Enforcement of Child Support Orders in New York

Child support payments are crucial to the wellbeing of your child. They are not meant to be spent frivolously by the custodial parent, nor are they meant to be denied by the non-custodial parent. Therefore, if you are not receiving the financial payments meant to be paid in support of your child, then you have every right to take legal action to ensure that this behavior does not continue. At the time that a custody agreement is established, it will also be established as to what type of financial assistance needs to be met by the parent who does not maintain custodial rights over the child or children in question. In this way, solid plans are put in place which allow for the safe, healthy, comfortable upbringing of a child whose parents are no longer together.

Unfortunately, not all parents are willing to meet their parental responsibilities, finances included. When a non-custodial parent refuses to make good on their payments, the matter can be brought to the courts, and a New York divorce attorney should be on hand when it is. With legal help, an order can be obtained which will call for the payment of child support. If financial means are still not given in light of the legal mandate, then other legal methods can be used to satisfy the financial needs of a growing child. These include:

• Wage assignments: these are directions given to employers to deduct child support payments form the earnings of their employee who is also an obligor parent.
• Enforcement action: these are judgments which total the amount of payments that are due and have not yet been paid. Under enforcement actions, they are set for further enforcement proceedings and interest is often attached to the total fee as well.
• Attachment or levy: an attachment or levy can be enforced when the obligor parent has investments in a mutual fund or money in a bank. It can also be executed when the obligor has interest in a property or valuable possession such as a car. These items can be seized and given to the custodial parent in lieu of financial payments.