Georgia won't collect interest due from deadbeat parents

ATLANTA - The state agency responsible for collecting late child support payments from deadbeat parents refuses to charge interest -- despite a state law requiring it. <br> <br> State officials say they are doing everything they can to collect child support payments, but say interest isn&#39;t added to late payments because it would discourage people from settling their debts. <br> <br> Also, Robert Swain -- the agency&#39;s deputy director -- says the state&#39;s computers can&#39;t calculate interest on the agency&#39;s more than five hundred thousand cases. <br> <br> Critics of Georgia&#39;s Office of Child Support Enforcement say the agency should collect interest at a rate of 12 percent a year on delinquent payments. <br> <br> Georgia is one of 21 states that reported to the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement that they do not collect interest.