Top Reasons Why Child Support Payments Stop
There are legal consequences when a person fails to make court ordered child support payments. That said, it happens. While there are a range of reasons why parents stop paying support, it is important to recognize that you need to go through the appropriate legal channels to modify or stop a child support award.
Whether you are the parent paying support and feel it should cease or you are the parent who should be receiving payments but the checks have stopped coming, you should talk to a West Palm Beach family attorney about next steps. Going through the proper legal process is important to shield yourself and your future from more expenses and stress.
Who Has Physical Custody Has Changed
Sometimes there is a shift in where a child is living and the child is no longer living with the parent who was ordered to receive support. This can happen for a lot of different reasons. Maybe the paying parent lives closer to the child’s school so it is easier for the kids to live primarily at that household. Or perhaps the parent who was awarded physical custody is putting their time and energy into a career change or a health crisis and feels it is best for the kids to live with their other parent for a while.
Paying Parent Experiencing Financial Difficulties
When the paying parent experiences a job loss or illness, they may simply not be able to afford the child support payments they are required to pay. In these situations a modification may be the best option. While a downward modification will not stop the payment requirement, it could reduce the amount owed. Then, penalties for stopping payments could be avoided.
Ongoing Disputes
Parents who have ongoing disputes could see their arguments spill into other areas. For example, if the parent paying feels their child support payments are not being spent well, they may stop payments out of spite. But the reality is the parent receiving the payments has the right to spend those funds however they choose. For instance, the paying parent is not able to decide how large of a home the receiving parent chooses to rent or buy will be, that is up to that individual, single, independent person.
Legal processes are in place to help divorced couples who are unable to make support payments or are having arguments about the amount of a support award. Do not believe you can simply miss payments or alter the payment amount on your own, doing so could lead to jail, fines, and other consequences. To explore what options you have available given the details for your situation, talk to a West Palm Beach family attorney.
Do you feel you should no longer be making child support payments? Talk to the legal team at Bruce S. Rosenwater & Associates about establishing a new arrangement. Our experienced Florida attorneys are experienced in child support concerns and can guide you through the process of reducing the amount owed or stopping payments completely. To get started, share your goals with an attorney, book a consultation today.
