{"id":351700,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:29","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/child-support\/enforcement-and-collection-of-back-child-support.html"},"modified":"2023-06-13T09:03:55","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T14:03:55","slug":"enforcement-and-collection-of-back-child-support","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/enforcement-and-collection-of-back-child-support.html","title":{"rendered":"Collecting and Enforcing Back Child Support"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Collecting and Enforcing Back Child Support<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Danielle Gilmore, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

A non-custodial parent who fails to pay court-ordered child support risks severe consequences. Courts have many tools to enforce child support orders, including wage garnishment, license suspension or jail. Federal law allows the IRS to intercept tax refunds to pay past due child support. <\/p>\n

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Medical support includes health insurance and money payments\u2014or both. Enforcement of spousal support is typically separate.<\/p>\n

Those who are delinquent and owe back child support are sometimes called “deadbeat parents” or “deadbeat dads.” Some states and counties even shame deadbeat parents by posting their pictures, names, and delinquent amounts online. Often, the title of state laws about past due child support uses the term \u201cdeadbeat parent.”<\/p>\n

However, “deadbeat parent” isn’t a legal term. Those with overdue child support payments are \u201cin arrears<\/a>.” And owed child support payments are \u201carrearages.”<\/p>\n

This article provides an overview of state and federal laws aimed at collecting and\u00a0enforcing back child support<\/a>\u00a0payments. Read on for information about child support debt or child support arrears. Read also about child support enforcement agencies’ efforts to help with enforcement actions.<\/p>\n

Federal Child Support Laws<\/h2>\n

The federal government gives district attorneys and state attorneys general authority to collect back child support on behalf of custodial parents through the\u00a0Child Support Enforcement Act of 1984<\/a>. They also have the authority to penalize non-paying parents.<\/p>\n

The goal of enforcement is to encourage non-paying parents to pay their court-ordered child support. If a nudge \u2014 like denying a passport \u2014 doesn’t do it, there will be stronger penalties. State attorneys can take any of the following\u00a0enforcement measures<\/a>\u00a0against a delinquent parent:<\/p>\n