If you didn’t know, August is Child Support Awareness Month, a time to highlight the crucial role of financial support in a child’s day-to-day life and overall well-being. Child support is a huge aspect of divorce that affects thousands of families across the United States, and it can often be a difficult process to talk about and navigate.
The goal of this blog is to shed light on what can sometimes be perceived as a taboo topic in order to educate, inform, and encourage responsible parenting (and co-parenting) through the lens of child support. Let’s get into it!
The Role of Child Support in a Child’s Life
In the state of Alabama, child support is supposed to cover costs associated with the health, education, and welfare of the child until they reach the age of 19. Essentially, it covers the cost of basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter. However, children need much more than that, which is why child support is essential.
There are often other expenses or costs that might be included in a child support order aside from traditional support payments, such as school tuition, childcare, healthcare, and more. These additional costs go beyond basic needs by ensuring that the child has access to opportunities that support their growth and development.
No parent should have to struggle alone to ensure their children are healthy and well-fed, but many do. In fact, about 30% of parents who are owed child support payments get nothing, leaving millions of children without the financial support they need to thrive.
Legal Framework of Child Support
Who pays it?
In Alabama, both parents have the legal duty to provide for their children financially. It doesn’t automatically fall to one parent in the event of separation or divorce.
How much is paid?
Like every other state, Alabama has guidelines for how child support is calculated. While there is no official child support calculator, an official worksheet (CS-42) can be used to help determine the amount. Both parent’s gross incomes heavily influence how much child support is owed.
What if my co-parent isn’t paying?
Legally your co-parent is required to pay court-ordered child support on time. If they fail to do so, child support orders can be enforced by the court. After a payment is missed, the Child Support Enforcement Division of the Alabama Department of Human Services (CSED) can help you enforce your order.
The Impact of Non-Payment of Child Support
No matter why two parents decide to get divorced, it is never the child’s fault. It is unfair that it is the child’s well-being that suffers when parents split up and one parent refuses to fulfill their legal duty to provide financial support. When two people bring a child into the world, they are both required and morally obligated to tend to the child’s needs.
When divorce occurs, those needs don’t change; they don’t lessen, and they aren’t negotiable. A divorce is already a huge transition for a child to go through, and the added stress of losing financial support will only make things harder.
When a child goes without proper nutrition, clothing, school supplies, healthcare, etc, it can stunt their growth and development. They could even miss out on extra-curricular activities or even higher education.
It may come as a shock that these things can affect children this much, but the reality is child support is necessary. In fact, studies show that family income during early childhood appears to be important in affecting children’s cognitive development. There is also a U.S. Census Bureau report that shows the poverty rate is lower among custodial parents who receive child support.
Ensuring support is paid goes beyond simply meeting legal obligations, it’s about giving children what they need to be their happiest and healthiest selves.
Legal Repercussions for Non-Payers
According to Alabama’s Department of Human Resources, the repercussions for failure to pay child support include the following:
- Income Withholding
- Reporting the NCP to Credit Bureaus
- Certifying debts for Income Tax offsets: “The state can report the parent to the Internal Revenue Service and the State Department of Revenue. Support is then deducted from the parent’s federal or state tax refund and paid to the family (or to the state).”
- Federal Passport Denial, Revocation, or Restriction Program
- Financial Institution Data Match (FIDM)
- Liens
- License Suspension/Revocation
- Federal Prosecution: “A 1992 law makes it a federal crime to cross state lines in order to avoid paying child support.”
Resources and Support for Parents
| Government and Non-Profit Resources | |
| Financial Assistance Programs | |
| Co-Parenting Solutions |
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How to Get Involved in Child Support Awareness Month
There are several ways you can observe Child Support Awareness Month and support those in need. National Today recommends donating to a child support fund, helping a friend or family out who is going through the child support process, and simply learning more about your state’s child support laws. By taking small steps like these, you can make an impact this August!
How Foxtrot Family Law Can Help
Feeling overwhelmed by the child support process? We can help ease your mind. At Foxtrot Family Law, we’re familiar with the legal nuances and challenges involved in processes like securing child support. We can address your questions and concerns and guide you toward your ideal resolution. We can also help you make modifications to your child support arrangement or enforce your child support order if your co-parent refuses to pay.
Your child deserves the financial stability they’re legally entitled to. If they aren’t getting it, or if you need guidance you can trust, call Foxtrot Family Law today to request a consultation and discover your next steps. For more information on the duration of child support in Alabama, read our blog “When Does Child Support End In Alabama?” for valuable insights.
