The experience of raising a child after separation or divorce in Florida comes with its unique challenges. One significant concern could be if your ex-partner stops paying child support, which you may rely on to help with costs related to your child’s upbringing.
While this can cause immediate financial stress, you should know that Florida has measures in place to ensure child support payments. The state law emphasizes that both parents must contribute to their child’s financial wellbeing.
Contact the Florida Department of Revenue
The Florida Department of Revenue oversees child support enforcement. If your ex-partner stops making payments, you should report it to the DOR. They have various methods to collect overdue payments such as wage garnishment, seizing of tax refunds and suspending the delinquent parent’s driver’s license.
Request a court hearing
If contacting the DOR does not yield results, you can request a court hearing. You can request that the court enforce the child support order. The court can hold your ex-partner in contempt, which could lead to fines or even jail time for non-compliance with the child support order.
Ensure you keep detailed records of missed payments. This documentation can provide evidence of non-compliance with the child support order. Receipts, bank statements and other financial documents can show the court that your ex-partner has not been fulfilling their obligation.
Seek modification of the child support order
There might be situations where your ex-partner is genuinely unable to make the payments due to unforeseen circumstances like job loss or a health crisis. In such cases, they have the right to seek a modification of the child support order from the court. If you suspect this might be the case, you can be proactive and discuss this option with your ex-partner.
Having your ex-partner stop making child support payments can be a stressful situation, but remember that there are resources and avenues in Florida to address this issue. You have options to ensure your child receives the financial support they need.