Child support payments, established by the court, must be paid. Parents who are ordered to pay child support must do so or risk facing criminal charges. But when a parent fails to make payments, action can be taken to enforce payments.

When a couple begins divorce or dissolution proceedings, child support issues have to be dealt with. Child support affects not only the parents but also the children. Child support payments can financially help the primary custodial parent who has to provide the day-to-day needs of the child. But in some cases, circumstances change and the parent paying child support may fall behind or choose not to make payments. What then?

Enforcing child support agreements requires intentionality and diligence, ensuring that court orders are being followed. Some tactics that have been used to collect delinquent payments have included:

  • Wage garnishment
  • Putting a lien on the parent's property
  • Selling the parent's property
  • Withholding a tax income

One state has begun pursuing parents who have failed to make child support payments and arresting them; this is only done after all other attempts have been unsuccessful. This particular state works with prosecutors and because of felony prosecution are able to pursue individuals across state lines.

This tactic appears to be working: this state has seen an 80% increase in collections since criminally charging delinquent parents.

However, if delinquent parents are simply being put in jail because they can't make payments, does that make it even more difficult to collect the payments? And what about parents who are trying to keep up with child support payments but are financially unable to do so?

In those instances, many states including Ohio provide ways for parents to get child support agreements modified. Life circumstances can drastically change, altering a parent's ability to make monthly payments. A modification acknowledges these changes while still ensuring that the children are being taken care of.

Source: WBKO News online, "Warren County's Child Support Collections Soar," Gene Birk, 02 May 2011