Three Strategies for Recovering Unpaid Child Support in DuPage County

 Posted on December 07, 2021 in Child Support

Many things keep parents of young children awake at night, but few worries are more stressful than the fear of being unable to financially provide. Unfortunately, many parents are worried about money because their child’s other parent refuses to make court-ordered child support payments. If you are in this situation, you know how frustrating it can be; fortunately, there are strategies that can help you recover unpaid child support and get future payments back on track.

Make Sure Your Child Support Order is Enforceable

Many parents who have never been married set up an unofficial arrangement for child support payments. Although this may seem easier than going to court, it actually can result in more complex challenges later on if a parent decides to stop paying. Before you can take measures to get unpaid child support, you have to have a legally enforceable court order. This involves establishing paternity if you have not already done so, and then going to an Illinois family court to petition for child support based on state guidelines.

Get the State Involved

If you have a legally enforceable court order for child support, you can ask the state and federal government to help you get paid. Illinois can restrict a non-paying parent’s driver’s license, suspend professional licenses, submit the failure to pay child support to credit reporting agencies, and even bring criminal charges. Both the Illinois Department of Revenue and the federal Internal Revenue Service allow money to be withheld from tax returns when child support is unpaid.

Intercept Employment Income

If your child’s other parent is working and still is not making child support payments, you can fill out a Notice to Withhold Income for Child Support Form. This tells the employer of the non-paying parent to take child support money directly out of the paycheck before it goes to the parent. The Illinois State Disbursement Unit receives the money and sends it to you, all while keeping detailed records of payments.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a DuPage County Unpaid Child Support Lawyer

Paying for essential items like food and clothing can be difficult or impossible without timely child support payments. If your child’s other parent has been shirking their financial responsibilities toward your child, it is time to take action. A skilled Naperville child support attorney with Pesce Law Group, P.C. may be able to help you recover unpaid child support and seek retributive justice against the non-paying parent if necessary. To schedule your free initial consultation, call us today at 630-352-2240.

Sources:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2089&ChapterID=59

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075000050HPt%2E+V&ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=6200000&SeqEnd=8675000

https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/sites/default/files/legal_content/file_form_content/NoticeToWithholdIncomeForChildSupport.pdf