MIAMI & MONTGOMERY COUNTIES -- Many of you saw the story we did last month about child support and delinquent parents. The Montgomery County prosecutor told us his list of "deadbeat" parents included former UD basketball star Tony Stanley, who owed $38,000 in back child support -- so much that a warrant was out for his arrest.
Stanley has been playing pro basketball in Europe for more than 10 years. After our first story aired, the mothers of two of his children -- one in Montgomery County, the other in Miami County -- told us he has been regularly paying as much as he could to support his children, sometimes as much as $1,000 a month. But, as Stanley himself told us in a phone call from France, while he was once earning $100,000 a year, now -- at age 36 and near the end of his career -- he's making less than half that much.
The prosecutor in Miami County -- where Stanley owes $104,313 -- told us he should have sought a modification of his child support order, to reflect his lower salary. Payments that have been made outside the system have been considered gifts, and did not count toward Stanley's arrearages.
However, by Ohio law the mothers of his children can forgive his debt. One of them told us she's considering doing that.
The lessons here: Ask for relief from a child support order if you can show good faith and changed circumstances. Don't get so far behind -- generally $5,000 -- that a warrant is issued. And if you are making payments, make sure you go through proper channels so you get credit for them. Most important, try to maintain a relationship with the other parent, so that he or she might consider forgiving any debt.
Stanley has been playing pro basketball in Europe for more than 10 years. After our first story aired, the mothers of two of his children -- one in Montgomery County, the other in Miami County -- told us he has been regularly paying as much as he could to support his children, sometimes as much as $1,000 a month. But, as Stanley himself told us in a phone call from France, while he was once earning $100,000 a year, now -- at age 36 and near the end of his career -- he's making less than half that much.
The prosecutor in Miami County -- where Stanley owes $104,313 -- told us he should have sought a modification of his child support order, to reflect his lower salary. Payments that have been made outside the system have been considered gifts, and did not count toward Stanley's arrearages.
However, by Ohio law the mothers of his children can forgive his debt. One of them told us she's considering doing that.
The lessons here: Ask for relief from a child support order if you can show good faith and changed circumstances. Don't get so far behind -- generally $5,000 -- that a warrant is issued. And if you are making payments, make sure you go through proper channels so you get credit for them. Most important, try to maintain a relationship with the other parent, so that he or she might consider forgiving any debt.