Is there anything worse than a deadbeat dad? A guy who fathers a child and then heads off for parts unknown, assuming that the child’s mother isn’t going to be able to find him? He abandons his responsibilities and goes on to a new life.
Here’s what he doesn’t know – even if he moves to another state, the law can make him support his kid. His bank accounts can be frozen his tax refunds can be seized, and if he has the great good fortune to win the lottery, his winnings can be taken to pay back child support. Of course, first you have to find him.
Where Do Deadbeat Dads Go?
They go everywhere. They go to different towns, different states, and different countries. Some are so intent on evading their responsibilities that they even change their names. It can be very, very difficult to trace a deadbeat dad.
If he’s working, you might be able to trace him using his social security number, and then his wages can be garnisheed. However, you can’t discount the possibility that he may take a low-paying job in order to get out from under his obligations. If you’re lucky, he might own property that can be seized, but if he’s smart, he’ll probably sign over anything he owns to a friend or relative.
What Do I Have to Do?
If you’re the custodial parent, you should provide the child support agency with birth certificates, divorce decrees, tax records and court orders. Include the deadbeat dad’s name, last address, social security number and anything else that might help to locate him. If you know where he worked last, you could contact his former employer, who may have a forwarding address. If the former employer is sympathetic, he may give you that information voluntarily. If he isn’t, you could get a court order. Also contact the post office and utility companies to see if he left a forwarding address. Again, if you tell them why you need the information, they may be willing to give it to you.
Friends and family may also be willing to help you. If he did you dirt, he might have done the same to family members, and they may be looking for revenge. Or they just may be decent people who don’t think that anyone should fail to support their kids.
What If None of That Works?
Often, a private firm like Martin Investigative Services can get results when you can’t. We employ former DEA, IRS and FBI agents in the course of our investigations, and honestly, deadbeat dads don’t have much of a chance against our investigators.
Let’s work together to find this guy and make him live up to his responsibilities. Keep one thing in mind, though– if you do happen to find out where your deadbeat dad is, know when to stop talking – don’t tip him off. The last thing you want to do is tell him that now you know where he is, he’s got to cough up the bucks. He’ll just run and you’ll be back to square one. Tell us, and let us take it from there so you can recover your back child support.
Consultations are always free at Martin Investigations. Give us a call at 800-577-1080. If you’re dealing with a deadbeat dad, give us a call. We’ll find him and help you make sure that he lives up to his responsibilities. And if we can’t do that (which is highly unlikely), we’ll cheerfully refund every single penny you paid us for your deadbeat dad search.