Divorce and the penalties for missing child support

When you approach the divorce process as a parent, you need to think about various issues involving your children. However, if you expect to owe child support, it is especially important to go over your rights, responsibilities and options. For example, if you fail to pay child support on time, you could face harsh penalties that disrupt your life.

You also should go over different ways that parents pay child support. Many pay through income withholding orders, but if you are self-employed or do not have a job you might have to find a different method to pay support (such as paying online with your credit card).

What could happen if you fall behind on child support?

According to the Florida Department of Revenue, if you fail to pay child support you could face various penalties. For example, the state could suspend your driver’s license, place a lien on your vehicle or intercept your tax refund. Additionally, they could report what you owe to credit bureaus and take you to court, which could lead to very serious contempt charges.

How can you address child support payment challenges?

If you owe child support, you could struggle to stay current for many reasons, from losing your job to facing a medical crisis. Sometimes, parents can avoid these penalties by making payment arrangements with the state. In addition, you could have the ability to avoid becoming delinquent by modifying your child support order. Make sure you do everything you can to avoid falling behind on child support and the harsh penalties that could follow.