What happens if a parent does not pay court-ordered child support?
Various enforcement mechanisms exist against parents who do not pay court-ordered child support, including automatic withholding of the obligor’s income by way of “wage assignment.” The court also has the power to hold a party in contempt for violating a court order; if found in contempt, the parent faces possible jail time, fines, or both. Recently, Congress has enacted other enforcement mechanisms, creating greater collaboration between federal and state governments. These include suspension of driver’s licenses and professional licenses, seizure of tax refunds, seizure of bank accounts and investment accounts, and even publishing the name and picture of the non-paying parent on posters and in newspapers.
