When Virginia parents have parted ways as a couple and share a child, it is important that child support be paid on time and in full. This is to ensure the child is cared for properly, has a safe place to live and is provided all of life’s necessities. Unfortunately, there are times when a parent has been ordered to pay child support and fails to do so on time and in full. This can cause many challenges in the child’s life and the custodial parent might not know what can be done to get the payments. The commonwealth has certain steps it will take to collect the payments or penalize the delinquent parent to compel them to pay. Understanding this is essential for both sides.
Enforcement actions that may be used with delinquent child support
If it is determined that the supporting parent is behind on the payments, there can be an order to the person’s employer that the wages be withheld so the support payments can be made. A bank account, portfolio or other financial vehicle can have a lien placed on it. Those who own property could have it seized and sold. Federal and state payments that the supporting parent is due to get could be intercepted and sent to the custodial parent to support the child.
Consumer reporting agencies could be informed of the delinquency and it might negatively impact their credit score. A passport can be revoked. For those who are unemployed, their benefits might be withheld. If the supporting parent owes a minimum of $5,000 or are 90 days behind on the payments, the driver’s license or a professional license can be suspended. This can also happen if there is a subpoena, summons or warrant and the person ignores it.
Legal assistance with delinquent child support payments may be key
People may run into financial trouble for various reasons. This is especially prevalent given the ongoing health crisis hindering employment, wages and more. If a person is having trouble making the required child support payments and has a viable reason for it, a modification might be possible. Or there could be an arrangement worked out to avoid these penalties. When a custodial parent is dealing with delinquent child support payments or the paying parent is having issues keeping up with what is owed, it is wise to have legal advice to address this issue. Consulting with a firm that is experienced in child support and other areas of family law may be able to help.
