Child Support Enforcement in Michigan

As the biological parent of a child, you shoulder a heavy burden, whether you are a mother or a father. Not only are parents legally responsible for the health and welfare of their children, but they also have financial responsibilities that can extend beyond a marriage or co-existing situation.

When you split from your romantic partner or spouse, your obligations to your children don’t end just because your adult relationship has dissolved. You will always be a parent. However, your responsibility to pay for your child is not infinite.

In the state of Michigan, parents that separate and/or divorce must come to some sort of agreement concerning child custody and support. This can happen in or out of court. There are laws in place to protect children and ensure their continued health and well-being, so for parents that can’t reach an arrangement on their own, or who feel they cannot rely on the other parent to hold up his/her end of the bargain, court proceedings may be necessary.

In addition, you should know that the state of Michigan is committed to enforcing child support and it will come after those who fail to make court ordered payments. What can you expect when it comes to child support enforcement?

Obligations
The amount of child support a parent has to pay is often based on several factors, such as the custody agreement (joint, full, or other), the number of children, the monthly income both parents earn, the cost of daycare, and more. The courts use a child support formula to determine child support payments.

f you are ordered to pay child support, you will generally have to do so until a child or children turn 18. If children continue to live with the custodial parent and attend high school beyond the age of 18, child support may continue up until the age of 19.5. At that point, parents may voluntarily elect to continue supporting children through college or beyond, but they are not legally required to.

Enforcement
It may happen that a parent falls behind on child support payments. This could be due to job loss or other life circumstances, or a parent might simply choose to withhold payment for some other reason. Either way, the state of Michigan will take steps to collect child support payments in arrears when it is reported that payments are delinquent.

What can authorities do to enforce court ordered child support and collect past-due payments? The Office of Child Support (OCS), part of the Michigan Department of Human Services, may order an employer to withhold wages (i.e. wage garnishment); seize tax refunds; access funds for unemployment, worker’s compensation, or pension plan benefits; place liens on property or even seize property; suspend, revoke, deny, or restrict licenses and/or passports; and even file for contempt of court.

Whether you are a parent that has not received child support payments, or you have been unable to pay court ordered child support due to your circumstances, you should seek appropriate legal counsel to rectify the situation. Contact the qualified attorneys at The Gucciardo Law Firm at 248-723-5190 today to get started.