May 30, 2009

Supportkids is using our child support as collateral!!

Supportkids transfers 20,000 of child-support collection cases after loan default
Austin-based company says it will serve remaining clients.

By Tim Eaton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, May 28, 2009

As a result of a recent loan default, Austin-based Supportkids Inc. was forced to transfer a portion of its child-support collection cases to a New Hampshire-based law firm.

Supportkids CEO Byron Sehlke said Supportkids unloaded 20,000 cases to Richard J. Boudreau & Associates on May 14,

leaving Supportkids with 18,000 cases, many of which are nonpaying.

"This was not our decision," Sehlke said.

Boudreau & Associates didn't respond to a request for comment.

Supportkids, a for-profit company that collects money from parents who are behind on their child-

support payments, said in a letter to clients that the organization was unable to refinance a loan with an unnamed lender.

As a result, the lender handed over the cases, which Supportkids had used as collateral on the loan, to Boudreau & Associates.

Sehlke called the situation "a function of the credit crisis." He added that the company, which has laid off an undisclosed number of employees, remains in transition but will continue to serve its remaining clients and accept new ones.

Affected clients of Supportkids were told in the letter that Supportkids no longer has current information on their cases and that Boudreau & Associates has their case files and should be contacted with questions or for new information on their cases.

Supportkids had tried unsuccessfully to reach a cooperative agreement with the lender and Boudreau & Associates to arrange for a transition period, so the company was not able to notify clients in advance of their cases being transferred, the letter said.

Supportkids charges an initial $475 case development fee and takes a 34 percent commission on overdue child-support payments. When it accepts a case, it requires that the parent who is behind on the payments send the money to the company, which takes its cut and forwards the balance to the parent who is caring for the child or children. Sehlke said the company takes only the toughest cases.

teaton@statesman.com; 445-3631


Thank You Mr. Eaton for the low down on our situation. They cant use our child support as collateral against a loan default. Its against the law. Basically, they are using their 34% from our child support to pay their debt. And FYI Michelle, if they say that they will hold your money and refuse to pay you until their direct deposit form is signed, that's extortion.

May 27, 2009

RJBA and the Supportkids Out of Business Saga


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This is what I received in the mail today. I have a few things to say. If the contract is legally binding, why do they need a conference call between me and the DA's office? Wouldn't they just send a copy of the contact to the DA's office rather than have me give the OK? If it is in fact legally binding. On the copy of the direct deposit form its states something very alarming to me:

By signing below, I hereby agree to have any child support arrearage payments deposited into my bank account with said number as shown on this form/check. I authorize Richard J. Boudreau & Associates, LLC and/or its agents or ASSIGNS TO RECOVER ANY FUNDS ERRONEOUSLY DEPOSITED INTO MY ACCOUNT THROUGH A DEBIT FROM MY ACCOUNT.

So, not only would you be giving them access to put money in, but take it out. Am I correct on this one? Recover funds Erroneously Deposited into my account? They plan on making errors on the deposits before they even have the job? RJBA claims to be an attorneys office. I think they are full of crap. They did not send a new contract for me to sign. What Im getting out of this is that by signing the direct deposit slip and having a conversation via conference call with RJBA and the DA, Im basically giving them access to my money. I dont think so. By the way, what happened to the one payment they got from the DA on 5/18 before I was able to change my disbursement? Where is my money?? I dont know about you guys, but this company does not sound right. Anyone else get one of these?

May 26, 2009

Wordless "OMG" Wednesday


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Some people scare me.....it really makes you wonder!

May 25, 2009

God bless our Soldiers and their families on this Memorial Day..


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RJBA - The Supportkids take over

I logged into my Supportkids account today thanks to Redhatty giving me a heads up. This is what I found:

Your child support case is now being serviced by Richard J. Boudreau & Associates.

Richard J. Boudreau & Associates (RJBA) can be reached at:

Mail: Richard J. Boudreau & Associates, LLC
5 Industrial Way
Salem, NH 03079
Phone: 1-866-997-2449
Email: childsupport@rjba.com

Supportkids, Inc. is no longer servicing you case. We wish you the best in your child support efforts.

The last statement is what really grabbed my attention. I thought maybe it was saying we were on our own now. No such luck. After thinking about what is being said, I have concluded its telling us good luck with RJBA. Got it!

