For this reason, if a parent with a child support obligation starts falling behind because her or his income has decreased or her or his debts have increased, she he should immediately seek a temporary modification. Bankruptcy does not cancel back child support. Sometimes this means that the D.A. will serve your ex with papers requiring him or her to meet with the D.A. and arrange a payment schedule, and telling him or her that if he or she refuses to meet or pay, he or she could go to jail. If your ex has moved out of state, you or the D.A. can use legal procedures to locate him or her and seek payment. Federal and state parent locator services can also assist in locating missing parents.
Federal laws permit the interception of tax refunds to enforce child support orders.
Other methods of enforcement include wage attachments, seizing property, suspending the business or occupational license of a payer who is behind on child support or, in some states, revoking the payer's driver's license. Your state's D.A. may employ any one of these methods in an attempt to help you collect from your ex. Under that law, the court in the state where you live contacts a court in your ex-spouse's state, which in turn requires him to pay. This procedure will be provided to you free of charge. Unfortunately, however, it often falls short of its stated goals due to the complexity of the process and the low priority frequently assigned to these cases by the courts and law enforcement officers.