What Happens When Payments Aren’t Made?

If you’re a parent who is responsible for paying child support, you might be wondering what will happen if your payments aren’t made. The answer to this question varies from state to state, but in Florida, parents face serious penalties for failure to make child support payments.

In some cases, you can file a motion with the court asking for civil contempt. This action can result in fines or even jail time if you haven’t paid child support.

You may be able to convince a judge to change the support order. This is possible if you show that there have been changes in your income or expenses. For example, if you’ve lost your job and are now unable to afford to pay your child support, the court may decide to lower your payments.

Changing your child support order is a complicated process, and you should seek the assistance of an experienced Miami family and divorce attorney. You can also try to negotiate with the other parent and come up with a reasonable payment plan.

The best way to avoid a problem with your payments is to keep in touch with the Miami Child Support Enforcement. You can reach them by calling their toll-free number or using their online resources.

When a support order is issued, it should specify a deadline for the payment. It should also indicate when the support ends. If there are several children, the end date should be different for each child.

If a parent misses child support payments, the agency will send a notice of payment delinquency to the non-payer. This notice will list the dates when payments are due and tell the non-payer how much they owe in back support. If a parent is late for more than two months, the agency will start reporting their delinquency to credit bureaus.

Once your name has been submitted to the credit bureaus, it will be very difficult for you to obtain loans or other forms of credit. This can lead to a lowered credit score and increased debt.

Seizure of assets is another way that the courts enforce child support orders. If a parent fails to make payments, the Child Support Office can seize their bank accounts or any assets they own.

Your tax refund is often seized, too. If you owe more than $500 in past-due child support, the agency will place a hold on your federal and state tax refunds until your account is paid.

When you owe more than $1000 in past-due child support, your name may be placed on the national “Blacklist,” a list of high-risk individuals who can be denied credit or services. This can cause you to have trouble obtaining employment or a mortgage loan.

If your child support order requires you to pay through a third party, you can ask the court to send the money to a collection agency instead of directly to the other parent. This can simplify the process and make it easier to get your money back.