Tips for solving child support issues

Tips for solving child support issues

Most child support issues in divorce cases happen after one parent is awarded sole custody of a child, and the other parent is ordered to pay support. The usual problem in such cases is child support enforcement. Some parents in Chicago simply do not pay child support, thus depriving the custodial parent of the means to meet their children’s needs. This often creates a daunting problem for custodial parent who must juggle household finances to make ends meet.

Sometimes, the custodial parent decides to disallow any visits by the parent who is supposed to pay support. This is almost always a bad move, because it can keep the noncustodial parent even farther away from the kids. If this happens, over time, the paying parent might no longer provide any support for the couple’s children. In general, children are more emotionally healthy with both parents in their lives. Furthermore, either parent can get into legal trouble by refusing to pay support or by denying the noncustodial parent’s visitation rights.

If the noncustodial parent is truly incapable of paying the support, then the custodial parent can ask him or her to at least pay a portion of it. The communication between two parents should remain intact during the process to show the noncustodial parent that their child or children benefits from the support.

If possible, a custodial parent may want to try not to include child support in the monthly household budget, although it often strains the budget. Remember: A child support payment could stop at any time if the supporting party loses a job or has a financial crisis due to an unforeseen event, such as an illness.

In addition, a parent can always seek legal help. A legal professional can suggest ways to settle the case through modification of child support or by asking for wage garnishment.

Source: Money.usnews.com, “What to do when your ex won’t (or can’t) pay child support,” Geoff Williams, Nov. 20, 2013