Child Support Enforcement in Long Island
Child support is intended to do just as the name indicates—support the child. It is a periodic payment made by one parent to another in order to assist in the costs of raising a child. These payments will continue until either a modification is needed or the child turns 21.
In the unfortunate situation where a parent who is ordered to provide this payment refuses to do so, there are a number of ways for the other parent to enforce the arrangement. Child support payments are essential in ensuring the health and prosperity of your child. We understand how difficult it can be to provide for your child’s financial needs when your former spouse isn’t paying the court-mandated payments.
At Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, we work tirelessly to pursue the legal objectives of our clients. We believe that the purpose of legal representation is to help our clients achieve positive life changes. Emotions tend to run high in cases relating to children and finances. We help our clients remain calm and composed for the duration of our retainment to guarantee legal successes.
Our attorneys have the practical experience as family law specialists to guide you in handling any legal matter relating to child custody. We never want you to feel helpless because your former spouse isn’t abiding by your settlement agreement. You can rely on our strong litigation tactics, sharp legal acumen, and negotiation expertise to help you collect the necessary support payments.
New York’s Enforcement Program
The state of New York has set up a child support enforcement program. This program has the legislative authority to collect child support that has not been paid on time. They also can obtain medical coverage for the child. The two procedures by which the program collects the necessary payments are called Income Execution (IEX) and Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB) Intercept. When IEX is conducted, current or overdue support money is taken from the parent’s wages. When UIB Intercept is carried out, if the parent who owes support is receiving unemployment insurance from the state, the support will be deducted from these payments.
This program can obtain support through a variety of other actions as well. These include income tax refund interception and lottery interception. The parent’s name can also be submitted to credit reporting agencies so that they will not be able to get a loan or other credit until the payment is given. In some situations, the parent’s driver’s license can even be suspended. These actions are all an attempt to enforce the child support agreement that the courts have set up.
Take Matters into Your Own Hands – Call a Child Support Lawyer
If your former spouse refuses to pay the child support they owe, you should take action immediately. Those payments negatively affect the well-being of your child and such injustice should not stand. You can petition a judge to issue a contempt of court sanction that should force your former spouse to comply with court orders. This should help to recover past payments as well as current ones. The first step you should take to assure that this happens is to talk to an attorney. Our firm can help you with all your child support needs. We will fight for your rights and look out for the welfare of both you and your child.
Call us today to schedule your own free consultation.