On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Saturday, April 6, 2013.
Winning the lottery and walking away a multimillionaire would be anyone’s dream come true. For those working long and grueling hours just to get by, suddenly having millions of dollars would understandably be utterly life-changing. For those owing money, it would give them the chance to pay those debts back.
Recently this happened to a business owner with five children between the ages of 5 and 23. After winning the $338 million Powerball jackpot, the father appeared in court to settle the $29,000 he owed in unpaid child support.
In looking at what happened, the father was the sole winner of the jackpot. He chose to take the lump sum of $221 million, which after taxes equaled out to $152 million.
Before winning the lottery, the father’s life was that of a routine hard worker. Up until last year he would wake up every morning at 5 a.m. to open the bodega he owned, where he worked until 11 p.m. Last year his son had taken over the operations of the family business. However, with his new found fortune the father said his son will no longer have to work at the store.
After winning the lottery, authorities reported the father owed $29,000 in child support dating back to 2009. The warrant against him was stayed so he could appear in court to pay up what was owed.
In looking at this story, while this is certainly a happy ending for this father, those in Illinois who are behind on child support should be realistic when it comes to how they plan to pay back what is owed. While winning the lottery would surely be nice, relying on this is certainly not a viable option.
Rather, in these situations, it is best to talk with an attorney in order to figure out what the best course of action is to take.
Source: ABC News, “Powerball Winner Pedro Quezada Settles $29,000 Child Support Debt,” Alyssa Newcomb, April 2, 2013
