Pennsylvania parents who are ordered to pay child support must comply with that order. While there may be many reasons why a parent may not want to comply, there are consequences for failure to do so. Primarily, child support payments are designed to ensure that both parents are contributing to the upbringing of their child. There are several factors that go into determining how much support a custodial parent is entitled to.
A couple of major factors that go into this decision are the income of the noncustodial parent along with any other expenses that either parent may have. Those who have not received a child support payment or payments may wish to tell the court that issued the order. At that point, the court may be able to work with the noncustodial parent to resolve the situation in an amicable fashion.
If that is not enough for a parent to obtain the support that he or she is entitled to, there may be ways to compel payment. For example, wages could be garnished or liens placed on property. Property could also be seized to ensure that past due child support balances are paid in full. In some cases, tax refunds may be seized to help make child support payments.
When a child support payment isn’t made, it could make it difficult for a custodial parent to keep up with the every day expenses related to raising a child. These expenses may include the cost of food, clothing or shelter. It may also include the cost of driving a child to school or paying for day care during the summer. Parents who are pursuing back child support may wish to talk with an attorney about the ways to successfully obtain it.