If you’re entitled child support payments from your ex, you rely on the timely payment of that support to take care of your child. That’s the reason why the judge granted you child support to begin with. Taking care of a child is quite expensive and both parents need to help. It is your ex’s responsibility as much as it is yours, even though the child lives with you and you’re doing most of the work. But what happens when they stop paying? It can lead you into a very difficult situation that can leave you wondering what to do next. That’s why you need the toughest Family law attorney Scottsdale AZ has to offer.
Child Support In Arizona
The State of Arizona, as do most states, has a specific way in which parents who owe child support should pay. In this case, the parent will pay through the Support Payment Clearinghouse that is operated by the Arizona Department of Economic Security. They keep track of all the official records that determine when said parent paid or didn’t pay in a timely manner. Because many parents can’t be relied upon to pay child support on their own, it’s often the case that it gets automatically deducted from their paycheck.
This is called wage garnishment. Once the money is taken from the parent’s paycheck, it is deposited into the clearinghouse and the record is made that the payment was made. It is then sent to the recipient’s bank account or whatever method they chose to receive the child support payments. If a parent doesn’t have a job, they are still held responsible for making payments through the clearinghouse directly and on time.
What Happens When Payments are Stopped?
If your ex has stopped paying child support on his or her own, then you have the right to petition to have it garnished from their wages. This ensures that the money is automatically deducted and put into your account. But what can happen if the parent loses their job and/or had a cut in pay? Sometimes, tough circumstances do happen that prevent a parent from paying child support. This doesn’t actually stop the payments from being due.
Instead, the parent can petition the court to have the payments reduced temporarily until they get back on their feet. Still, no parent can miss or skip any payments without consulting the court first. It is fully up to the court to decide whether present circumstances can halt or lower your payments for the time being. In fact, the judge might grant you a period of time before payments are set to restart.
If you’re the parent that is due to child support payments, you may find yourself in a difficult situation. You have options at your disposal to get your ex to pay up. With the help of a family law attorney, you can take your ex to court and have them found in contempt for failure to pay. Your family court attorney can also ask for other resolutions to the problem, such as putting a lien on their property, assets, and even their tax return. A threat of sending them to jail might also be issued as well, which is fully under the power of the court.
Even if these resolutions aren’t good enough and the parent still hasn’t complied, totaling more than a year and/or owing more than $5,000, they can be reported to the Arizona Department of Economic Security. They have a program called the Child Support Evaders Program on the website that shows their picture and shames them for their neglect. There’s also a number people can call to report in if they know the whereabouts of the delinquent parent.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t take it lightly! You need the money to help take care of your child. Contact Tiffany Fina Law Firm today by visiting http://34.220.85.180.
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