How to Get Child Support

Child support is a difficult subject for many parents. It can be hard to know what is considered a fair amount of child support. It’s also frustrating to know who determines how much child support is paid. These questions often cause major strife within the family. To help alleviate some of the stress, these steps can show you how to get the child support that you deserve.

Establish Fatherhood

One crucial step to take when seeking child support is to establish fatherhood. While this seems simple enough, it is not always the case. For example, if you were not married at the time of your child’s birth, you must get the father to acknowledge their paternity. On occasion, it happens that the father comes forward without any fuss, to claim their child. However, some fathers request genetic testing to confirm that the child is theirs. This testing helps to put some minds at ease. It also helps you in your request for child support.

Child Support Order

The next step in this process is to issue a child support order. Every state abides by official child support guidelines. With these guidelines, the state calculates how much financial contribution the parent needs to give, in order to financially support their child. At the child support offices, you can find out the average amount of child support others in your state receive. You can even request medical support for your child from either party. Child support offices help to diffuse tension by giving you the answers you need.

Enforce Child Support

The best way to get child support is to enforce it. Currently, most child support orders require employers to withhold the child support, sending the money directly to the state child support office. This helps prevent anyone from skipping out on any money owed. If the parent required to pay child support cannot be located, the child support office usually finds them through the help of the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Federal Parent Locator Service. There are several ways to ensure that a parent pays child support, such as withholding income, denying passports, intercepting federal payments, withholding tax refunds, and suspending drivers, professional, and occupational licenses. All of these methods help to make sure that you get the child support that you are owed.

Child support can be a very touchy subject for families. It’s a necessity for split families to make sure that one parent is not having to carry all of the financial burdens that come along with raising a child. In order to get child support, you must establish paternity, submit a child support order, and enforce child support. Follow these steps and get the financial support that you deserve.