If you are a parent in New Jersey and have primary custody of your child, it is important that you understand which agencies enforce support orders. Ensuring that child support gets paid is crucial in protecting the child’s financial well-being and development. To learn more and secure skilled representation, reach out to an experienced Sparta child support attorney today.
What Agencies Enforce Child Support Orders in NJ?
In New Jersey, child support orders are enforced by the Probation Division’s Child Support Enforcement Services Unit. This agency monitors and enforces the collection of outstanding child support payments.
The purpose of this agency is to ensure the welfare and safety of children and their families. When a child support order is created by the court, it is done to ensure the best interests of the child are prioritized and that they will not suffer financially due to their parents’ separation or divorce. When one parent refuses to comply, it can be significantly detrimental to the child(ren) involved.
How is Child Support Enforced?
The Child Support Enforcement Services Unit implements a variety of tools and tactics to enforce child support and ensure payments are made. Some methods are designed to penalize the non-custodial parent and encourage them to make payments, and others simply force the payments to be made through various means.
Below are the main ways that child support orders are enforced by the Probation Division.
- Income withholding: Order the non-paying parent’s employer to withhold a portion of their income to be sent directly to the custodial parent or through the state
- Tax refund offset: The non-custodial parent’s federal or state tax refunds can be intercepted and applied to the balance they owe
- Asset seizure: Cash or cash-equivalent assets of the non-custodial parent can be seized in order to pay the child support balance
- Enforcement hearings: Court proceedings held to address the parent’s failure to pay, determine how to move forward, and impose any penalties that may apply
- Bench warrants: Issuance of a bench warrant for the arrest of the non-paying parent
- Suspend licenses: The non-paying parent’s driver’s, occupational, or recreational licenses can be suspended until they pay the overdue support
- Report judgments: The court can make a judgment acknowledging the unpaid child support and establish a claim against the non-paying parent
- Credit bureau reporting: When the amount of unpaid support is greater than $1,000, it can be reported to credit bureaus and affect the non-custodial parent’s credit
- Liens: Liens can be put on the property and assets of the non-custodial parent until the support is paid in full
- Seizure of proceeds from lawsuits: Compensation or proceeds that the non-custodial parent is awarded through a lawsuit can be seized and applied to the balance they owe the custodial parent
- Passport denial: If the non-paying parent owes more than $2,500 in missed child support payments, their passport application can be denied
- Lottery interception: The non-custodial parent’s cash and winnings from playing the lottery can be seized and put toward the child support balance
To learn more about the Child Support Enforcement Services Unit and its role in family law, reach out to an experienced attorney today.