When a couple divorces, it is a tumultuous and emotional time in their life. When a couple has children, the divorce process becomes much more difficult, more emotional, and more difficult to resolve. child support lawyers temecula ca represent the interests of children in this type of litigation.
Court orders for your child’s payment are usually very straightforward. The non-custodial parent generally must pay a certain monthly amount to the custodial parent or they will face legal consequences. Unfortunately, some parents generally do not follow these commands or ignore them completely. If he does not regularly receive the money that is owed to him each month, here are three ways that a child support attorney can help him get it back.
1. Automatic income withholding
In many states, court orders regarding custody of minor children are filed directly with the local law enforcement agency and then automatically paid by withholding of income from the non-custodial parent’s employer. If you do not receive payments from the other parent, child support lawyers in Houston TX can help you register her request with the agency, which can help alleviate much of the hassle of collection.
Additionally, the local agency can also be used to collect any late payments by forcing the payment of current and past due amounts. It is important to note that a judge can potentially reduce compensation payments so that the non-custodial parent does not face a huge financial burden, but an experienced child support attorney can help you get up to 50% of a parent’s salary.
2. Withholding of state and federal tax refunds
The IRS can also be an asset to your case if you do not receive the money ordered by the court. An child support attorney can help you intercept a non-custodial parent’s income tax refund after the balance reaches a certain amount or more. Again, it is imperative that your court order be filed with the local law enforcement agency so that the agency can begin the process of notifying the other parent and allowing you to pay the balance for it. If the parent still does not pay, the agency and their attorney can notify the IRS and automatically deduct the amount owed from the tax refund.
3. Use of alternative collection methods
Parents who refuse to pay or ignore court orders face serious consequences. Your local law enforcement agency has several alternative ways to enforce any overdue monies. If income withholding or tax refund is unsuccessful, a withholding may be placed on the offending parent’s personal property. This lien will prevent parents from selling property, such as a car or house, unless they pay what they owe first. Another method that an attorney may recommend is to revoke the parent’s driver’s license until they pay. In some cases, the local agency may even block the parents’ personal bank account and force payment to be made before the block is lifted.
Dealing with financial and legal problems related to supporting your children can be difficult and confusing. There are legal actions you can take when the parent who is supposed to give you financial assistance does not pay. An experienced child support attorney can be of great help in overcoming the confusion and trying to collect a debt.
