How does arrearage affect a child support order?

In Illinois, arrearage is an amount of money that a parent has failed to pay for a child support order. When a parent falls behind in child support payments, this is known as child support arrearage. Arrearage can have a serious effect on a child support order. If the parent owing the arrearage is behind on their payments for more than 2 months, the court may require them to pay the entire amount of the arrearage. For example, if the court-ordered child support payments are $200 per month, and the parent is four months behind, the parent may be ordered to pay the entire $800 in arrearage. The court may also order an additional penalty for the arrearage. This could include a fine, jail time, or wage garnishment. In addition, the parent and/or their employer may be required to pay interest on the arrearage. If a parent owes arrearage, the court can order changes to the child support agreement. This could include changes to the amount of money due each month, increasing the parent’s obligation to make payments, or reducing the amounts due when payments are made. The court can also order payments made directly to the custodial parent, bypassing the court system. In the end, arrearage can have a serious effect on a child support order. If a parent is behind on their payments, the court can issue consequences and take away rights until the payments are made. Therefore, it is important for parents to make sure they stay up-to-date on their payments and to promptly address any unpaid balances.

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How does arrearage affect a child support order?

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