Raising a child is incredibly expensive, and both parents should play an active role in their child’s support. Fulfilling your parental responsibilities involves not only spending time with your child but also providing for their practical and financial needs.
Even if you work a good job or are very frugal, you probably still need help giving your child every opportunity in life. Thankfully, both divorced parents and unmarried parents have the right to request child support when they have primary custody of a child in California.
When there is a court order instructing the other parent to pay a certain amount of support, that parent has an obligation to pay support in full and in a timely manner. When the parent paying support falls behind, the custodial parent — and the child — could experience financial hardship. How do you enforce a child support order in California?
The state can enforce support orders in order several ways
As the parent receiving child support, you will need to make a claim about unpaid support. You will need to advise the local child support agency about the deficiency to request enforcement action. If your ex still refuses to pay, the state can take certain aggressive actions to compel them to comply.
California could intercept their tax refund or any lottery winnings. The state could revoke or suspend their driver’s license, professional license or passport. Sometimes, unpaid child support can even result in a lien against someone’s bank account or personal property. These steps could motivate someone to finally catch up on their past-due child support balance.
Navigating a contentious child support issue often requires patience and an understanding of California law, but it can help you provide your child with a better standard of living.