Find Deadbeat Dads

Bringing up baby often includes a struggle with your ex about child support. While various laws have been passed which were designed to help custodial mothers collect child support, many of these laws have not been very effective. If your childs father is ignoring the court order to pay child support, you must be proactive. Waiting for the child support agencies to help you could result in a long delay in getting what is owed to you and your children. There is almost always a huge backlog of cases in the system so you should help them to help you. You can improve the odds of collecting past due child support by being persistent and by taking some unconventional steps.

If he has disappeared.

The first step is to find him. There are various resources available on this website to assist you in locating a deadbeat dad. Some are free, others are paid services. Hiring a private attorney should be a last resort. With the internet, you now have access to many of the same resources that the detective agencies use,  for a lot less money.

Collecting his wages

Because so many parents don’t make support payments, the law requires an automatic deduction of child-support payments from the non custodial parent’s paycheck, unless both parents agree to another arrangement. The employer sends the deducted money directly to the court or child support agency, which then forwards the payment to the custodial parent. If your ex changes jobs, he may not tell his new employer about the deduction order. If you find that he has a new job, contact the court so it can arrange for payroll deductions to continue.

What can you do if your ex-husband changes jobs and refuses to disclose his new employer?

Some mothers have gone so far as to hire a private detective to find out where the delinquent dad is working. But this can be costly. Before you take such a step, there are a couple of other resources to tap: For example, if your ex-husband is a union member, his local union may provide you with information about his new employer. Ask your local child-support enforcement agency to help you get the IRS to release information from your husband’s tax return.

Getting the Government to help. What they can do for you.

Seize his tax refund.

The court can notify the state or federal income tax agencies. Any refund owed to the nonpaying parent can be intercepted and sent to the court.

Place a lien on personal property.

A lien can be placed against your ex-husband’s personal property, such as his car, or against the real estate he owns. This can make it difficult for him to sell without first meeting his obligation and satisfying his child-support debt.  Some state or provincial laws may limit the kind of property that you can file a lien against, so you should consult with your child-support enforcement agency or a lawyer to find out the specific rules where you live.

Last resort.  Have him sent to jail.

State, federal and provincial laws make it a crime when a parent who can pay court-ordered child support doesn’t do so. In some cases, this may be a felony, leading to a stint in jail.  You’ll have to work with your local authorities to coordinate collection efforts.

Being persistent and proactive is the key to successful collection efforts!