Government & Law

When does child support payment start?

After spending some time deliberating, the final option may be getting a divorce. The first step you need to take is getting an attorney to assist you in the process. In the scenario that your divorce matter goes to court, the judge hears your case and grants you a divorce. After completing the process, you may discover that you are some months behind on the child support payment. According to the law, child support payment is effective immediately after applying for a divorce. To determine if there is any child support owed, the judge looks into any support payment that has been made before the divorce.

What does it mean to have child support payment arrears?

If you are deemed to have child support payment arrears, it simply means that you are lagging. The regular payments could be behind in terms of monthly or periodic payments. Lagging in the child support obligations may result in problems for the parties involved. It affects the custodial parent for beginners, as you may not fully cater to the child’s monetary requirements. Having child support arrears may cause dire consequences for the non-custodial parent too.

What are the consequences of having child support arrears?

Some parents accumulate arrears due to uncontrollable reasons: suffering from an illness or losing a job, among other valid reasons. In such scenarios, you need to remain in communication with the legal professional handling your case. Ensure you alert the lawyer about the condition.

 It is advisable to consider mailing some form of payment every month or periodically: this indicates that you have good faith and shows that you are not attempting to neglect your parental duties. In the long run, such actions may assist you significantly in the scenario that you are sued for contempt. Some judges and workers may consider your status for attempting to do what is right. This may help you get child support arrears dismissed.

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Some consequences of having child support arrears include:

  • You risk being charged with contempt of the order behind the child support payment
  • You can be considered a deadbeat parent
  • You can get a fine or penalty
  • You risk a jail sentence

In some cases, you may have the documents below suspended:

  1. Driver’s license
  2. Fishing license
  3. Hunting license

How do you deal with child support arrears?

In most regions, failure to meet your child support payment obligation is against the law. There should be a valid reason behind lagging in making the payments. Once you fail to make the payments over a certain period, you receive a warning against the nonpayment. The notice allows you to make payments within a set period or risk the consequences in the case that you fail to comply.

 If one of the parents or caregivers is the custodian of a child or children, the other parent pays for financial compensation to help with the expenses of the child or children. Monetary assistance is crucial for the well-being of a child. Failure to get the money may result in significant hardships for the caregiver and the child as well. Recovering child support payments is lengthy and complicated: it entails keeping records and legal filing. A child support attorney will come in handy for you: the lawyer makes the process quicker. The attorney also increases the success rate of the legal process.

An experienced child support lawyer assesses the issues to determine the best approach. The child support attorney advises the client on the expected results on the child support issue on payment arrears’. In the scenario that the parent feels that the amount was set too high, it is the attorney’s duty to file a legal claim in the court that ruled on the child support.

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