide. Pennsylvania parents who are having trouble collecting an order of financial support will want to contact an attorney with experience in getting clients the money to which they are entitled.
