A child support agreement/order exists to ensure that a child continues to have the financial support he or she needs after his or her parents divorce. The money paid from one parent to the other through child support can be used for any expenses related to raising a child, from direct needs like clothing and food as well as indirect expenses such as a share of the household for rent or mortgage payments and utilities.
When a parent does not receive the child support he or she is owed, he or she may work with the court to get it. An attorney can help you collect past due support and in situations where one cannot afford a private attorney, the Illinois Department of Child Support Services may be able to take steps to help.
Obtaining Owed Child Support is a Team Effort
There are tools in place to help one obtain money from a delinquent parent. This can be through directly taking the money or through the suspension of certain privileges until the money is paid. Examples of restrictions an individual could face include:
- Driver’s license suspension;
- Professional license suspension;
- Passport revocation; and
- A lien against his or her property.
To take money directly, the state court may order any of the following:
- Seizure of the delinquent parent’s tax return;
- Wage garnishment/Income withholding;
- Seizure of assets, such as a bank account.
What Should I Do if my Former Spouse Owes Me Child Support?
Before taking drastic actions, talk to your former spouse. See if he or she is experiencing financial hardship and if so, see if you can work out a plan that allows him or her to pay you the money you need in smaller increments or over a longer period of time. He or she might be in a position to seek a modification of your child support agreement. Otherwise, speak with an experienced child support attorney to discuss your options for working with the court to take legal action against your former spouse.
Work with an Experienced Chicago Child Support Attorney
When you are your child’s primary caregiver, your budget can run tight very easily. If you have a child support agreement in place, your former partner is legally required to give you money to help with the daily expenses of providing for a child, such as your grocery bill, your utilities, and the things your child needs like school supplies and clothing. If you are not getting the money you need, I can help you work with the court to get it. As an experienced Chicago family attorney, I know how to help parents get the support they need.
