Child Support and the Income Withholding Order

Raising a child is extremely expensive. Even families with moderate incomes can face difficulty making ends meet, so when couples divorce and a custodial parent must suddenly burden all costs associated with raising a child, one’s financial situation can become dire. Fortunately, the state of California recognizes that the cost of child-rearing should be shared by both parents. As great as that may sound, many custodial parents struggle to recoup money from a noncustodial parent, even if child custody is ordered.

California law does provide options when it comes to recovering owed child support. One of the best options is by obtaining an income withholding order and serving it on the noncustodial parent’s employer. Such an order requires an employer to automatically deduct child support payments from an employees’ paycheck and redirect it to a custodial parent. More than 65 percent of all child support payments are collected in this fashion.

There are many benefits to these types of orders. Perhaps most importantly is that they allow a custodial parent to receive timely and regular child support payments. This can help ease financial strain and assist with creating a budget. This can also benefit a noncustodial parent by preventing him or her from falling behind on payments, which would otherwise result in unwanted penalties. Another benefit of these orders is that they can be obtained by any of a number of parties, including a private individual, a local child support agency, or a child welfare agency. Therefore, these orders have a wider reach than other support collection options, which can help ensure that a child receives the financial support he or she needs.

Obtaining an income withholding order is a matter of making the proper filings with a family law court. Those who want to learn more about child support, its related legal issues, and how to appropriately handle them so as to further one’s best interests can speak with a family law attorney who is right for them.