Child support is often a point of contention between former partners following divorce or separation. While child support is intended to provide the funds needed to take care of a child and maintain their quality of life even though their parents are no longer together, the partner paying child support may not want to give that money to the other parent or may not want to make payments on time. If you find yourself struggling to get court-ordered child support, an Oakville child support enforcement lawyer can help. Reach out to The Riley Divorce & Family Law Firm for guidance.
There are several circumstances under which you may want to call a child support enforcement lawyer in Oakville.
Any of these circumstances can leave you struggling to care for your child, giving rise to a need to modify or enforce your child support agreement.
The Family Responsibility Office (FRO) handles child support enforcement. The FRO ensures that child support orders or agreements are followed, acting as an intermediary between the person who pays and the person who receives. They use several methods of enforcement, including:
One of the easiest ways for the FRO to help ensure compliance with child support orders is to deduct child support payments directly from the payor’s wages or employment income. In addition to garnishing paychecks, the FRO can also garnish other sources of income, such as tax refunds, pensions, and unemployment payments.
If a payor falls behind due to temporary hardship, the FRO may try to reach a voluntary agreement with them. If a payor makes—and complies with—a voluntary agreement, they may be able to avoid further enforcement measures.
When garnishing a paycheck is not enough, the FRO can also garnish bank accounts. They can seize funds from those accounts to apply toward the payor’s child support obligations. Of course, this remedy is only helpful if the payor has money in their accounts.
Additionally, the FRO can report non-payment to credit reporting agencies, which can lower the payor’s credit score.
While these remedies are specific to the area, an Oakville child support lawyer can ask the FRO to enforce child support on people living in other regions. Agreements with other provinces and countries enable inter-jurisdictional enforcement.
When you are struggling to get your former partner to pay child support on time or to pay the right amount, you can get support that will help you recover the amount your child needs. Contact an Oakville child support enforcement lawyer at The Riley Divorce & Family Law Firm to learn more about your options and next steps.
Now you can have your Consultation with Paul Riley any time from the comfort of your own home. With video calls from Zoom, your Team at The Riley Divorce & Family Law Firm can meet with you virtually, and learn about your case. All you need is a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop with a built-in camera and microphone.
Paul Riley Law Office