Every state has slightly different laws regarding child support payments and their enforcement. However, the same principles apply to child support obligations across the country.
Inform the Court About Unemployment
Child support is court-ordered as part of a divorce or other family court ruling. The most important thing to remember is that the amount of child support does not change unless a judge orders it in a court order. When a parent gets laid off or loses their job, child support will keep running unless they go to court. Unpaid child support accrues interest, sometimes at rates higher than credit cards, so it is best to keep track of child support orders and any late payments.
A Lawyer Can Help Reduce Child Support
If someone with a child support obligation loses his or her job, it is always best to talk to a lawyer about child support obligations. If the law allows for a reduction of the payments based upon the parent's new financial situation, a lawyer will be the best qualified person to get a reduction. If the parent chooses to represent themselves in court, the judge will hold them to the same standards as a lawyer. This means that they will have to do a lot of research, going to court many more times than if represented by a lawyer.
Unemployment Dependent Allowance
Unemployment benefits allow for allowances for dependent children. Anyone with a child support order should claim their child or children as dependents for purposes of unemployment. There will be a certain amount of the weekly unemployment benefits that are allotted to child support payments. Claiming a child as a dependent on unemployment is entirely different from claiming the child as a dependent for income taxes. If the parent tells the unemployment office about their child support order, child support should be able to be withheld from unemployment benefits. Sometimes this may take a few weeks to go through the system, so it is always best to double check that support payments are on time. Paying late fees is a complete waste of money, especially when it only takes a few minutes to check that your payments are on time.
Find Help Getting Back to Work
Finally, it will be best for parents and child if the unemployed parent can get back to work as soon as possible. State child support agencies have special programs and training available to parents in their job search. All unemployed parents should take advantage of them, since any edge one can get over the competition in the job market can help!
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