Mom collects child support nearly 50 years after being left by ‘deadbeat ex’
A woman from California managed to wring out child support from her ex-husband almost 50 years after he left her as a single parent.
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Toni Anderson, who lives in San Diego, thought of going after her “deadbeat ex” now that she is retired. She rents part of her house for some earnings, KGTV reported on Wednesday, March 20.
Her ex-husband left her in the 1970s with their 3-year-old child, and lived in Canada to avoid paying court-ordered child support.
Anderson managed to raise their daughter and put her through college by working as an interior designer in Los Angeles. The firm that she worked for is now run by her daughter.
Now supporting herself while retired, she said she realized last year that there is no statute of limitations on child support and checked old court papers to confirm it.
She reached out to her ex, who lives in Oregon, in February to seek payment of his overdue financial support—and now he has to pay with interest. Had he complied earlier, he would have paid $160 a month for a total of about $30,000. Now, he has to cough up over $170,000 (P8.9 million).
A settlement was reached on Wednesday for $150,000 (P7.8 million).
Anderson hopes other single parents will learn from her, in that they should not be afraid to collect money from their spouses.
As for her husband’s reaction, she said, “I think he’s a little bit panicked. And I’m very happy because I was panicked all these years. Now, it’s his turn.” Niña V. Guno /ra
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