The Maryland Child Support Administration (CSA) is responsible for working with families to see to it that children of divorced or separated parents receive the financial support they need to “thrive.” Whether a parent has neglected to provide the support they are required to pay or you recently had a new child support order take effect, this department will help you with your child support related matters. As well , recipients of child support also utilize attorneys they retain tof enforce child support orders and other aspects of divorce decrees and marital settlement agreements. If you have been struggling with a noncompliant parent for weeks or even months as they have refused to pay, the CSA also has various tools they use to get you the support your child needs. However, the collection process frequently gets started much more quickly through the use of your own attorneys.
Attorneys at Barkley & Kennedy, Chtd., Rockville child support lawyers and divorce attorneys, are also available to help you if you find the agency isn’t able to dedicate the time needed to pursue your child’s non-custodial parent or if other issues regarding a divorce decree or marital settlement agreement need to be addressed. The CSA is also responsible for aiding residents living throughout the entire state of Maryland and has defined limits to the issues it can address.
What enforcement tools are used to recover unpaid child support in Maryland?
Some of the tools the CSA or private counsel will use to help recover unpaid child support include:
- Federal Income Tax Refund Offset– The CSA is authorized to intercept federal income tax refunds when child support balances are $500 or more, or they are equal to or greater than two times the monthly support order. The CSA will notify the non-custodial parent 30 days prior to intercepting the tax refund, however, the agency says they “cannot predict when a federal tax offset might be received or the amount of any such offset.” It is for this very reason why you should hire a child support lawyer when dealing with such circumstances as they can provide you with updates as they are made and even work harder to get you the money you need and are entitled to.
- Driver’s License Suspension– Any parent that is “60 days or more out of compliance with their most recent court order are referred to the Motor Vehicle Administration for suspension.” Because most individuals use their own vehicles to get to and from work, they will be more inclined to satisfy their child support order so they can regain their driving privileges.
- Wage Withholding Orders– When a child support order is in effect, employers are required to withhold the child support due from their employee’s wages. However, if they are working and being paid “under the table,” then you may need one of our child support lawyers to step in and help.
- New Hire Reporting– When an employer hires a new employee, the Maryland Department of Human Services says they are required to report the worker to a central registry within two days after their first day on the job. In the event the employee “matches with the child support database, a wage withholding order is automatically sent to the employer.” This way, if a non-custodial parent quits one job assuming they could just go and get another without having to report it, they will likely be identified once their employer inputs their information into the registry and it shows they are behind on their child support payments.
- Contempt– When a parent is able to pay child support but chooses not to, a judge may hold that parent in civil contempt which could lead to them being jailed if they refuse to pay the amount the Court decides is required to “purge” the contempt.
There are a number of other tools that private cousnel CSA can use to help collect unpaid child support as well. To learn more about what these are, contact the Rockville, MD child support attorneys at Barkley & Kennedy today. Should you need help getting a child support order enforced, don’t hesitate to contact our office to speak with one of our legal experts who can explain in depth the steps they will need to take in order to accomplish this.
You can reach Barkley & Kennedy at:
51 Monroe Street, #1407
Rockville, MD 20850
301-251-6600
Website: www.barkenlaw.com
