A Response To The Article . . .

The following response has been sent to the author of the article. It was written by Michael McCoy, Managing Director of Child Support Intervention. Mr. McCoy has seven years experience in collecting money from deadbeat parents who all have claimed that they are "broke" and can't afford to pay child support. CSI has a collection rate in excess of 70%.

"Good Day Ms. Parker:

I read with great interest your column in the Orlando Sentinel (01/24/99) wherein you reached the conclusion that "the deadbeat-dad problem isn't quite the plague we've been led to believe it is." You reached that conclusion based upon the fact that Maximus and Lockheed-Martin were unsuccessful in their contracts with the State of Florida. As a member of the private child support collection and enforcement industry, I fully disagree with your analysis and conclusions.

Initially, Lockheed-Martin and Maximus have been quite successful in their collection efforts and attempts in other states, and apparently have not reached the same conclusion in those states that deadbeat parents are, "in a word, broke." They are extracting money from thousands of deadbeat parents each year. Extracting money from deadbeats who claim to be, "in a word, broke."

Lockheed-Martin and Maximus withdrew from their contracts with the State of Florida because the venture was not, in a word, profitable. This could be attributed to a poor contract which provided too many protections to the deadbeat parent; a poor compensation package that does not warrant putting a lot of time and effort into convincing deadbeats to pay their child support; a state agency that does not aggressively pursue deadbeat parents and a judicial system that will only slap deadbeat parents on the hand rather than getting their attention and making them pay child support.

Florida has long been a debtor's heaven - a state that makes it easier for people not to pay their bills and makes the collection of bills by creditors and collection agencies extremely difficult. It is extremely easy for a Florida deadbeat - someone who does not pay his or her bills - or their child support - to continue avoiding paying their obligations. When it comes to child support, the courts give the appearance of being extremely "deadbeat friendly". Deadbeats who do have the means to pay child support are routinely allowed to walk out of the court without having to be accountable for their actions - or, more appropriately, inaction.

A collection agency that is awarded a government contract is only able to "cream the cases" - which is a collection agency term for working only the easiest cases and ignoring the ones that present a challenge. They "cream the cases" because government contracts do not pay enough for the agency to make a significant investment in the case. When an agency is paid a flat fee to "close out a case" it is only logical to presume that many cases were inappropriately closed out. It seems very strange that Maximus closed out 52% of the cases they were assigned while Lockheed-Martin closed out only slightly less than 37% of the cases they were assigned. The collection rates of both companies is appalling when even government agencies are collecting on a national average in 20% of their cases. Private child support collection agencies that contract directly with a custodial parent are experiencing collection rates of between 50 and 70%.

Using the statistics that you quote from the Census Bureau, that only "10 percent of non-custodial fathers fall into the deadbeat dad category", Lockheed-Martin and Maximus should have been able to collect from 90% of the cases that they were assigned. Your quote, made to point out that the deadbeat-dad problem isn't quite the plague we've been led to believe it is does nothing to substantiate - in fact it lessens your statement that "most who don't make child support payments are in a word, broke".

The vast majority of people who do not make child support payments are not broke - they just claim to be broke. As long as the Florida Department of Revenue and the judges in Florida accept that claim, then Florida will continue spending $1 for every $4 collected. When laws are enforced across the board, deadbeats who claimed to be broke will come up with the money necessary to pay their child support. This has been proven time and time again throughout the United States by hard nosed public agencies, judges and private agencies that contract directly with custodial parents.

The failure of Lockheed-Martin and Maximus to collect money under their contract with the State of Florida is not a reliable indicator that "most who don't make child support payments are, in a word, broke." Instead, it is an indication that the contract awarded by the State of Florida was, at best, ill advised, and should be an indictment of the entire child support enforcement program in Florida. No collections program will be effective as long as those who owe money are able to avoid paying what is owed simply by claiming to be broke. Bill collectors hear that excuse every day as they successfully collect money owed for consumer debts. Private agencies that contract directly with custodial parents hear that excuse every day, as they successfully collect for up to 70% of their clients.

Most deadbeat parents can afford to pay the full amount of child support that is owed each and every month. They simply choose not to. Those that can't afford to pay the full amount due to a reduction of earnings, could afford to at least pay 50 to 75% of what should be paid. They too, simply choose to pay nothing.

It is a lot easier to claim that you are broke to avoid having to pay anything than it is to make any type of sacrifice for your children. That is another definition of a deadbeat - someone who takes the easy way out to avoid their legal and moral obligations and responsibilities.

Best regards,

Michael McCoy
Managing Director, Child Support Intervention http://www.deadbeatparent.com
Executive Director, American Child Support Collection Association http://www.acsca.com
Executive Director - Mothers Against Fathers In Arrears http://www.mafia-usa.com