Missed child support payments can be overwhelming for custodial parents. Perhaps you are enduring this and want to know if anything will be done about the missed payments. You may even wonder if the non-custodial parent will get off scot-free. The following are a few points you need to know about child support and some things that can happen.
Discussion
If the other parent has only missed one or a few payments and you all are cordial with each other, it may be worth your time to reach out to them to see when you can expect a payment. It may be a situation you are unaware of that is causing the delay. For example, they might have lost their job and are waiting for their unemployment benefits to start. If unemployment compensation or worker's compensation due to injury are expected at some point, the funds will likely be intercepted to satisfy the past due child support. It is a matter of being patient. If the conversation does not go amicably or if you are not on speaking terms, you may need to consider whether you will need to petition the family court.
Interceptions
Sometimes non-custodial parents go months or even years without making child support payments. Child support orders are legally binding orders. This means that the money is still legally owed even if the parent has avoided responsibility. There are a number of ways that their finances can be intercepted. Tax refunds can be intercepted by the state and sent to the custodial parent. If the noncustodial parent has a significant amount of money awarded to them such as money from a lottery win, it can also be intercepted. In some states, bank levies can be placed on accounts. This means that if they have money in the bank, it can be seized and collected for unpaid child support. One major interception or loss that could occur is that the non-custodial parent could lose their driving privileges if they fall behind on their child support payments.
A child support lawyer is a good resource to use if you are owed child support. If your child support order involves the non-custodial parent making payments directly to you, a lawyer will know how to petition the courts on your behalf. Perhaps there is not a legal order and the non-custodial parent had been cooperative and on-time with promised payments until recently. A lawyer can help you navigate the legal process to get a legally binding order. Contact a firm like Cotto Law Firm P.C. to learn more.
Share10 March 2017
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