Failure to pay child support can be detrimental not only to the child and the receiving parent, but also to the parent who doesn’t pay. For example, consider the case of former heavyweight boxing champion and Georgia resident Evander Holyfield.
During his boxing career, Holyfield made a reported $250 million, but last year, he had to give up his Georgia mansion and estate in an effort to pay back debts amounting to $14 million, including tax debt, a divorce settlement, lawsuits and child support. Holyfield has 11 children, which at one point in his life may have been a manageable number, but it appears now that he is unable to meet his child support obligations.
The mother of one of Holyfield’s children is still owed almost $328,000, according to reports. That number is down from the $500,000 he owed when a court ordered him to begin making monthly payments of $2,950. A judge has also initiated the process to suspend the former boxer’s driver’s license, which is a consequence non-custodial parents can face in Georgia if they get behind on child support.
Because of his debt woes, Holyfield has had to sell property and auction off the valuable memorabilia he acquired as a five-time heavyweight champion. But even after those sales, reports say that the Georgia Department of Human Services has been after Holyfield for support payments for months.
The truth is that child support payments are a lifeline for many Georgia children. Single parents often find themselves financially incapable of caring for their children on their own, and parents, both custodial and non-custodial, need to be aware of their options for enforcing or modifying a child support order.
Source: News One, “Evander Holyfield To Lose Driver’s License Over Missed Child Support?” May 28, 2013