Over the years, laws have been put into place to ensure non-custodial parents are held accountable for paying child support. When a parent refuses to pay, the court system can get involved and require them to pay via garnishment and property seizure. It is imperative individuals are aware of child support law so they are aware of their rights and responsibilities whether they are a custodial or non-custodial parent.
What Should Be Known About the Law?
Seeking child support is a fairly straightforward process. Each state’s child support law is handled on the state level. Non-custodial parents must pay child support until the child reaches the age of eighteen. Due to changes in location, child support cases can become multi-jurisdictional. Parents need to realize their duty to pay child support is not contingent on any other right they may hold as a parent. For example, parents may not be allowed to see their child whenever they want, but they must still make their child support payments.
The parent who is entitled to receive child support for their child simply needs to file a petition through the court. A family law judge will take over the case and will decree the child support order. Each state has its own methods for deciding the amount of child support that will be ordered for the non-custodial parent. When a child support order is put into place, it must be followed in its entirety. If the payments are not made on time, the non-custodial parent could face serious penalties.
Penalties for Non-Payment
When a non-custodial parent refuses to pay their court-ordered child support, they can have their wages garnished. A child support order is like any civil order and it can be collected in the same way. The following are some of the penalties a non-custodial parent could face if they refuse to adhere to the order and provide financially for their child.
- Seizure of bank accounts
- Seizure of personal property
- Lien placement on personal property
- Collection from tax refunds
- Seizure of passport
- Possible jail time
If you are dealing with a non-custodial parent who will not pay child support, contact the law office of. to schedule a consultation. You can also follow them on Twitter for latest news and update!
