Taking care of a child as a divorced or single parent is not easy. You have to balance the obligations you have to your kid with other life necessities, such as working a job. The time commitment involved in raising a child can mean that you can’t advance your career as much as you would like, limiting your income.
It is common for divorced and single parents to rely on child support to cover some of their routine household expenses. If your ex doesn’t make timely child support payments, that can leave you in a difficult financial situation. Learning about enforcement options for Georgia child support can help you feel more empowered to ask for help.
Not paying child support can quickly complicate someone’s life
Failing to pay child support doesn’t just inconvenience the other parent. It can also affect the state of Georgia itself, as the government may have to provide benefits such as Medicaid or food stamps to compensate for one parent’s non-payment.
Most people know that the state will garnish wages to collect child support, but some people avoid this enforcement action by working under the table for cash or frequently changing employment. Seizing wages isn’t the only way to enforce a child support order.
The state can also refuse to renew professional and recreational licenses, as well as driver’s licenses and passports. They can hold or garnish someone’s lottery winnings or tax returns. If none of that suffices to collect the amount due, the courts may eventually declare the non-paying parent in contempt of court and issue a bench warrant for their arrest.
