How Court Orders Can Help You Collect Child Support

If you are owed child support and the payor fails to keep up with his or her obligations, it can have a hugely negative impact on you and your family. All parents have a legal responsibility to provide financially for their kids. Failing to do so is an abdication of that responsibility — and it could leave your children without the resources they need.

If you are dealing with a parent who is delinquent with child support parents and have already gone through the process to have that person held in contempt of court, the judge may issue a court order offering several remedies to help you collect the money owed to you. The court order can do any of the following:

• Create a payment plan the other parent will be required to follow
  

• Begin garnishing the delinquent parent’s wages
  

• Intercept tax refunds if the parent owes more than $500
  

• Intercept lottery winnings of more than $600
  

• Place liens on vehicles or personal property or force their sale
  

• Intercept worker’s compensation that would be collected by the delinquent parent
  

• Claim and sell any of the delinquent parent’s unclaimed or abandoned property

In addition, Florida Child Support Enforcement (CSE) can provide additional assistance to enforce child support orders, using services such as:

• Revocation of driving privileges: In some circumstances, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) will suspend the driver license of a delinquent parent until he or she meets all support obligations or establishes a payment plan.
  

• Suspension of professional licenses and certificates: The state of Florida may suspend professional, recreational or occupational licenses until the delinquent parent pays overdue support or establishes a payment plan.
  

• Financial Institution Date Match program: CSE browses all financial records in Florida to determine if the delinquent parent has any money that could be used to pay child support.

These are all options to help you get the money that is rightfully yours after your divorce. However, it may take some legal maneuvering and pressure to get these court orders and have them sufficiently enforced.

For assistance in enforcing your child support order, speak with a dedicated Florida family law attorney at Oberliesen & Henderson. Contact the firm online or call our Shalimar office at(850) 863-0494 to get started.