Many married couples with children who divorce in California move forward in life bound to certain stipulations set forth in their divorce decrees. For some, that includes paying or receiving child support. However, not every person ordered to pay or who receives child support has been married and divorced. Either way, if the court orders someone to make payments and it is not being done, it’s a definite problem.
It is not uncommon for custodial parents to rely heavily on child support to help make ends meet as they nurture and provide for their children. Who pays, how much is paid and when payments should be made are all issues the court decides. The bottom line is that, whether or not a parent agrees with the court’s decision, an existing court order must be obeyed by all parties involved. If a child support is unpaid, there are steps a concerned parent can take to rectify the situation.
One of the easiest ways to obtain swift and satisfactory solutions to child support problems is to consult with an experienced family law attorney. A parent who is deliberately not making child support payments that the court has mandated is said to be in arrears, and an experienced attorney knows just what to do to bring such issues to the court’s attention. In some cases, the court will order wage garnishment so monies owed for child support are taken from a parent’s employment earnings.
If a parent who pays child support runs into a problem where making payments is no longer feasible, it is possible to request a modification of an existing court order. However, unless and until the court grants modification, the existing court order remains active and must be adhered. Any California parent in need of assistance to address a child support issue may seek support from a family law attorney.
Source: FindLaw, “Child Support Enforcement“, Accessed on Jan. 11, 2018