Advice Needed On Sate Pay Refund To DCP

[MsMe]

Leaving out identifing details...I care for a family that uses daycare assistance than went to private pay and is back to assistance..

The only time I get paid on time is from the State. The two times she has been on her own I have to chase payements. UGH. When she applies for State I know she will get approved and I wait for the payment rather than have her pay and give her money back. Our state is good about backdating payments and I knew there would be very little to no time not covered. I got the letter today and the payments will over lap just by three days (she is part time so just two days of actual care) State payment back dated to a Tues and she is paid through that Friday.

The VERY day she knows she is approved she is back to her old tricks....Junk food coming the morning, asking for extra, and late pick ups.

....Now to the part where I need advice....

She asked me (in text message) if she will be getting a refund!!!! I have recieved NO payment for her kids for a MONTH. I agreed to this, yes, but did it to HELP her. She has also been late a few times this month and I have not charged her a late fee (most always it is bc of her job, less than 10 minutes, and I understand so not a huge deal but still something I could charge her for) between late payemnt fees and late pick up fees I could have charges I am WAY over the $60 in over lap. I would prefer just to submit state payment starting the next full week after.

Do you think I should susmit payment for that week and refund her $60? OR Submit payments starting the next week and no refund?

[Blackcat31]

Since the refund issue was not discussed prior to her getting approved or applying I would NOT refund anything to her.

As a matter of fact I would reply to her that the money the state is back paying will not cover her late fees so she still owes an additional balance.

I would text something like this back to her:

"Oh, thanks for reminding me to balance out your account. The money the state back pays me will be just short of what you currently owe for late fees. You will actually owe me money after the state pays. I will total up the amount and have your bill ready for yo at pick up time. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. "

But that's just me.



Either way NO WAY should you refund anything to her after the extra you have already done. Also, like I said this wasn't something that was discussed or agreed to prior to any of this so tough cookies for her.

[Heidi]

I think you should submit state payment for that week and tell her you will apply the $60 to FUTURE payments. Late fees, copays, whatever. From now on, you need all co-pays IN ADVANCE. If she loses state funding, she needs to pay your tuition IN ADVANCE.

My state funded families pay their co-pays in advance. If we don't know what that's going to be, they pay a whole week's tuition in advance, and I apply that to co-pays for as long as it lasts.

There's a lot of things I'll be soft about (I don't think I've ever charged a late fee), but I will not let someone steal from me, which is essentially what they would be doing if they used daycare and then didn't pay.

[DaisyMamma]

I agree with Blackcat, but take out the sentence of "you will actually owe me money after the state pays"

[jojosmommy]

I would just say that since she has already paid through xx date you will begin billing the state starting the monday after. Technically youve already been paid through fri so it wouldnt be fair to bill back dates youve already been paid. Imo.

[Crazy8]

I agree with BlackCat... If you don't already keep full track of her fees including late fees, etc. (even if she never pays them) I would start doing so immediately - sounds like she technically owes you a lot more than that $60 - even if you aren't set on collecting at least present it to her so she knows she isn't due anything.

[Crystal]

If the State is willing to back pay to the days she has already paid for, I would claim it and offer her a refund of whatever is due to her, less the late fees that she owes you. I would be sure to give a written invoice with the detailed information about the state back pay, the amount she paid and is being refunded for, the late fees she owes and the amount refunded to her.

As much as you may want to do it differently, if she applied for aid prior to the date that she paid for care for and is recieving back pay for, legally it is her money and you have no legal right to not claim it through the State or refund her fees. If you do, it could become a hassle because she can show her worker a reciept for fees paid to you while she was awaiting a response from the State....that could leave you in hot water for not reporting it to the state that she had paid those fees.