According to a U.S. Census Bureau’s report in 2018, only 43.5% of children who are owed child support payments receive full payments. During difficult financial periods, this number can go even lower. If you are a custodial parent and you have not been receiving the child support that you are owed from the other parent, you will likely be concerned about how you can gain these payments.
Child support can be a sensitive subject. If your child has a good relationship with their other parent, you may be hesitant to rock the boat by bringing up missed child support payments, especially if you are aware that the other parent is currently struggling financially. However, child support payments are calculated based on what the non-custodial parent earns, so you have a right to take action to get the payments that you are owed. The following are some ways in which missed child support payments can be enforced.
Wage garnishment
It’s possible for the government to intercept a person’s wages so that the custodial parent can get the child support that they are owed. Wage garnishment means that child support is taken from the employee’s paycheck before they get paid.
Jail time
If all other initiatives to gain back owed child support have failed, the parent could be imprisoned until they have paid what they owe.
If you are worried about being able to provide for your child because you have not received the child support payments that you are owed, it is important that you take swift action to understand your enforcement options.
