In Colorado, and across the U.S., a common way for parents who are supposed to be receiving payments to support a child to get what they are owed is through the various forms of income assignment by taking the money directly from the supporting parent’s pay. However, there are other lesser-known ways in which a child support dispute over nonpayment will be settled by the state. Understanding them can help in getting what is owed.
The child support enforcement unit of the state will use various methods to recover payment. When there is a deduction for health insurance, a notice will be issued that is similar to an income assignment. The employer will be informed that the child must be enrolled on the health insurance plan of the supporting parent and the premium should be deducted from his or her pay. Bank accounts can be frozen via a lien to cover what is owed. When there is a tax refund, the supporting parent might have it taken to pay for what is owed in support. If a person happens to win the lottery and owes child support, this can be taken to pay it.
Licenses can be suspended and it is not just limited to a driver’s license. Professional licenses, hunting licenses and fishing licenses can be suspended until the child support is paid up. If a person who is supposed to be paying is between jobs or jumps from one job to another to try not to leave a trail, the Directory of New Hires provides information to child support enforcement to get what is owed. Informing credit bureaus of a failure to pay child support can lead to a reduction in credit scores and cause long-term financial problems. Like liens on bank accounts, there can also be liens on personal property such as real estate, cars or boats. A supporting parent can be charged with contempt and even face jail time. Some parents will leave Colorado to avoid paying, but states usually work together to find these delinquent parents and pursue the payments. Finally, if a person is able to win money gambling, that too can be intercepted.
In a best case scenario, a parent will make all the payments necessary and do so on time to keep current. However, that does not always happen and a simple income assignment is not fully effective. This is why speaking to an attorney experienced in child support cases can be beneficial in recovering delinquent payments.
Source: courts.state.co.us, “A Parent’s Guide to Child Support — Other Enforcement Tools, pages 16-17,” accessed on April 19, 2016
