What Happens if You Stop Receiving Child Support Payments?
At Lebovitz Law LLC, we understand how difficult divorce can be, and the added strain it puts on families. When going through a divorce with children, your first priority will be ensuring that they receive the support they need moving forward. However, you might have concerns about child support payments if the divorce process hasn’t been amicable so far. You need to know you can count on regular payments so that your child has access to proper care, including things like food, clothing, shelter and medical coverage. So, what happens if a non-custodial parent refuses to pay child support?
If you stop receiving child support payments, legal action can and should be taken. After divorce, going through another legal process may seem like an especially arduous task, but it’s important to remember that your children have a right to support. In Maryland, not paying court-ordered child support payments is considered a misdemeanor, which can carry heavy punishments. If the nonpaying parent leaves the state and does not pay child support, they are guilty of a federal crime. The court can potentially adjust the amount due if their financial situation has changed significantly, but they will still be required to submit payments.
Richard Lebovitz and the experienced attorneys at Lebovitz Law, LLC are ready to help you with any legal support you may need in enforcing child support payments.
Possible Legal Actions
The Maryland Child Support Enforcement Administration (CSEA) is responsible for enforcing child support laws. Along with family court judges, CSEA manages payment collection from parents with outstanding child support payments. With the assistance of Lebovitz Law, LLC, these are a few possible actions that could be taken to obtain payment:
- Suspension of the nonpaying parent’s driver’s license if they have not paid in 60 days or more
- Collection of nonpaying parent’s paychecks via automatic wage withholding
- Collection of unemployment and worker’s compensation benefits from nonpaying parent
- Report of outstanding debt to credit bureaus
- Collection of nonpaying parent’s state and federal tax returns
- Denial or restriction of passports if the nonpaying parent has over $2500 in outstanding debt
- Enforcing a lien on property, including land, cars and boats, which means the nonpaying parent will be unable to sell these assets until the amount is paid
Furthermore, a nonpaying parent can be brought to court for contempt, and this means jail time or probation could follow as a consequence. As demonstrated, there are several ways to ensure your children receive the support they deserve. Don’t be intimidated by the legal process; we will work with you to find a solution. These actions are at your disposal, and the attorneys at Lebovitz Law, LLC can help you obtain child support payments as well as drafting an initial child support agreement or altering an existing one. You can trust our experienced attorneys to be with you every step of the way in achieving the proper end result for your family.
Get Help with Child Support Payments from the Attorneys at Lebovitz Law, LLC
Whether you are searching for an experienced lawyer to assist with your divorce, negotiating child support in Maryland or other issues, the attorneys at Lebovitz Law, LLC can help. To learn more about how we can assist you, please contact us today.