Illinois man arrested after failing to pay child support
A Chicago man has been arrested for failing to pay $70,000 in past due child support. The man turned himself in after a child support arrest warrant was issued in his name. The warrant was issued after the father failed to appear at court and make the court-ordered payment.
Many individuals are not aware of the ramifications of failing to meet their child support obligations. It must be understood that child support payments are taken very seriously by government officials. In that regard, state officials have been given the authority to treat failure to pay court mandated child support as they would a crime. The enforcement methods used can range from wage garnishment to jail time. The continuous failure to pay the amount owed only compounds the problem and can lead to even costlier repercussions.
Involving the authorities in a child support situation is sometimes the last resort. With the help of counsel, it is possible that the custodial and non-custodial parents can come to an agreement and responsibly adhere to its terms. Although coming up with an amicable child support arrangement may seem complex or difficult, the parties involved have incentive to do so that situations such as the one described above are avoided.
Understanding one's child support obligations under Illinois law is very important. All facets of the process including the way child support is calculated, the modifications that can be made to the child support obligation and the enforcement methods must be taken into account by both the custodial and non-custodial parent. Understanding the initial calculation and how the resulting obligation can be modified could result in avoiding a situation where garnishment or jail time is the result.
Source: Sun-Times Media, "Man who owes $70K in past-due child support arrested", June 20, 2014
