Whether you are a custodial parent worried about your ability to raise your child due to missed child support or you are a non-custodial parent responsible for making payments, it is important to take a look at child support and income withholding. According to the Administration for Children and Families, since many parents fail to make payments, Congress decided to implement immediate income withholding for child support orders.
Unfortunately, some parents (such as those who work for cash, switch jobs frequently or are self-employed) work around the system and earn money without paying the child support they owe.
Reviewing income withholding and various sources of income
When child support is withheld from a parent’s income, the funds are taken out of their wages in the same manner as other deductions (such as taxes and union dues). Aside from wages, there are other sources of income that are subject to withholding for parents who owe child support. For example, workers’ compensation, retirement and disability benefits are subject to withholding. Moreover, child support is sometimes withheld from one’s pension. There are exceptions, such as instances when both parents agree to alternative arrangements.
Reviewing other strategies to collect back child support
Aside from income withholding, there are other strategies to collect unpaid child support. For example, when a parent owes more than $2,500 in back child support, their passport is not renewed or issued. In some instances, parents are taken into custody when they return to the U.S. Moreover, some non-custodial parents face property liens due to their failure to make payments.