Locating a Noncustodial Parent for Child Support Collections

Locating a Noncustodial Parent for Child Support Collections

By: M. Scott Gordon

When it comes to child support collections in Chicago and the Chicago area, one of the most difficult aspects of the process is not getting the parent to actually make the required payments. Given that there are legal options for withholding the income of a noncustodial parent who refuses to pay child support (as well as other options for obtaining unpaid child support, such as seizing assets, or placing liens on property), the most difficult steps tend to come before legal orders are entered aimed at actually obtaining child support payments. What are the most difficult aspects of child support collections? As a handbook from the Office of Child Support Enforcement explains, it is typically most difficult to locate the noncustodial parent.

In other words, once the court has a location of the non-paying noncustodial parent, the process of child support collections is well on its way. What often makes locating the noncustodial spouse so difficult?

How You Can Locate the Noncustodial Parent

One of the most important steps in a successful child support collections case involves locating the noncustodial parent. How can the custodial parent find the child’s parent? Typically, the most helpful information is the noncustodial parent’s Social Security number and information about the noncustodial parent’s employer.

In some cases, the custodial parent does not have the noncustodial parent’s Social Security number, and may have no information about the likely employer of the noncustodial parent. The search does not need to end here, however. As the handbook explains, Illinois state and local government (along with state and local governments across the country) have access to many other types of records, including but not limited to:

• Vital statistics;
• State tax information;
• Real estate and personal property records;
• Occupational or professional licenses;
• Applications for public assistance;
• Department of motor vehicle records;
• Law enforcement records;
• Public utility records;
• Credit bureau information;
• Financial institution data; and
• Other private entities’ records, such as cable television companies (which often have both the name and address of each customer).

If you have questions about child support collections or initiating a search for the noncustodial parent, an experienced Chicago child support collections lawyer can speak with you about your options today. At the law office of Gordon & Perlut, LLC, we understand how vital child support payments are to the healthy and happy upbringing of a child, and we are dedicated to advocating for the needs of parents and children. Contact us today to learn more about our services.