Feds to get cut of Michigan child support checks

Starting next month, some parents who receive child support checks will see an annual fee of $25 taken out of their checks as part of a new federal law.
The change -- which was outlined in a recent letter sent to custodial parents by the state's child support office -- is expected to net nearly $3 million a year. Most of that money will be sent to the federal government to reduce its budget deficit.
The fee applies only if the parent does not receive food stamps for a child, does not and never has received cash assistance, and has received at least $500 in child support, said Marilyn Stephen, director of the Department of Human Services' Office of Child Support.
Its bad enough that the child support court already charges a fee to collect child support. Then they have a racket that the court can charge you interest on arearage fees goes beyond belief. So not only does the state benefit from child support but the federal government does as well, simply because you had a child. The fact that every man or woman who pays child support has a fee attach to his order to pay is insane! The child support system makes millions of dollars each year from people paying child support and even more for those individual who don't pay...

I personally am upset with state officials because the federal legislation gives different options for collecting the fee, but Michigan has chosen to withhold funds intended for kids instead of collecting it from the non-custodial parent or paying it directly out of the general fund.
Michigan legislators determined that it would be handled in this way once it starts in one state you can believe that other states will soon follow. At first child support was taken for the benefit of the child, now it will be to pay back the federal deficit. Once it works in this state you can only imagine that it will spread like wild fire accross the other 49 states.