It’s no secret that raising children costs a lot of money. They need everything from food and new clothes to money for activities. If your ex has suddenly stopped paying child support, it can make your situation even more difficult. You depend on that money to take care of your child’s basic needs. However, instead of going into a panic, take the necessary steps to rectify the situation.
Speak to Your Ex
The idea of talking to your ex about child support payments is daunting, especially if the two of you aren’t on the best of terms. However, it’s a necessary thing to do right now. Call your ex and calmly ask why he or she hasn’t been making child support payments. It’s possible that your ex has a perfectly good reason for stopping payments. Maybe he recently lost his job. Or perhaps he or she got seriously injured and has expensive medical bills to pay.
If your ex truly doesn’t have the money to pay child support right now, being understanding and trying to make a deal with him or her may be the best thing. For example, you could ask him or her to pay you a little something until he or she gets back his or her feet.
Figure Out a Different Way to Cover Your Expenses
If your ex is struggling to make ends meet right now, it could take a while to collect past due child support. That means you have to find another way to cover your bills in the meantime. For example, you could try cutting out certain expenses, like cable or restaurant trips. It may also be necessary for you to pick up another job to bring in extra income.
Contact a Family Lawyer
If you believe your ex doesn’t have a legitimate reason for not paying child support and you can afford the fees right now, you may want to talk to a family lawyer about your dilemma. He or she could send your ex a letter that demands payment. This can sometimes be enough to encourage a person to pay overdue child support.
Contact a Local Child Support Agency
If you’re unable to afford a lawyer right now, consider enlisting the help of your local support agency. These agencies work for the state and make sure that children receive the financial support they need. They can use several enforcement tools to make your ex pay child support, including wage deductions, license suspensions, federal tax income tax intercepts and even jail time.
If you have additional questions about child support, contact a Bloomington family lawyer today.
Thanks to Pioletti, Pioletti & Nichols for their insight into family law and steps to take if your ex isn’t paying child support.