Also, regarding RJBA. I have heard a number of complaints regarding a person that works there named "Pam". One of them really made me made. In Laurens words:

Pam, kept jabbing at me about how I chose to live my life etc, none of which is relevant to collecting my past due support. In our last verbal phone battle she actually told me 'she would have to think about how much more of HER company's money she was going to spend on this case, or if she was going to put this on the back burner'.

Excuse me?? How much more of HER companies money she is going to spend?? First of all, it is our child support that kept SK in business and would continue to do so for RJBA when our cases are forwarded to them. Second of all, who is she to talk to any of us that way? They are not a child support enforcement agency, they are a collection company. We dont owe them anything. Our debts are because of dead beat parents that refuse to pay child support. We didnt take out a loan and are refusing to make payments. The money comes to us from THEM secondary to the DA (for most cases) collecting on our behalf. It appears that PAM needs to get off of her soap box and remember who she is working for. Its just another reason why I wish they were in my state. Id love to see these people face to face. I guarantee they wouldnt be talking to any of us that way if we were upclose and personal. She hides behind a phone line and thinks that this gives her the right to treat people in that manner. Shame on you RJBA for hiring a person with such poor customer service skills. We are not the enemy, we are the victims (for lack of a better term). You are trying to collect money for us, not from us. It appears that PAM has never been in our situation. If she had, Im sure her attitude would be completely different. Although, I guess it all depends on the person. Where's the compassion?? I think that's what is missing from both of these companies.

May 21, 2009

Memorial Day


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I am lucky that my son made it home from Iraq. Some other families arent as fortunate. Lets not forget that. Pay your respects to our Military for risking their lives for our freedom.

Please sign this petition against Supportkids!!

We cant be heard if we dont speak out. Please, sign the petition whether you are a victin of Supportkids or just believe in the cause:

You can find the petition here!


Thank You...

May 20, 2009

Supportkids...Yes, they're out of business!

As many of you know, Supportkids have gone under. We have been instructed to call a new company, Richard J. Boudreau & Associates (RJBA) and they can be reached at 1-866-997-2449. So, how many of you have contacted this number? I left a message on Friday and still haven't heard anything back. They also gave an e-mail address of childsupport@rjba.com. Well, Ive tried to get a response that way as well with no luck. On Friday after I got the news, I contacted the DA's office. I would like to give a special shout out to the staff at the San Bernardino District Attorney, Child Support division. They have been nothing but helpful. I was instructed to write a letter stating I no longer wanted Supportkids handling my case, I took a copy of my ID, and faxed it over. I got a call today from "Barbara", who told me that Supportkids was having my money directly deposited into their account. Oh no, I thought, what now? I dont remember approving my money to be direct deposited into anyones account. The DA's office said that this is how it works when you sign their contract. Figures!! I was then instructed to log onto www.casdu.com (for California, your state will have its own site) and change my direct deposit information. The DA's office gave me my account number, which is something you will need. After you log in, go down to the bottom of the screen where it says "Set up Direct Deposit." Change the information in the state disbursement to your own account and you are set!!

Id also like to add something to this post. This is dedicated to all the people that don't think single parents deserve nice things. Why not? Just because the non custodial parent refused to pay on their own, does that mean I have to live my life in poverty? Am I really undeserving? Ive spent MANY years supporting 2 boys on my own. My oldest is now in the Navy and just returned from Iraq, my youngest is graduating from High School next month. For a very long time I robbed from Peter to pay Paul. My kids did without alot of things. They never knew the stresses I dealt with on a regular basis or the tears I shed for bills I could not pay. Now, I own a home of my own. I took a home improvement loan out so that I could make my house into something I was proud of. Then, I get these idiots making nasty remarks because I have nice things. I pay my mortgage like everyone else. Who are they to pass judgement on me? Supportkids kids doesn't pay me enough monthly to cover half of my mortgage yet these same people say that Supportkids paid for my pool?? Or my new stove?? What's wrong with this picture and why are these people so filled with hate? Dead beat Dad maybe
? The $300 dollars a month I get from them (or should I say got from them) did not make or break me. However, alot of people depend on every penny of that court order for their survival and that of their children. I learned to live without it, I had to. That does not give any company the right to feed off of the desperate. I put information on this site to help other parents. This is not a chat room or a forum for people to lash out. This is my blog that I started 2 years ago to fight Supportkids. I don't have time or patience to deal with people that have nothing better to do that surf the Internet for a fight. If you don't like what I write, move on. If you dont have something helpful and pertinent to the discussion at hand, dont say it. Ive done a great job raising 2 men and I did it for 10 years without child support. I will tell you one thing, I know neither one of them will end up doing to their children what their father did to them.

