When it comes to child support it is not something that the state of Texas takes lightly when it goes unpaid as a Dallas, TX child visitation lawyer knows all too well. For the parent owing child support there could be severe consequences from failure to pay whether that be because of negligence or refusal to pay. For the parent seeking child support payments there is a way to get courts involved in order to make sure the noncustodial parents make their child support payments.
In the event that you are required to pay child support and the amount you are required to pay becomes too much, you can go to court to get the payment amount modified. This can be an easy fix in order to ensure that you are still able to pay child support. If you don’t wish to go to a court hearing in order to get your modification, you can choose to go through the Child Support Review Process (CSRP). This process includes you and the custodial parent meeting and negotiating an amount that works for both of you, there will be a Child Support Review Officer in the room as well. The courts can be understanding if you need your payment amount modified due to loss of job or a cut in pay but the courts will not be as forgiving if you simply fail to pay the child support you owe.
In the state of Texas if you fail to pay child support there will definitely be repercussions and they can even lead up to jail time. Some consequences of not paying child support could be license suspension, passport denial, liens placed on assets, or an income withholding order. The Office of the Attorney General works with 60 licensing agencies and is also the office that works to enforce child support so if they need to they can suspend your driving license, professional license, or even hunting and fishing licenses to get you to pay the child support you owe. If you are attempting to travel out of the country and need a new passport or need to renew your passport you can be denied if you have outstanding child support payments. When your lack of child support becomes more severe there may be liens placed on items such as your car or properties. The way that a lien works is that it’s a claim against a type of property to be used as collateral in order to ensure a debt is paid. Liens give the creditors the right to sell the property if the debt is not repaid which will not end well for the parent owing child support. In some cases the state will place an income withholding order on your paycheck so that the amount of your child support will be automatically taken out of your paycheck. When this order is placed, your employer will adjust the payment and the parent will be unable to avoid the child support payments. Finally, if you don’t follow the court order to pay child support you can be held in contempt of court which is punishable up to 6 months in jail. In the Texas Penal Code “criminal nonsupport” can be used to describe the action of failing to pay child support and is a state felony offense that can be a sentence of 6 months to 2 years in jail.
If you’re unable to make child support payments there are resources you can use in order to lower your payments before the severe consequences kick in. If you aren’t receiving child support payments from the noncustodial parents there are resources for you as well to make sure you receive child support. Whichever side of the story you’re on it’s important to know that there are consequences for not paying child support and resources to help solve the issue as soon as possible to ensure that the child has the resources to be well taken care of. Before you stop paying child support, talk to a lawyer at the Brandy Austin Law Firm for help.
