Non-custodial parents can have it rough after a breakup changes the family dynamics. For example, they have the same, or more, financial responsibilities but with potentially fewer parental rewards.
The taste can be bittersweet, especially during hardships that rob you of the ability to provide for your children. You may believe you can catch up after missing one or two payments, but here are three reasons to prioritize staying current.
Financial consequences
The Indiana Department of Child Services knows that targeting financial resources is an effective and efficient way to collect child support. The enforcement techniques the agency uses can do some damage to already shaky economic ground.
- Withholding income from job wages or unemployment benefits
- Intercepting funds like tax refunds or insurance settlements
- Damaging credit by reporting nonpayment to credit bureaus
Another potentially devastating enforcement technique is the suspension of driving and professional licenses, making it hard to earn a living wage.
Child-related consequences
When children do not receive sufficient financial support, it can compromise their basic daily needs, such as having plenty of food. But it may also affect kids in other, more long-term ways.
Research suggests that children who grow up without sufficient resources experience more physical and psychological problems and may be more prone to criminal trouble.
What can you do?
First, do all you can to stay current with child support payments. If you sense trouble coming, or it has already arrived, take your concerns to a legal representative. It may be possible to have your child support orders modified in a way that provides financial relief for you but does not harm your kids.
