FL Is Gonna Make Me Lose My Mind

[cop]

Up in hair, up in hair...

I have to laugh because otherwise I'll have no choice but to cry. Ya'll, I am caught in the first circle of hell- Child Support Enforcement Limbo- and I can't get out! I have been calling in circles for more than four months now. I have called the state of Florida 6 times and each time I have had to wait anywhere from 45 to 70 minutes just to get through to customer service.

It has been 2.5 years since we received any child support. It's a long story as to why, but I requested in August to amend our court order. I called the State and was told that my case was in the state of VA and they couldn't help me. I told them they had the wrong information and thought I had set the record straight. I was told they would fix it in their system. I got the paperwork and submitted my request for amendment in October. The paperwork said I would hear back within three weeks.

I heard nothing so I called again. I was told again that I need to talk to the state of VA, again I told them they were wrong (I've even called the state of VA to verify this.) They told me I needed to talk to my local office and I should just go there. I told them I couldn't do that b/c I don't physically live in FL. They said, well, we can't give you the local offices' number but we can tell them to call you. They have up to 10 business days to call you. Guess who never called?

So I called again. They still wouldn't give me the number for the local office but put me through to the voicemail of a woman there. I left an incredibly detailed, incredibly clear message on her machine. She never called me back. And in the meantime, the same paperwork I filled out in October (and mailed certified!) mysteriously arrived in my mailbox.

So I called the state again today. Again they insisted I need to speak to VA and when I once again pointed out their error I was told that only a supervisor (like the one I spoke to four months ago) could make the change in the system (which I thought she had!) and that until it is cleared up by the state supervisor (who now gets another 10 business days to not call me back,) they cannot tell me any information about my case- including whether they even received the paperwork I sent three months ago. Oh, but get this, they can (for some inexplicable reason) tell the support-paying parent about our case, just not me. Because apparently I have no right to know whether my child will ever see another dime of the support she is entitled to. They also refused again to give me the local offices number. They gave me their fax number instead and said that I could FAX them a request to have them call me back!

And if the supervisor at the state and the local office don't call me back, or if they finally do call me back and my phone goes to voicemail (because let's be honest, I can't sit by my phone 24/7 for the next 10 business days) and they don't leave me a number where I can call them back directly (which the customer service woman basically said they wouldn't,) I will be back on square one once again with zero recourse.

I seriously don't know what to do. I need one of these: :drink: and one of ({) these (})

[jen812]

Oh that really sucks. I hate getting the run around. Are you on speaking terms with the support paying parent? I'm guessing this ispart of the pproblem. Maybe he could assist?

[sara76]

That sounds like a total nightmare. I imagine they are overwhelmed with childcare cases and greatly understaffed in this fine state. You've gotten farther than I would have, I get frustrated easily.l have a good friend who's ex is years overdue. He's been held in contempt over it in the past. I'm sorry I don't know how to do hugs from the app though.

[cop]

We get along fine, no drama there really. Going through him might possibly be even more aggravating, though, because he is constantly have issues with his cell phone dropping calls and his internet service being down. If I could even get him on the phone with him, I am sure that they would tell him to call the state of VA or make some other excuse for why they can't tell him anything and he wouldn't be as annoyingly persistent with them as I am so we probably wouldn't get anything new out of it.

He knows and accepts that he needs to be paying support and has been cooperating. After all, I'm the one who initiated the request for a review of our case because I know they will decrease his monthly obligation when they see how our respective incomes have changed. He received his paperwork in the mail, filled it out, and then received it in the mail again and filled it out a second time.

The scale of incompetence and the terrible attitude I've received time after time are so sad. It took an entire year for them to complete our initial order for support and we didn't even go to court over it. We just filled out all of the paperwork, filed it and it took 12 months for the county to decide on a number and initiate payment.

I feel very fortunate to be able to support my daughter without any help from her father. I feel awful knowing that there are parents out there that aren't so lucky and struggle to clothe, feed, and keep a roof over their kids' heads as they wait months or even years for the State to do its job.

[cop]

Jan 7, 2013 18:44:12 GMT -5 sara76 said:

That sounds like a total nightmare. I imagine they are overwhelmed with childcare cases and greatly understaffed in this fine state. You've gotten farther than I would have, I get frustrated easily.l have a good friend who's ex is years overdue. He's been held in contempt over it in the past. I'm sorry I don't know how to do hugs from the app though.

Ugh, cases like your friend's make me so sad. I know the State has suffered budget cuts and I'm sure they are positively inundated. I just can't help but feel that there has to be a better system. I don't even want to get into what a nightmare it is to try to move a case to a new state. I would love to see the child-support system nationalized, but I know that will never happen.

[melis74]

That really sucks, you would "think" when it comes to supporting our children they would be a little more on the ball. I hope they can finally get this resolved for you and soon!