Child support is essential to help cover your child’s needs, like housing, food, school, and medical care. When the other parent stops paying, it can create serious financial challenges. Thankfully, Missouri law provides several ways to enforce a child support order and ensure your child gets the help they deserve.
Steps to Take if Payments Stop
- Reach Out to Missouri’s Family Support Division (FSD)
The FSD can help locate the other parent, check their income, and take action to collect overdue payments. This can include garnishing their wages or intercepting their tax refunds. - Ask the Court to Enforce the Order
If the other parent is refusing to pay, you can file paperwork asking the court to step in. A judge can order actions like fines, wage deductions, or even jail time until they catch up on payments. - Request Automatic Wage Deductions
If child support is not already being taken out of the other parent’s paycheck, you can ask the court to start this process. It ensures payments are already made directly and on time. - Recover Overdue Payments
Courts can seize money from bank accounts, intercept lottery winning, or put on hold other parent’s property to recover missed payments. - Suspend Licenses
Missouri law allows for driver’s licenses, professional licenses, and even recreational licenses to be suspended if a parent refuses to pay child support. This can encourage them to resume payments quickly. - Charge Interest on Late Payments
If the other parent owes back payments, you can request interest to be added to the amount they already owe.
Why Legal Counsel is Essential
While state agencies like the FSD can assist, legal support is often needed to make sure the process moves forward quickly and effectively. Having an experienced attorney on your side ensures your rights are protected, and your child gets the financial support they need.
At Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter, PC, we are here to help you navigate the process and fight for your child’s needs. Whether it is filing paperwork, going to court, or taking other enforcement steps, our dedicated attorneys will guide you every step of the way.
If the other parent has stopped paying child support, do not wait to take action. Contact Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter, PC today, and let us help you get the support your child deserves.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺.