Getting a divorce or separating from your partner can be difficult as it is. You may be dealing with the emotions that go with it and trying to figure out how to make this work for your kids. While you may be putting on a brave face for your kids, it may be hard to keep everything together when you are alone, especially if you are worried about finances. Many parents who are court-ordered to pay child support think this is more of a suggestion. After all, what are you going to do if they don’t choose to pay it?
Is there anything to do about your child’s other parent not paying child support?
Absolutely. There is nothing wrong with fighting to get the child support you were promised and it is important to remember that it is not contentious to fight for it, either. If your ex-spouse is not paying their child support like they were supposed to, one of the first things that will happen is they will get a notice. This notice will essentially ask them to go to court and explain what is going on. Did they get a pay decrease? Did they lose their job? A court will likely order your ex-spouse to pay the arrears, whether in full or in installments. If your ex-spouse cannot pay this and has a significant amount of child support owed, the court may do several things. They could:
- Garnish their wages
- Garnish their tax refund
- Lose their driver’s license
- Go to jail
When you are taking care of your children and not receiving the child support you need, it is helpful to work with a lawyer you can trust, like a family lawyer from a law firm like The McKinney Law Group.
No matter what your ex says, you have the right to get child support. Many parents who are required to pay child support think that they can bully their ex-spouse into letting it go or only paying when they want to. However, not paying child support is a crime and your ex-spouse will be better off paying what the court ordered and paying it on time.
My ex moved and I don’t know where they live. What can I do?
This is common and is one of the reasons that many people do not get the child support they are owed. When you hire a lawyer, you can work with them to get a private investigator who can find your ex-spouse and determine what their new address is. All 50 states enforce the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act. This means that even when your ex-spouse goes across state lines, child support is still enforced. The court can even enforce wage garnishment if your ex has moved to another state.
Get the Legal Help You Need For Missed Child Support Payments
When you need help with a child support order and getting the finances owed to you, reach out to a lawyer you can rely on now.