Often we hear about professional athletes and other celebrities who have been taken to family court by the mothers of their children. The issue is usually nonpayment of child support, a problem for thousands of Texas families. Many of these celebrity dads are accused of failing to support their children, despite their high salaries.
NBA star Chris Bosh received a favorable ruling recently in his child support case. Bosh, a Texas native, has been at odds with the mother of his 3-year-old daughter for the past few years. She’s claimed that Bosh is trying to avoid paying more in child support by claiming residency in Texas while living in another state.
Bosh and the mother of his child lived together for two years while he was with the Toronto Raptors. During that time the couple had a child with the help of fertility treatments, but they broke up while the mother was six months pregnant. After she lost her job, she took Bosh to court and demanded that he pay more than the required $2,600 per month in child support — a lot more. Since Bosh began earning an $18 million salary playing for the Miami Heat, his daughter’s mother said Bosh should be paying $30,000 per month.
But an Orlando judge rejected the claim that Bosh was trying to avoid paying that figure by claiming residency in Texas. Even though he has a Miami Beach home and isn’t listed on Texas voting lists, his taxes were filed in Texas, the judge said.
But Bosh also claims to go above and beyond his legal child support obligations. He says that he paid the child’s mother $250,000 in 2010 to support their daughter, and that he pays for her medical insurance and preschool expenses. He also set up a college fund for the toddler.
Regardless of what state in which Bosh spends most of his time, it seems clear that he’s invested in his daughter and has kept up with his financial obligations.
Child support disputes like this one affect Texas parents on a regular basis, and they can be financially and emotionally exhausting — especially if you don’t earn the salary that a professional athlete does. A family law attorney who has experience in these disputes can help parents through the process, alleviate much of the stress involved and make sure they get fair treatment in court.
Source: News One, “NBA’s Chris Bosh Wins BIG Against Baby Mama,” Ruth Manuel-Logan, Dec. 6, 2012