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Help Collecting Child Support
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Overview
In an ideal situation when a child is born, the child enters the world with parents who both share everything from financials to ideas on how to raise the child. Under some circumstances, however, the child's world becomes a little more complicated--especially if the parents do not live together and one parent holds a financial responsibility to the other parent and child. Sometimes, a parent may find himself seeking help collecting child support.
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What Is Child Support?
Child support is a financial obligation that one parent has to the other to help support the child. In most circumstances, one parent will hold the responsibility of the child living with that parent on a daily basis, while the other parent pays a certain amount of money that goes toward raising the child. The amount of money that is paid to the parent primarily responsible for the child can be determined outside of court; however, in more difficult situations, support can be determined by a judge. Most states have their own standards when it comes to child support. For example, in the state of New York, child support is determined by percentages of the combined parental income. These percentages range from 17 percent for one child to more than 35 percent for more than five children.
Failure to pay child support can also come with high penalties. Punishment for not paying child support usually also depends on the state. In some states such as Florida, an individual who fails to pay child support can lose her driver's license. Other states, such as Texas, enforce jail time for failing to pay child support. Delinquent child support accounts also appear on an individual's credit report.
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What to Do to Collect Child Support
In a situation where one party is not cooperating, certain steps can be taken. One approach is to file a wage assignment order. Once this is filed, a court orders the employer of the other parent to have a percentage of her paycheck deducted to meet the criteria of what is owed to the child.
An enforcement action is what is owed by an obligor that has not been paid. It is often set by a judgment and depending on the state; there is often an accrued interest on finances that are owed in back child support.
An attachment or levy can also be applied by a judge when child support is failed to be paid by a parent. This is decided by a judge based on the obligor's assets such as bank accounts, trust funds, property and interest gained from property. This process can be tedious as some states exempt some properties. Although levies and attachments can often be challenged by the obligor, many have found it an effective method in receiving child support or at least the value of what is owed.
If someone is finding it difficult to receive the proper amount of what is owed for supporting a child, help is easily attainable through a local social- or family-services agency.
