What Does It Mean when Child Support is In Collections?

When a child is involved in a divorce or paternity action, one of the most significant issues that must be determined is child support. Both parents have a duty to financially support their child, and typically the non-custodial parent pays the custodial parent to help maintain the child’s standard of living. However, there are times when a parent fails to uphold their end of payments, and support can go into collections. At Gordon & Perlut, LLC our child support lawyers in Chicago can help determine your legal options if child support is in collections in your case. To learn more, read below and call or contact our office today.

Enforcing Child Support

The Illinois Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) manages the collection and payment of child support in the state. This department has a number of resources available to help enforce the collection of child support when a parent falls behind in payment. Also known as falling into arrears, when child support is in the collection the DCSS may take any of the following actions:

  • Hire private collection agencies to secure payment.
  • Refer the case to prosecutors for criminal action.
  • Contact the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations to suspend professional or vocational licenses as well as a driver’s license.
  • Refer the case to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services for collection and asset recovery.
  • Intercept state and federal tax returns.
  • Submit information to credit reporting agencies that damage a credit score.
  • Refer the case to the U.S. State Department, which can revoke or suspend a passport.
  • Initiate contempt proceedings against the non-paying parent in court.
  • Refer the case to the U.S. Treasury to withhold portions of federal benefits.
  • Place liens against the non-paying parent’s real estate and personal property.
  • Add the non-paying parent’s name to a “deadbeats most wanted” list.
  • Charge interest on any amount of child support in arrears.
  • Garnish bank accounts or seize assets.
  • Issue an income withholding order on the non-paying parent’s wages.

Custodial Parent Options

There are times when the DCSS gets backlogged with cases, so if you need more immediate assistance with child support in arrears a parent can also seek the assistance of a qualified and experienced child support attorney. If you are owed child support, a lawyer can initiate much of what DCSS does but in an expedited manner through the court, including issuing a wage garnishment order, holding a parent in contempt, seizing assets, or issuing liens. If you are the parent who owes support, a lawyer can help you modify an existing support order if circumstances have changed or negotiate a repayment plan with the other parent. To learn more, talk to our office today.

Call Our Chicago Child Support Lawyers

Are you struggling with a situation where child support is in collections in Cook County or northeast Illinois? If so, the experienced and knowledgeable Chicago child support lawyers at Gordon & Perlut, LLC are here to help. Call the office or contact us today to schedule a consultation of your case now.