Texas parents owe nearly $11 billion in child support

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About one million parents across Texas are required to pay child support, but 460,000 were delinquent last year by at least a month or more on payments meant to help their children.

In Harris County, an average of 42 percent, or at least 4 of 10 parents ordered to pay child support are past due; in Bexar County, 43 percent; in Dallas County, 46 percent, based on the latest records provided by Texas Attorney General's Office.

And despite aggressive enforcement efforts, the cost to children over the years carries a staggering price tag: nearly $11 billion left unpaid.

State and national authorities say a fluctuating economy and erratic jobless rates are taking a toll on parents who pay child support, though some simply defy orders to pay up. Delinquencies appeared to peak in 2009.

Ultimately, the hardship falls to the custodial parent's children, who rely on the money to make ends meet.

"Consistent complete child support is critical for most families. When the support is not paid or is incomplete or late, the rent or house payment, car payment or food and school expenses suffer. Late fees accrue on rent and autos and the downward spiral continues," said Terry Elizondo, a Houston attorney specializing in family law.

The U.S. Administration for Children and Families estimates that $10.8 billion was past due in Texas at the start of 2011, and the amount continues to grow.

Collection methods

The government typically collects from unwilling parents by withholding wages, tax refunds, lottery winnings or suspending professional licenses. The enforcement resulted in $3.5 billion recovered from current and past due accounts as of August, an increase from $2 billion six years ago.

"We have seen our caseload increase because more parents have applied for enforcement services, perhaps because of custodial parents' reduced earnings due to the economy. We also saw parents who pay child support apply for downward modification," said Janece Rolfe, spokeswoman for the attorney general's child support division.

Most-wanted evaders

One of the state's most wanted evaders is Tomas Roman, a 60-year-old bus driver and laborer who owes more than $179,000 to his two sons and is believed to have absconded to Mexico.

"What qualifies as an evader is we don't know where they are, because they have gone underground or they disappeared," said Carol Campbell, an assistant attorney general for child support. "We believe, one, they could be dead, or they could live somewhere and changed their identities, and they work to get the money paid under the table so we can't find them."

The vast majority of custodial parents are women, and in Texas 48 percent of single mothers live in poverty, according to recent census data.

Maria Anaya, the former wife of Roman, has hardly received a penny for the years she raised her two sons after her divorce. She said she worked more than 60 hours a week in two jobs - as an electronics assembler and a cleaning supervisor.

His child support bills date back to 1988 and, as of 2001, Roman owed $120,000 in child support.

"He has never paid nothing," said Anaya. "My sons' lives would have been a lot easier, so would mine."

Jailed but didn't pay

In 2003, police stopped him for a traffic violation and jailed him for failure to pay support. He served 180 days in the Harris County Jail - but still didn't pay.

Anaya has never seen him again.

Besides Roman, other top evaders sought by the Texas Attorney General's Office include:

1 John Lowry, a 53-year-old upholstery worker and windshield repairman from San Antonio who owes $74,196 for three kids.

1 General laborer Anthony Palmer, 36, from Lubbock, who accrued debts of $33,589 for his child.

1 And 43-year-old Michelle Falco, from Dallas, who owes $51,204 for two children and was last seen in Illinois.

Roman's two sons are grown now. Dominic Roman just finished a college degree in criminal justice because he once hoped the knowledge could help him find his father.

His brother Albert has opened his own business and is going to be a dad himself in three months. "I guess the most important thing for parents to do is to be present with your kids," said Albert.

Effect on children

Experts say parents' delayed or incomplete support leaves irreversible consequences on children.

"Children are already going through a lot of stress when parents separate. When you add the potential financial hardship or parents' enmity … it becomes very tough on a child," said Bob Sanborn, president of Children At Risk, an advocacy group for children and education.

yang.wang@chron.com