Question on going back to collect child support prior to order establishment

Question on going back to collect child support prior to order establishment

QUESTION…

I just came across your site but wish I had come across it so much sooner. My son will be 14 in a week and I have never received any child support from my son’s biological father. I reside in Wisconsin (originally from IL) and he resides in Illinois.

I had started my case back in 2012 and a not even a year later Illinois said they needed an updated signature and that I had to redo the entire packet of paperwork along with my current signature. I’m thinking that Illinois lost my original paperwork and needed to have it resent to them. I can’t imagine them needing an updated signature that wasn’t even a year old from when I filed.

With that being said I finally was awarded to receive child support just about 14 years later. The farthest they would go back for support was June of this year. I didn’t think they would go back 14 years but June of 2014? They said they would go back as far as the filing date which was originally back in 2012 when they had requested everything needed to be redone.

I’m assuming since now I am going to start receiving child support there isn’t any way to go back farther than June of 2014?

Thank You for your help,

Beth

xxx

OUR ANSWER:

Hi Beth

Only the courts can decide on how far back the support order can go as a starting point. If the courts only allowed the support to be established from June and not the 2 years they indicated, you may need to chat with an attorney on what can be done. Please consider speaking with the local child support office or a family law attorney on what can be done to go back farther than what was granted in your order. THIS IS WHY it is so important to get paternity and a order for child support established… even if you think you will never collect. We surprise people every day with our child support success stories.

If your child support doesn’t start soon, please keep us in mind. I’d be happy to review the case with you at that time and see what can be done to assist you and potentially collect.

Thank you for your consideration!

Toni