When two people who share children together separate or divorce, one of the most important issues that must be addressed is child support. Child support laws are designed to ensure that a child is always financially stable and supported, regardless of their parents’ relationship. If you have custody of your child and their other parent refuses to fulfill their support obligations, you may have trouble supporting your family and meeting your child’s needs. It is crucial that you understand your options regarding how to enforce child support. Reach out to a Morris County, NJ child support enforcement attorney to discuss your situation and secure knowledgeable legal counsel.
What is Child Support?
Child support is a non-custodial parent’s financial obligation to their child. When two parents separate or divorce, more often than not, one parent is given primary custody and takes care of the child(ren) for the majority of the time. The other parent, known as the non-custodial parent, may have partial custody or visitation rights. However, because the custodial parent takes care of the child and is responsible for housing, clothing, and feeding them, the non-custodial parent will be required to pay child support.
Child support payments generally come in the form of monthly checks or payments based on the income of both parents and the needs of the child. This money is designed to help the custodial parent pay for food, clothing, housing, and other important needs.
How Can I Enforce Child Support in NJ?
If your child’s other parent has failed to make child support payments, it is important that you understand the options available to you. You should contact the New Jersey Child Support Enforcement Program, which locates parents, establishes paternity, enforces support, and collects payments.
New Jersey’s Probation Child Support Enforcement implements a variety of tools to collect unpaid child support. Consider the following.
- Income withholding
- Enforcement hearings
- Bench warrants
- Suspended driver’s, occupational, or recreational licenses
- Seizure of cash or cash-equivalent assets in bank accounts
- Intercept federal or state tax refunds
- Report judgments
- Credit bureau reporting
- Liens attached to property and assets
- Seizure of proceeds from lawsuits
- Passport denial
- Lottery interception
The above options are all helpful in enforcing a parent’s responsibility to financially support their child. By working with this program, you can locate your child’s other parent and enforce child support.
While enforcing child support is not always easy, it is necessary to ensure that your child is well taken care of and has everything they need. The state provides several ways to ensure that these financial obligations are met. If you are having trouble with your child’s other parent regarding paternity or child support payments, it is important that you work with this program or an experienced attorney to take legal action and protect both your and your child’s rights.
For more information and to obtain skilled representation, reach out to a family lawyer at Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, LLC today.
