Failing To Pay Child Support In New Jersey

As a parent who has gone through a divorce, you may rely on child support payments to help raise your child. Even if you are not reliant on them, they are court-ordered payments that have to be made. Some spouses neglect their responsibilities deliberately, and others either lose a job, become seriously ill, or have other financial emergencies that render them unable to pay. Despite the reason for the late payments, the consequences for failing to pay them are severe. 

Parents who can no longer afford to pay the ordered child support because of a sudden change of circumstance need to contact a family law attorney. Their attorney can get a post-judgment modification, but until that happens, the parent is still under their original obligation. An inability to pay—however justifiable—doesn’t offer an immediate reprieve from payment obligations. 

Enforcement Hearings

When you don’t receive your child support payments. In all likelihood, there will be an enforcement hearing scheduled. Previously, we mentioned that you might be unable to pay child support due to a significant change in circumstances, don’t rely on an enforcement hearing to get a modification. That is not the purpose of one. The longer you wait, the more your credit score could be harmed, and you will likely not be able to buy or sell property. 

The courts have several ways of forcing your spouse to pay directly or indirectly. Here are some of the actions they can take: 

  • Have child support taken directly from their paychecks and given to you
  • Seize money from their bank accounts
  • Place a lien on their house to prevent them from being able to sell it
  • Suspend their driver’s license and other professional licenses they need to work
  • Garnish their tax return 

The person who pays child support is referred to as the obligor, and the parent who receives it is called the obligee. The obligor must attend the enforcement hearing, and if they do not, the judge could issue a warrant for their arrest. 

Protect You & Your Children by Contacting a Family Law Attorney

We understand how delicate these family law issues are, and we want to be your catalyst for resolution. Our firm works tirelessly to help people going through a divorce, needing help obtaining child support, or are in the middle of a child custody dispute. We support you whether we are in or out of the courtroom. For more information about how we can assist you with your family law case, contact Csépes Law Offices to schedule your consultation.

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