What Can Be Done if a Parent Refuses to Pay Child Support?

Child support is a court mandated payment made by a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent, and it is designed to assist the custodial parent with the costs of raising a child. Many nations around the world have child support laws, because raising a child is believed to be the joint responsibility of the parents, whether or not the parents are still together. It is awarded by the court after the judge has considered factors like the income of the non-custodial parent, along with outstanding expenses borne by both parents. Once the court has ordered child support, the non custodial parent is expected to pay it on a regular basis. Unfortunately, many parents avoid paying child support, using a variety of justifications. Common excuses for avoiding child support payments include inability to pay, lack of accountability for the money, unwillingness to have the child in the first place, to protest visitation agreements, or a personal conviction that the amount of the award is unfair. ...  more