Florida parents attempting to collect overdue child support are still due over $1 billion dollars according to a recent Orlando news team’s investigative report. The Florida Department of Revenue Child Support System admits to still trying to collect that money, even though it claims to have a collection rate of nearly 82 percent.
According to officials with the FDR, it has more than a half-million cases. Some involve parents with more than one child support case.
The vast majority of cases involve men who haven’t paid the child support they owe. However, tens of thousands of cases in Central Florida alone involve mothers who aren’t paying the child support they owe.
The FDR says that it uses multiple methods to collect child support, including garnishing wages. They also will suspend work and driver’s licenses, revoke passports and, in some cases, will criminally charge those who don’t pay. Non-payment of child support can also impact a person’s credit score.
Non-compliant parents’ financial activities are constantly monitored, even if they move out of Florida. If they receive a tax return, win the lottery or receive some sort of other financial windfall, funds can be taken to help cover the amount they owe.
However, many parents have reported that none of these sanctions have helped them collect the support that they are due to care for their children. Attorneys are often able to help. One lawyer who works for a Florida legal aid society says that parents should never give up hope of getting the child support they’re owed to care for their children.
If your co-parent is not paying the support that he or she has been ordered by a court to pay, it’s essential to pursue every legal option possible. A Florida family law attorney can help you do that.
Source: ClickOrlando.com, “Florida Child Support Enforcement Program ‘has no teeth,’ parents say,” Adrianna Iwasinski, July 19, 2017