Child Support and Enforcement In Florida

On behalf of Sparkman Law Firm posted in child support on Friday, April 17, 2020.

Child Support Concerns

During the course of any divorce or end of a relationship, where children are concerned, Child Support will always be a common denominator. In every city in America, one parent is likely to be ordered to pay child support. Sparkman Family & Divorce Lawyer is experienced in all facets of custody and support and can help guide you through that process.

When A Parent Doesn’t Pay

Your child was likely accustomed to a two-parent income at some point, and if that wasn’t the case, they were benefiting from the primary breadwinner’s presence in the home. While on the surface, nothing may have changed in terms of the child’s residence or educational institution, other major changes may have taken place, i.e., a parent no longer living in the home, additional vehicle for transportation and additional funds for the school, after school and extracurricular activities.

Losing income in the home can directly impact and affect your child, the loss of which may cause you to endure the stress and struggle of maintaining the lifestyle your child had prior to the separation or breakdown in the relationship. When a parent doesn’t pay their child support, the other parent is likely to bear all of the expenses on their own leading them to lose the ability to keep up with financial obligations and necessities that directly impact the child.

How Do Florida Courts Enforce Child Support Payments?

There are a variety of ways that the state may undertake in order to enforce child support payments. Here are some of the avenues that the court may use:

• Income Withholding Notice: the department of revenue may sent notification to the employer for withholding a specific amount from the parent’s wages that will be applied to their child support payments.
• State Benefits Collection: the state may also choose to obtain owed child support from any benefits the parent is receiving, including from unemployment.
• Workers Compensation: as with unemployment or other benefits, a portion of the parent’s unemployment benefits may be taken in order to apply them to the child support obligation.
• Property Liens: if a parent owns any assets or funds, the department of revenue can place a lien on that property
• Garnishment: the department of revenue can garnish past-due payments from the parent’s bank accounts or other financial accounts.
• Suspended License: the state has the ability to suspend a parent’s license if they fall behind on any child support payments. This suspension can also apply to other licenses issued by the state, including recreational and professional licenses.