Collecting Child Support
Child support is probably the number one issue that brings couples back into the courtroom over and over after their divorce is final. In recent years, many state legislatures have focused their attention on ensuring minor children receive the support they need following the divorce of their parents. When parents live in different states, however, collecting child support becomes more difficult. To overcome interstate obstacles regarding the collection of child support, most states and the Federal Government have coordinated their efforts involving the establishment of paternity, child support orders, medical support and enforcement.
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) has developed the National Electronic Child Support Resource System to assist in the collection of child support. The System identifies and electronically indexes resources that are available to parents seeking assistance with collecting child support. The system also offers a service whereby an agency can locate a delinquent parent and determine the exact amount of arrears (back payments) owed.
As the Federal and State governments have increased their efforts to collect child support orders in recent years, so have the penalties for non-payment increased. A party who fails to pay child support may be subject to one or more of the following, even if that party resides in another state:
- Driver’s license suspension
- Bank account seizure
- IRS and/or State Revenue tax intercept
- Interception of lottery winnings
- Negative credit reports
- Garnishment of income
- Loss of professional licenses
- Jail sentence
Child Support Calculator
The State of Colorado, through its Judicial Department, offers an excellent child support calculator. This is a free service, and provides all of the instructions and help screens you need.
If you have a question about collecting child support in Colorado, please request a consultation with an expert at the Harris Law Firm today.
