Obtaining a child support order can often be time consuming and costly. When a child support order is eventually put in place, it is often a relief to the parent ordered to receive such payment. Therefore, it can be extremely frustrating when a parent is due child support payment and that payment does not arrive on time or does not arrive at all. This is money that was ordered by the court to be paid to you in a certain amount and under a specific time frame, all listed on the order. But most importantly, it is money that is meant to be used towards the care, health, education, and well-being of your child. Thankfully, the law does provide for options in order to receive the child support that you are due.
Child support payment is considered delinquent if it is not received within 31 days following when the payment is due. If a non-custodial parent does not pay child support, he or she is subject to enforcement measures in accordance with Federal and Georgia child support law to collect the regular child support payments as well as any past due payments. The Georgia Department of Human Resources is the state-run child support enforcement office for child support. These services are required by federal law and are funded by the federal government as well as the State of Georgia. Enforcement procedures include:
- Withholding child support form paychecks, unemployment or worker’s compensation benefits;
- Intercepts of federal and/or state income tax refunds
- Reporting to credit bureaus;
- Suspension or revocation of driver’s, professional or occupational licenses;
- Intercepting lottery winnings of more than $5,000;
- Filing contempt of court actions, which may result in a jail sentence;
- Filing liens to seize matched bank accounts, lump sum worker’s compensation settlements and real or personal property;
- Denial, suspension or revocation of U.S. passport; and
- Possible placement on Georgia’s Most Wanted Child Support Evaders List.