Enforcing child support payments

On Behalf of | Nov 22, 2019 | Family Law

Child support is often a major concern for parents adjusting to the new normal after a divorce. Recent data from the Office of Child Support Enforcement shows that 1 in 5 children in the United States benefits from some form of child support payment. Given how a divorce completely changes your family’s financial landscape, it can be especially difficult when the other parent does not pay child support according to the court agreement.

The state of New Hampshire takes child support enforcement very seriously. There are several routes for enforcing court-ordered child support if the other parent is more than six months behind on payments, including garnishing from his or her wages. If the other parent continues to refuse to pay, there are further consequences that the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services can invoke, such as:

  • Driver’s license suspension
  • Suspension of a professional license (e.g. electrician, teaching, real estate)
  • Payment taken from a tax refund

If the other parent is significantly behind on payments, the issue can even escalate to involve jail time. This is a last resort, as the courts seek the solution that is in the best interest of the child.

If your ex-spouse is truly experiencing financial difficulty that prevents him or her from paying child support payments each month, you can petition the court to modify child support payments. There can even be temporary arrangements for a medical issue or another time-sensitive issue that changes your finances for a short period.

Keep in mind that the court can only adjust future payments and cannot renegotiate owed payments. If you know that you will need to modify your child support agreement, do not wait to speak with a lawyer and explore your options.

With so many hard adjustments to make after a divorce, making ends meet for your children should not be one of your concerns. If you are wondering how to enforce your child support arrangement, you can proceed with confidence because you do not have to figure this out on your own.