If you are responsible for paying child support and you worry about falling behind, or you are a custodial parent missing child support payments you deserve, it is important to take a look at how the state enforces child support.
In Colorado, there are a number of enforcement strategies under state law and these can seriously disrupt a non-custodial parent’s life in the event they become delinquent.
How does Colorado enforce child support?
According to the Colorado Judicial Branch, there are multiple ways in which the state’s child support enforcement unit can take action against non-custodial parents who fail to pay support they owe. If you fall behind on support, the state could intercept your tax refund or lottery winnings. Moreover, the state could place a lien on your bank account or property, hold you in contempt of court or suspend your licenses (driver’s license, hunting license, occupational license, etc.).
Additionally, parents who owe back support could have their unpaid support reported to credit bureaus and lose their passport privileges.
How can falling behind on child support disrupt your life?
If you owe a significant amount of back support, you could face many different hardships in your life. Whether you have to spend time behind bars, face career challenges, suffer irreparable damage to your reputation, have financial problems or struggle with anxiety, you could have serious problems to work through.
If you cannot stay current on child support due to financial hardships, look into potential options to avoid delinquency, such as modifying your child support order or setting up payment arrangements.