As a single parent, child support is essential when it comes to caring for your children. If your former spouse stopped making these payments, it can put a major strain on your household finances, so it is crucial to act fast and speak to an attorney to ensure you receive these essential payments. Continue reading to find out what you should do if your former spouse stops making child support payments.
Enforcing Your Child Support Order
In Texas, there are some limitations when it comes to enforcing a child support order, so it is important not to procrastinate legal action. Child support orders are enforceable by contempt (resulting in fines or jail time for the delinquent parent) for two years starting on the date the obligation was terminated. Therefore, do not hold off on meeting with an attorney to discuss filing a motion to enforce.
Here are some of the child support enforcement tools in Texas:
- You can file an income withholding order even if your former spouse is not employed at the time. Having one ready when your ex’s employment status changes will be very helpful.
- The state General Attorney’s office can also help you collect missed child support payments and enforce the court order.
Hiring an attorney is essential for ensuring pleadings are correctly prepared, your co-parent is notified, and all the necessary evidence is obtained in time for court.
If your former spouse is refusing to pay child support, it is important to note that you should not let this impact visitation. If you withhold visitation, this could backfire on you in court, so it is important to continue to comply with the court order.
Reach Out to Our Family Law Team to Learn More About How We Can Help You!
If your ex-spouse stopped paying child support, you should not hold off on seeking skilled legal representation. At the Cynthia Tracy, Attorney at Law, P.C., our family law team is backed by more than three decades of experience, which we will use to your advantage. You can rely on us to secure the best possible results for your case.
Call our law office today at (281) 612-5443 to set up an initial case review with an experienced member of our family law team to learn more about what we can do to help you enforce your child support order.
