“I Can Do Nothing About It”: Pennsylvania Makes Parents Use a Third-Party App for Child Support — a Mom Says a Holiday Delay Cost Her Hundreds in Late Fees

A Pennsylvania mother's video criticizing the state's use of third-party child support payment apps sparked widespread debate online after being shared on X by @MAGA_X_Times. 

@MAGA_X_Times shared the woman’s experience on their verified account. The woman explained that she and her ex-husband have a mutual agreement with child support and custody. 

According to her, there’s no lack of trust for payments since he “willingly pays her for child custody. Speaking of which, she claimed that the State of Pennsylvania “forces” them to use a third-party app for child support payments. 

The app charges $30 a month in fees. Most recently, a holiday caused a delay in the payment reaching her account.

Although her ex-husband made a timely payment of both the app fee and the child support amount, the funds did not appear in her account on the expected date. 

She mentioned that because of the delay, all her payments were getting bounced. As a result, she was charged.

The woman claimed she was charged hundreds of dollars in late fees, which had accumulated in her account because of the lack of the $500 she was supposed to receive. 

The woman also expressed her helplessness, especially since most of her payments were automated. Moreover, the mom lived on the money she got from Social Security, but it’s not enough since the dues keep racking up. 

Lastly, she said that it was ultimately the “disabled mom with no help” who faced the brunt of things. Before concluding her remarks, she said, “I hate this country.”

Shortly after the video was shared, her rant sparked a wild debate about the third-party child support apps like TouchPay. 

Mom’s Heated Rant Sparked a Debate on Third-Party Child Support Apps

The video had garnered more than 84,000 views on @MAGA_X_Times' account as of publication. Many empathized with the frustrated mother and demanded accountability from the State. 

Others commented on the app and accused it of purposely holding onto the $30 fee mentioned by the mother.

One commenter wrote that the company was “probably holding onto the money to gain interest!!!” On that note, a user claimed, “Child support has become a business for the state.”

The same individual added, “They charge interest, they withhold money, it’s literally mob-like tactics. Some criticized the mom, saying, “She obviously doesn’t work and is getting social security plus child support and cries about it.”

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in this video, including the specific fees charged by the third-party app or the details of the payment delay described. The details above reflect the account as shared on X by @MAGA_X_Times.