Home › Forums › Costa Rica Living Forum › Paying usa alimony in Costa Rica
- This topic has 1 reply, 18 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 6 months ago by doover612.
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May 27, 2011 at 12:00 am #161379doover612Member
If I move to cr will I be able to avoid my alimony from the us
May 27, 2011 at 3:16 am #161380AndrewKeymasterYou can avoid paying any debt by running away to another country but I would guess that it might make travelling back to the US somewhat problematical …
What penalties would someone face for non-payment of alimony?
Anybody know?
Scott
May 27, 2011 at 10:23 am #161381spriteMemberAre you sure you can escape ANY debt by running? Taxes are most certainly a debt and I suspect that the government is a pretty effective debt collector no matter where you are.
May 27, 2011 at 1:00 pm #161382costaricafincaParticipantIf you have any record it will show if you apply for residency.
May 27, 2011 at 1:11 pm #161383goinglikesixtyParticipant[quote=”doover612″]If I move to cr will I be able to avoid my alimony from the us[/quote]
Sure. You jerk. This is a joke right?:roll:
May 27, 2011 at 1:17 pm #161384DavidCMurrayParticipantAlimony is different from child support. It’s an important distinction. In the latter case, however, failure to pay is legally considered child neglect and for that one can be incarcerated and held until the debt is paid. With the welfare reforms of the 1990s, the government has taken a much keener interest in the payment of child support on behalf of children who receive public support.
Until such time as an award of alimony is modified by the court, it’s in effect and the debt continues to accrue (as it does for child support). As a legal debt, the debtor is subject to all the legal remedies available to any other creditor. Your assets might be attached. Your pension might be attached.
I have a friend whose former husband was ordered to pay child support to her for their four children. He lived in a small community in western Michigan. And he never paid a dime. Every time he acquired an asset (a vehicle, snowmobile, tractor, etc), Jan’s attorney put a lien on it, so that he could never sell it. Eventually, the theory is, she’ll be paid, but in the meantime his financial status is jeopardized.
In some states, at least, child support is a debt owed to the custodian parent regardless of the age of the child. So if, for example, you’re ordered to pay child support of (say) $100 per month to a year-old child’s mother, that debt accrues until the child turns eighteen, but the debt (typically with interest) remains on the books even after the child becomes an adult. Alimony may very well be the same.
For some debts (maybe only to the government, as in the case of unpaid taxes) your Social Security can be attached, too. If the former spouse to whom the alimony is due becomes dependent upon public support, the government has an interest in being compensated and that, too, may jeopardize your Social Security.
May 27, 2011 at 1:26 pm #161385maravillaMemberyou can run, but you can’t hide. . . even in costa rica. you’d better hope there is no way to flag your passport otherwise you will be living in costa rica whether you like it or not.
May 27, 2011 at 1:36 pm #161386maravillaMemberTexas and all other U.S. States, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands have enacted the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act as promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, version 1996 (UIFSA1996) or 2001 (UIFSA2001). UIFSA prescribes the procedures for initiating and responding to interstate and international family support cases. UIFSA defines and includes spousal support in its definition of “Support order.’
Canada has also enacted their own version of UIFSA. As a result, a U.S. spousal maintenance obligation may be enforced in Canada. How difficult that is to accomplish and the steps that are necessary, I do not know.
Many other countries also have treaties with the U.S to enforce both child suport and spousal maintenance obligations internationally. they subscribe to the Hague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions Relating to Maintenance Obligations 1973 (Convention #23). The signatories are many but primarily consist of European countries, Austria, Australia, and Portugal. Other international agreements apply with some other countries.
May 27, 2011 at 2:13 pm #161387DavidCMurrayParticipantInteresting stuff, maravilla.
Doover, pay what you owe. Don’t be stupid. And don’t be a jerk.
May 27, 2011 at 2:25 pm #161388maravillaMemberi wouldn’t be hiding in a country where Dominican gang members will gladly break your legs for $50!!!
May 27, 2011 at 2:32 pm #161389Disabled VeteranMemberBe a man, we all have to pay for the mistakes we make! If you do not, be prepared never to return to the U.S. You will be arrested. And, once your passport expires, I assume you are a U.S. citizen; you are screwed in more ways than one! I currently work for the Justice Department, believe me, maravilla is right on point, there are international agreements between the U.S. and Costa Rica, that will make your head spin! And, you will be listed on the federal NCIC data base, with information provided by your State of residence.
May 27, 2011 at 3:31 pm #161390DavidCMurrayParticipant[quote=”maravilla”]i wouldn’t be hiding in a country where Dominican gang members will gladly break your legs for $50!!![/quote]
maravilla, I’m surprised! I didn’t know you lived in a high-rent district. Most places the Dominican gangs will kill for $50.
May 27, 2011 at 3:41 pm #161391maravillaMemberI heard the going price was $150 for a full-on hit. but if the guy doesn’t pay her the alimony maybe she will only be able to afford a knee-cap job!
May 27, 2011 at 3:59 pm #161392DavidCMurrayParticipantLet me share this one caveat. While the Dominican gangs will kill for as little as $50, don’t flash the cash or they may opt to save themselves a trip.
May 28, 2011 at 12:41 pm #161393rosiemajiMemberIt is my understanding that Costa Rica is now a part of the Hague Convention. We have enough people in Costa Rica who came there to try and escape the law and financial obligations of various sorts. We don’t need another one. Slime-balls please go somewhere else.
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