If you have children and are in the midst of a divorce with your spouse; it is likely that you have many questions. Although parents of children are concerned about their own well-being during this time of change, many parents have questions about their children and how the divorce will affect them. Many Montgomery county parents find that joint custody is a great option for parents who have decided to split. Sometimes one parent owes the other parent child support payments due to a child custody arrangement.
Whether you are a parent that owes child support or one that is receiving the support, it is crucial for both parties to communicate. This will help keep the payments current, meaning they are paid on time to the receiving parent. Payment plans are often established in the divorce decree. There are many ways to pay including personal check, automatic debit from bank account and other methods to make sure it is convenient and do-able for the non-custodial parent to make the payment.
Sometimes despite both parents best attempts, child support payments are late or delinquent. The receiving parent may decide to seek an enforcement action, which sets the stage to prove he or she was owed payments that have not be made. Once it is proven that child support owed was not received, the Tennessee court can take a number of measures to collect the payment from the delinquent party. See our recent blog post to learn about these possible collection methods.
While late child support payments are less than ideal; they are definitely not in the best interests of the child. Money is the financial life-line that many children need in order to prosper, learn and grow. When a child goes without child support, they may not get to participate in that after-school activity or be able to afford new clothes for school. It may even be difficult for custodial parents to put regular healthy meals on the table when there is a situation of delinquent child support. This is why every parent needs to take this situation seriously.
Source: family.findlaw.com, “Child Support Enforcement Options,” Accessed Nov.16, 2015