If you are currently dealing with a divorce as a parent, or you want to end your marriage in the near future and you have kids, you need to go over various legal issues involving your children. Aside from child custody, you could also have questions and worries regarding child support.
If you expect to owe child support payments, or you already have child support obligations, it is crucial to understand the penalties you could face if you fall behind.
Child support enforcement in Mississippi
The Mississippi Department of Human Services covers the different ways that the state enforces child support orders. For example, if you do not pay support you owe, you could have your unemployment benefits, federal tax refund and state tax refund intercepted. The state could freeze your financial accounts, suspend your driver’s license and report your name to credit bureaus. Additionally, you could lose your passport or the ability to apply for a passport.
In some cases, parents who do not pay child support find themselves held in contempt of court, which could lead to time behind bars.
Child support payments and financial difficulties
If you struggle to pay child support because you lost your job, your income went down significantly or you experienced a major health challenge that adversely affected your finances, you might have the option to modify your child support order. Child support modification could help you stay current by lowering the amount you owe each month and making your obligations more compatible with your finances.
It is essential to review your options, understand what is at stake and do all you can to stay current on child support you owe.
