Child support system is broken, but fathering a child you can’t afford is a problem, too | READER COMMENTARY

Every family law attorney would acknowledge that the current child support system is broken (“At what cost? For Baltimore’s poorest families, the child support system exacts a heavy price — and it’s hurting whole communities,” March 5). Empowering judges to deviate from the child support guidelines based on real economic circumstances makes sense.

However, the reality is that amount of child support that is imputed with the minimum wage is very low, often about $250 per child, not nearly enough to cover the cost of raising a child. Assuming there are enough magistrates and judges to adjudicate every child support case based on individual circumstances (there aren’t), the court should be empowered to determine the outcome.

As a matter of self-responsibility, the reality is that having children is not just a responsibility but also a luxury that should be forgone when they cannot be afforded.

Amar S. Weisman, Towson

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