The divorce process can be emotionally and financially draining. When you and your ex cared for your children together under one roof, it may have been easier to work together to take care of your family’s financial needs. However, things change significantly after divorce, and both parents may struggle to make ends meet.

If your ex has not been paying child support, this can cause a great deal of difficulty for you. It may be hard to understand why your ex would be avoiding payments, but here are some common reasons that may explain why the funds your child needs are not coming your way:

Changes in Finances

Your ex might not be paying child support because they do not have the money to give. The amount of child support payments specified in a divorce judgment is based on both parents’ finances at the time of the divorce. Issues such as a job loss or large medical expenses can affect how much your ex is able to pay. If you think this may be the reason why you are not receiving child support, you may wish to talk to your ex or even request a modification so that they can at least pay what they are able to. Setting a payment that your ex can afford is better for everyone than not receiving any payments at all.

Disagreements About Spending

Everyone values things differently. When it comes to expenses, your ex may disagree with the amount of money you are spending in different categories. For example, if your child needs a new school bag, you may choose to invest in a strong backpack that costs twice as much as the last one. Your spouse may complain about the extra spending and refuse to share in these expenses. It is important to realize that the law does not address the specifics of how child support payments must be spent. This means that your ex-spouse cannot simply stop paying because he or she does not like how you are using the money.

Hurt Feelings

It is also possible your ex is upset with the arrangements for the allocation of parental responsibilities or the amount of parenting time they have been granted. They may feel that decisions were made unfairly, and having to make monthly child support payments may only agitate these feelings. As a result, they may refuse to make child support payments out of spite.

Regardless of feelings or disagreements, parents are legally required to pay court-ordered child support. A person who fails to pay child support may be held in contempt of court, fined, or imprisoned.

Contact a Crystal Lake Divorce Lawyer

Your child deserves to receive financial support from both parents. If your ex-spouse is refusing to pay court-mandated child support, Botto Gilbert Lancaster, PC can help. Contact an experienced McHenry County child support attorney from our firm to learn about your options for child support enforcement. Set up a free consultation by calling our office at 815-338-3838 today.

 

Sources:

Why your Ex isn’t paying child support

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075000050HPt%2E+V&ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=6100000&SeqEnd=8350000

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