What are the consequences of not paying child support?

In California, not paying child support can have a range of potentially serious consequences. First, if you’re behind on payments, a wage garnishment order can be issued, which allows the court to take money from your paycheck to pay owed support. Additionally, the court could order wage assignments, which allow child support payments to be taken directly from your bank account. If you don’t comply with these orders, the court could then issue a contempt of court order, which essentially means that you have failed to work with the court to satisfy your obligation to pay child support. This could lead to jail time, fines, or a bench warrant issued for your arrest. The court can also suspend your driver’s license and/or professional licenses, and your credit rating could suffer if overdue support is reported to credit bureaus. And, even if your income or ability to pay is affected, you are still responsible for paying past-due support. It’s important to keep in mind that child support is established based on the best interests of the child, so it’s important to follow the court’s orders and make the payments to ensure that your child is taken care of. If you’re unable to make payments, talk to an attorney to see if you can get your support obligation modified.

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What are the consequences of not paying child support?

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