When one parent is required by law to pay child support to the other parent, it’s important for all parties involved to be on the same page.
If you are supposed to be receiving child support payments, but the other parent is lagging behind, you need to learn more about how to apply enforcement.
While jail time can be imposed in the most serious of situations, this very rarely comes into play. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that the person will no longer be able to work as a means of earning money. Some of the more common enforcement methods include:
- Wage garnishment
- Withholding federal tax refunds
- Seizing property
- Suspending a business or occupational license
- Revoking the person’s driver’s license
The U.S. Department of State also has the ability to deny the issuance of a passport if a person owes in excess of $2,500 in back child support.
As frustrated as you may be, it’s good to know that there are options if your ex-spouse refuses to pay child support. You never want to go through the hassle of chasing down the money you are owed, but it’s better than letting the person off the hook.
Every month that goes by in which you don’t receive your child support payment is another month that will add frustration to your life.
If you are stuck in this situation, you need to immediately learn more about your legal rights. This will ensure that you have a clear idea of how to enforce the child support order in the months to come.
Source: FindLaw, “Enforcement of Child Support: FAQ’s,” accessed Aug. 03, 2017
