Enforcing Child Support Payments in Texas
Unfortunately, just because a court orders a parent to pay child support does not mean they actually will. Enforcement actions can be taken by the attorney general in order to collect court ordered child support when a parent fails to pay. Read below to learn more about how child support agencies enforce court orders to collect support payments in the state of Texas. Tools for Collecting Child Support Child support agencies have many tools for enforcing child support orders. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common methods CSS uses when attempting to collect past-due child support. Wage Withholding All child support orders include the enforcement tool of immediate wage withholding (also called “wage deduction,” “wage garnishment,” and “income (or earnings) assignment”). The state can order the obligor’s employer to deduct the child support amount from the obligor’s paycheck. Employers must deduct the payment from the obligor’s paycheck just like any other payroll deduction (such as income tax or social security). Depending on the order, the employer will send the payment to either the local child support office or the custodial parent. Wage withholding is very effective when the obligor has a regular job with a steady, predictable paycheck. However, it often isn’t the best enforcement method when the obligor changes jobs often, is self-employed, or is unemployed. When that’s the case, other tools come into play. Withholding Other Income Wages aren’t the only income that state agencies can withhold to cover unpaid child support. CSS may also order that money be withheld from payments such as commission income, employment bonuses, and pension benefits. State child support agencies can also participate in the Administrative Offset Program. This program allows interception of certain federal payments, such as pay to vendors who perform work for a government agency and federal retirement