Take the information I have and use it if you need to. If you are happy with the services provided to you by Supportkids or the company that will be replacing them, more power to you. Im not here to change your mind, Im here to help the people that need it. Unless you have walked a mile in any of our shoes, you dont know shit about this topic. And the bottom line on that one is, I could care less what you have to say and neither do the rest of us.

May 19, 2009

Wordless "the grad ticket experience" Wednesday

At my sons school, they dont just give you tickets for graduation, you have to wait for them...

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When I got to the school at 5:30 AM, this is what I found....


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Yep, you have to camp there to get Home Side seats...I guess I didnt get the memo on that one!!


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You wait in line just to get a ticket to be in line. 4 1/2 hours later, I got tickets on the Visitor side of the field. They sold out of home side seats 20 people before me. Oh well, I cant lose site of why Im going there. Its not for the best seat in the house, its to see my baby graduate....Im glad I dont have to do THAT again!!!


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May 15, 2009

Supportkids...out of business???

I started this blog to warn people about Supportkids. They are a company (or should I say WERE) that fed off of desperate single parents trying to get child support. I opened my case in 2002. Since then, they have taken over $25,000 dollars from my kids and I. Every time I tried to terminate my contract, I was denied. Several people have responded to my blog with horror stories of their own. We all had the same question, what can we do to stop them?? Well my friends, I think our ship has finally come in. Thanks to a fellow victim Redhatty, I was just informed Supportkids is no longer. Yes, thats right!! For those of you who have a case with them, log into the website and it will inform you that they are no longer handling your case. This is the information you will see on their website:

Your child support case is now being serviced by Richard J. Boudreau & Associates.

Richard J. Boudreau & Associates (RJBA) can be reached at:
Phone: 1-866-997-2449

Email:

childsupport@rjba.com

Mail: Richard J. Boudreau & Associates, LLC
5 Industrial Way
Salem, NH 03079

I hope that my blog and experience has had a hand in putting this company out of business. I cant tell you how relieved I am that the thousands of single parents struggling to make ends meet might finally get a break. They were allowed to do what they did for far too long. Its about time that someone stepped up to the plate and did something to put them out of business. I have contacted them (RJBA) via phone and e-mail regarding my case. This development is very recent as I just logged in on Tuesday and the information above was not posted. I suggest you get your information about your case to the above people ASAP so that you dont get lost in the system. I was instructed that a fedex package will be coming within the week with more information. WOOHOO!!!! We won!!!!! I will keep you posted.

May 14, 2009

Where have I been?

As many of you have noticed, I haven't been posting like I use to. There are a couple reasons for that. 1st of all, I dissolved my contract with Divorce 360. I got tired of writing about relationship issues when I wasn't having any, and after 2 years, it just got old. Not to mention, I was constantly chasing them to get paid. It wasn't worth it to me anymore. Secondly, I have been remodeling my home. My stress level these days has been off the charts. Work is hard (especially lately) and home is complicated when you have to live your life around contractors so I havent had much rest. Although, last weekend for the first time in a long time, I relaxed. We have 3 contractors coming to the house on Monday to do 3 different things and it all starts again. It took me 6 weeks to get my kitchen back, now my bathroom is going to be gutted and new doors for the house are being installed. Not to mention, I have a son coming home from Iraq on June 8th and my youngest graduating on June 10th. Did I tell you Ive been planning a party as well? I cant wait to breathe. After this next stint with the contractors, I'm gonna give it a rest for a while and enjoy my oldest sons visit home. That includes a week off from work. Thank God! I need to find medium ground someplace so I can gather my thoughts. I don't even sit down to watch television for any length of time these days because there is so much to do. I know I will get thru this but right now, life is tough.

I would like to give you an update on my nutrisystem progress as well but that will come later. I may be stressed to the max but I look fabulous!!! I just have to remember thru all of this what my Mom tells me on a regular basis: "This too shall pass." I certainly hope so. However, I enjoy my pool when I can and I cant thank my jacuzzi enough for helping the tension leave my body **heavy sigh** I will keep you posted!


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May 12, 2009

Wordless Wednesday


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While one son is having fun in the new pool, the other one is riding Camels in Iraq. Everyone needs some down time. Why not?

May 5, 2009

Wordless "so tired of remodeling" Wednesday

Before

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ALMOST After....just a few more things to do!


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