What Consequences Can You Face If You Do Not Make Child Support Payments?
When families go through the divorce process, the non-custodial parent will be the one obligated to make financial payments that is known as child support. If you have been ordered to provide child support for one or multiple children, you may have questions about what type of penalties you may face if you do not make payments or if you fall behind on your payments. There are some serious penalties for those who do not make payments, including jail time and paying fines.
There are some serious penalties for those who do not make payments, including jail time and paying fines. Your driver's license can also be suspended if your unpaid child support amount is at a certain level. For example, if you have failed to make payments and it has reached double or triple the amount you are supposed to pay each month, this could result in your driver's license being suspended or revoked.
You can also face criminal charges if you do not stay current with your child support payments. The criminal charges you may face will depend on how long it has been since you made a payment and the number of payments you owe at that moment. There is a strong possibility that you can face felony charges if you gave not made payments in over six months and the amount you owe is significant enough to be charged. If you are held in contempt of court, you can be sentenced to jail, ordered to pay a fine, or you will be ordered to do both.
If you are unable to make child support payments or if you fall behind in your payments, you should notify the court. Payment arrangements can be made if you notify the court of your situation. Not making child support payments and ignoring your obligations will not make a situation better.
If you need more information on child support or if you would like a consultation, please do not hesitate to contact us today.