What Happens If You Fail to Pay Child Support?

If a Court orders that you pay child support, then you must do so. If you fail to pay your child support obligation, you will face serious consequences.

If you are found to have willfully and voluntarily failed to pay your child support obligation, you may be jailed for up to six months in jail. Other penalties that can be enforced are:

• Loss of your driver’s license (you may receive a restricted license)
• Professional and Business licenses suspended
• Bank accounts seized
• Assets seized
• Passport revocation
• Tax refunds intercepted and seized
• Property liens
• Wage garnishment

Your child support obligation cannot be discharges through bankruptcy. You cannot escape your child support obligation by moving to a different state.

You should also note that once a court issues a child support order and your attempt to appeal it fails, you cannot simply claim that you can’t pay your child support. If you want to change the child support obligation, then you need to go back to court and request a downward modification. Downward modifications to child support orders are difficult to obtain.

If you can’t pay the full amount of your child support, then an attorney may be able to negotiate a settlement or payment plan. A child support attorney will be able to give you the best advice.

If you live in Long Island, Suffolk County or Nassau County, New York, then contact David Badanes and the Badanes Law Office, an experienced Matrimonial, Divorce and Family Law Attorney. David Badanes and the Badanes Law Office have helped numerous individuals with child support issues and divorces. If you need an attorney to represent you in your divorce, call David Badanes and the Badanes Law Office today at 631-239-1702, email me at david@dbnylaw.com or visit our web site: www.dbnylaw.com. The Badanes Law Office has offices in Northport and Garden City.