For millions of Americans, worrying about child support payments isn’t an issue. The payer pays on time and without any real need for the state or law enforcement to get involved. However, there are also many cases, some egregious, where child support that is mandated by the court, is not paid. This is a battle many parents face, one that could last years, and actually be costly to the parent looking to collect support. But maybe you’re wondering – what legal recourse do I have to collect child support in California? There are several:
- Wage assignment – In most states like California, a wage assignment lets an employer know how much money should be taken out of a paycheck each month, and to where the payment should be sent. This is perhaps the easiest way to get payments made on time, and most child support is paid this way providing that the payer is employed and paid regularly. If, for example, the payer has other support assignments, child support will precede them. So if they also owe spousal support, child support will come first. Most federal and state laws (California, Florida, etc), require this type of payment in most child support cases. If a Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) is involved, then it will automatically begin collecting from the payer’s employer.
- Collections – If you need to go into collections or enforcement, the LCSA is also helpful. Under the disposal of the LCSA, they have recourse to freeze bank accounts, suspend a driver’s license, take tax return income, or more. Additionally, they can file papers and legal documents on behalf of the payee to continue collecting should the payer move.
- Locate someone who is missing in the database – It also happens that some payers do not report (intentionally or otherwise) their move to a new state, location, or country. In these cases, the LCSA can help as well. In California, there is a California New Employee Registry. If the payer moves to California, then they can be located through the California registry. But the federal government also has a Federal Parent Locator Service, which ensures that employers anywhere in the nation report new employees. Should the local registry fail, this is a good bet if they were hired legally.
These are just some of the ways in which you can enforce child support payment laws. We understand that in many cases, it sounds easier than it is. That’s why in created SupportPay – an easy to use system that lets you track and manage payments on your own. Once you start using it, it’s not only simple to use, but the payer can keep track of and automate payments simply by using the tool. And users also find that it’s also a quick way to communicate with the other parent. Whether in California or Florida, SupportPay makes it easy to track and manage child support payments.