If your former spouse is no longer paying child support, this is likely putting a strain on your finances, making it difficult to provide for your children. Family courts treat this issue with great severity, so it is crucial to take swift legal action and ensure this matter is quickly addressed and rectified. Continue reading to learn more about what you can do to enforce your child support order.
How to Enforce Your Child Support Order
There are many ways in which a delinquent parent may be penalized and forced to pay child support. Depending on the circumstances, such as the amount involved, the court may use more severe enforcement tools.
Below are some of the consequences your co-parent may face for failing to pay child support:
- Income withholding is a common enforcement tool. Essentially, the child support funds your ex owes will be given directly to you, preventing the possibility of any further delinquency.
- If your former spouse is expecting to receive a large tax refund, the state can intercept it, and provide it to you, covering any missed child support payments.
- A delinquent parent’s license may also be revoked and, additionally, the passport of that parent may not be renewed.
- In some cases, a custodial parent may seek a contempt of court order, resulting in jail time or a fine for the delinquent parent.
There are some circumstances in which the U.S. Office of the Inspector General may intervene in child support cases if the delinquent parent lives in another state and one or more of the following applies:
- The delinquent parent refused to pay for over 12 months
- The delinquent parent owes more than $5,000
- The delinquent parent traveled to another state or country to evade child support obligations
Schedule a Case Review with an Experienced Member of Our Legal Team Today!
If your co-parent stopped paying child support, do not hesitate to take legal action and enforce the court order. At Winner Law Group, LLC, our skilled family law team is committed to providing knowledgeable and compassionate legal support for every client we serve. You can trust that our attorneys will help you overcome the legal obstacles you may face, so you can secure the best possible results for your situation.
Reach out to our legal team today at (502) 812-1889 to set up an initial case review with one of our family law attorneys to learn more about your legal options and how we can assist you.
