What will happen if divorcing parents fail to make court-ordered payments for child support to make them promptly? They may face severe consequences for this act.
Child support payments are one of the challenging aspects of the divorce process, and the parents may face penalties if they can not make court-ordered payments on time. Therefore, it is important to contact a Lehi family law attorney who will explain the problems linked with missing child support payments.
Penalties for missing child support payments
Some of the standard penalties for non-payment of child support payment include:
- Issuing of an arrest warrant, which can be civil or criminal
- Fines or jail
- Denying tax refunds
- Retraction of passport
- Excluding receipt from certain government benefits
- Denial of licenses such as–driver’s, boating, fishing, etc.
Laws vary in every state.
Enforcement of penalties and the state laws vary in child support, but the only constant thing is that the states are ready to impose court-ordered child support. According to DPPA, i.e., the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act states that parents can be bought up on federal charges if they try to avoid child support payments. A penalty will be mandatory if the child support is unpaid and can be imprisonment for upto three years in some cases.
Keep in mind that the penalties for not paying the child support by military members will differ, and it can even dismiss them from service depending on the circumstances.
Be forward in seeking help.
Because the penalties are potentially harsh, those who have difficulty making payments are directed to do whatever to make the payment on time.
If the full payment seems impossible due to financial difficulties, contacting a local enforcement agency and explaining your situation may convince them to set up a payment plan which will be temporary that will keep the support-committed parent from diving down.
It is also possible that the court can revise the orders. For that, the requesting parent has to prove a change in circumstances like an increase or decrease in a paycheck or other economic hardship, medical emergencies, changes in custodial schedule, or modifications in the child’s needs.
Visitation rights are different and separated from child support obligations. The parent who cannot pay the child support may still exercise the court visitation rights, but the custodial parent can not control access. In fact, if the custodial parent does not allow the nonpaying parent to exercise visitation rights may cause the court to look differently at the custodial parent.