Pandemics, The Economy, And Child Support: The Facts

Posted on: 13 November 2020

There is no doubt that the economic situation during the pandemic is difficult for many families. People have lost jobs, have had their hours cut, or have had their salaries reduced. For families who pay and receive child support payments, the growing anxiety is only amplified by the fact that the courts have slowed due to the pandemic. This means you may not be able to go before a judge in a timely manner to figure out a solution. The following are some things to consider if you are dealing with this situation:

What If You Cannot Pay Your Child Support?

When your income is reduced or completely eliminated due to a pandemic-related job loss, you might not be able to pay your child support obligations. Normally, you could go to court to seek a temporary modification to your child support court order to deal with the issue. However, you may not be able to get into court right now. Yet, you are obligated to pay the child support by law.

You should make every attempt to pay as much as you can of your order and maintain records of those payments. Check with your attorney to see if there are any government-sponsored relief programs you may qualify for to help. Also, be sure to keep all correspondence regarding your job loss or salary reduction. Once you do get to court, the judge will be able to see proof of your job loss as well as evidence that you made every effort to pay your child support to the best of your ability.

What If You Do Not Receive Your Child Support Payment?

Many families rely heavily on their child support payments. When the child's parent cannot make those payments, it can result in a major financial setback. Because the courts are not necessarily prioritizing child support cases right now, it can be a while before you see any resolution.

During this time of non-payment, you need to maintain a record of additional money you had to spend on the support of your children, any past-due notices, and other receipts showing that you either missed payments or had to pay obligations that your child's other parent normally would have paid with his or her child support payment. When you can get back to court, use this information to gain enforcement of the child support order or another type of contempt for the missed child support payments against the other parent.

Contact a child support attorney for further guidance. 

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