Most parents understand the importance of child support and how necessary that support is to the care and welfare of a child. Child support orders in Missouri are also legal matters that may be publicly known or may be considered a private matter for some, as is the case with many financial dealings. One nearby state has taken to sending out postcards as reminders for parents to pay child support, and those postcards are causing an uproar among some parents.

One father who pays child support just like millions of non-custodial parents calls the postcards an invasion of privacy. The cards are not sealed and ask the question if the parent has paid support for that month. That father sees the cards as a means of public shaming for those parents who pay on time and abide by their child support orders.

The state sees the postcards differently. One legal representative says the collection of child support is a major problem and feels the postcards may nudge a parent to pay. It was noted that parents with steady jobs who can have the money automatically taken out of their pay checks are not the problem, but getting support money from a parent without a steady job is more difficult. Also, an official says the postcards are discreet and do not point out any amounts owed and are not meant to be used as a shaming tool.

The issues someone may have when it comes to paying and receiving child support may be deeply personal and one or both parties may want to keep the matter private. However, one party may want to resort to using a public means of reminding the other parent that support is owed. For those who pay and receive child support in Missouri, agreeing on a form of payment or a way to remind the other parent if the payment is late is an option, but if an agreement on specific terms cannot be reached, court intervention may be necessary.

Source: yahoo.com, “Dad ‘Shocked’ and ‘Embarrassed’ by Child Support Postcard“, Esther Crain, Aug. 17, 2015