Paying child support that is ordered by the court isn’t optional. If you are told to pay up, you must do this according to the order. If you don’t, you will likely face some stiff penalties. Child support enforcement efforts are made in the best interests in the child because the child shouldn’t have to go without necessities because a parent doesn’t feel like paying child support.
In Florida, you can face penalties like being unable to get a passport or having lottery winnings over $600 intercepted. Your tax refunds can be intercepted and your bank accounts can be frozen. There is also a chance that the delinquency might be attached to your credit report. You might face liens being placed on your assets.
Another very serious consequence that you face is having your driver’s license suspended. You might even have a professional license or vehicle registration suspended for failing to make the payments as required. As you can imagine, this can have a negative impact on your job and your ability to support yourself.
Obviously, it is best for you to pay child support like the court says you should. If you find yourself unable to because of something out of your control, such as being laid off, you should petition the court immediately to see if you can get a modification to the order. This might help you to avoid legal issues. A child support modification could help to prevent you from having to deal with the previously mentioned effects of failing to pay and allowing your account to go into arrears.
Source: Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, “Frequently Asked Questions for Child Support Enforcement Division,” accessed April 17, 2018
