I am a single mother in Iowa of a 16 year old son. 5 years ago we went through all the correct channels to stop the child support order. CSRU is unpleasant to deal with and we decided to handle child support ourselves. Needless to say this has not worked out. He made payments for about 6 months then stopped. I sued him, we went through mediation and I dropped the suit but then he never signed our mediation agreement and has paid almost nothing since then. In 2008 I received $20 from him. How far back am I entitled to child support from him? I don't want to bleed him, but the full burden is too much for me, and in all fairness he should have been contributing this whole time. Someone told me I'm only entitled to go back 3 months, but he was still his dad for ALL these past 5 years, plus I kept trying to work with him during this time with his empty promises etc. I'm feeling resentful.

I have never heard of an award of child support for money owed prior to the filing of the petition, but that could just be me.

Did you actually stop the child support order, or just the state enforcement of it. But it will be the court to decide if you went for that many years without a order and you yourself ended it, I doubt if you had agreed not to take any, that they will now let you go back to get it.

Hello,

I actually just got a court order back in November (My daughter is 16). I have been waiting a long time to get an order and just like you there were empty promises endless excuses and so on. I also heard they may not go back too far but the judge actually went back too the day she was born minus what I told him he has given me (I remembered because it was not much). He did not show up but sent his financial statement so I think it depends on the judge.

We really need to know if there is a current order in effect or not. That's what is going to make a difference.

Hello,

I actually just got a court order back in November (My daughter is 16). I have been waiting a long time to get an order and just like you there were empty promises endless excuses and so on. I also heard they may not go back too far but the judge actually went back too the day she ws born minus what I told him he has given me (I remembered because it was not much). He did not show up but sent his financial statement so I think it depends on the judge.

You really need to elaborate a timeline for this one because it has almost nothing to do with what the OP is asking from the sounds of it on the surface. It sounds like your order was a new one?? And the Op had a prior or existing order so your case may not be relevant. Hard to believe a judge would order support back 16 years.

We had an order, then our son lived with him for one year my last year of college. We switched everything properly so I paid support. When my son came back to live with me we stopped it all and never re-initiated him paying me child support.

We had an order, then our son lived with him for one year my last year of college. We switched everything properly so I paid support. When my son came back to live with me we stopped it all and never re-initiated him paying me child support.


If you "dropped" it and there is no Court Order to be enforced then I see you filing for a new Order. Support in my State only goes back to the date of filing for the new Order.