My situation is a bit of a mess. Nothing new on this forum :) My ex and I are in the middle of settling our parenting plan and child support and our 17 year old ran away. The temp. parenting plan says I have her and at this point my ex is paying me child support for her. He is upset that he has to pay child support for her when she isn't living with me. However, neither of our attornies give us any real resolutions. They are hoping to emancipate her, which is what she wants and SAYS she is working on, however I have my doubts that a judge will emancipate her, she is not enrolled in school (summer), she is behind on credits, and she wasn't working as of last week. But I also don't understand why they can't just suspend the child support until she is 18 and if within the next year she comes back the child support can be resumed. I feel badly accepting the child support when she isn't here and he is getting mad for having to pay it. Any suggestions? I'd greatly appreciate the help!!!

My situation is a bit of a mess. Nothing new on this forum :) My ex and I are in the middle of settling our parenting plan and child support and our 17 year old ran away. The temp. parenting plan says I have her and at this point my ex is paying me child support for her. He is upset that he has to pay child support for her when she isn't living with me. However, neither of our attornies give us any real resolutions. They are hoping to emancipate her, which is what she wants and SAYS she is working on, however I have my doubts that a judge will emancipate her, she is not enrolled in school (summer), she is behind on credits, and she wasn't working as of last week. But I also don't understand why they can't just suspend the child support until she is 18 and if within the next year she comes back the child support can be resumed. I feel badly accepting the child support when she isn't here and he is getting mad for having to pay it. Any suggestions? I'd greatly appreciate the help!!!
Do either you or ex know where daughter is at?
If so BOTH parents need to file a runaway report then go to wherever she is and bring her home.
If no one knows where she is BOTH parents need to file a runaway report ASAP.

As long as you are doing something to make sure your daughter comes home it is perfectly all right to collect the CS because she'll still need a home to come to. However, if you are not doing anything to ensure LEGALLY that she comes home, your ex can file to terminate CS and will probably win.

Just wanted to add one more option if you truly feel that your ex should not have to be responsible for CS. He can continue to pay it regularly as ordered, and you can turn around and give it back to him. That way, he IS paying the support as ordered to avoid arrearages and penalties. This in no way negates Xena's advice. She was 100% correct. My advice was was just another short term option until everything is settled.

Just wanted to add one more option if you truly feel that your ex should not have to be responsible for CS. He can continue to pay it regularly as ordered, and you can turn around and give it back to him. That way, he IS paying the support as ordered to avoid arrearages and penalties. This in no way negates Xena's advice. She was 100% correct. My advice was was just another short term option until everything is settled.
Thanks, I usually think of that option but this time I forgot it. It's a very good option in alot of situations.
Xena :)

The giving it back to him seems like a pretty decent option. That is if he trusts me enough to go that route, I'm sure you know that exs have a hard time with communication. Just for the record, I have tried endlessly to get her back home. I filed an At Risk Youth petition so there is a warrant for her and the courts are aware of her troubles but twice she has been arrested and twice the states that caught her have been unable to coordinate with WA to get her back into our county. She is a danger to either households without receiving a psychiatric eval and possibly medication. I had lined up a very good psychiatrist that was going to evaluate her and when she found out she split town with her boyfriend. The bottom line is that she doesn't want to live with either household and at this point without lots of intervention she can't be trusted. We've spent thousands of dollars to switch her from his home to mine and now she has bailed on both homes. Very upsetting. Any other suggestions, we will HAPPILY take. Thanks!