A parent who has fallen behind on their child support obligation may be aware that they are failing to meet the terms of their child support agreement or order. While many Arizona parents are able to stay current on the sums that they owe to their children, others through either inability or unwillingness miss payments and leave themselves open to the enforcement efforts of the state. This post will discuss one very important step that must be taken before the state may begin enforcement remedies against financially delinquent parents: notice of delinquency.
Before the state of Arizona’s Department of Economic Security may begin taking actions against a parent who has not paid their child support, the parent must first be notified of their missed payments. Notice is a critical component of the enforcement process as it gives parents a chance to become current on the amounts they are responsible for paying as well as time to file administrative reviews. An administrative review gives a parent a chance to have their child support matter looked over if they believe that they have been contacted for child support enforcement in error.
If a parent does not pay their child support a whole host of enforcement tactics can be taken. They may have income withheld or assets seized. Liens may be placed on their property and suspensions may be enforced against their driving privileges.
As readers can see, child support enforcement options can be devastating to a parent’s livelihood and may make it more challenging for them to stay up to date on the sums they owe. A parent who has received notice of possible enforcement efforts may wish to consult with a Chandler family law attorney to best plan a strategy for avoiding the penalties that may attach to their child support case.