Child support is often a contentious issue in a divorce or paternity case. In a perfect world, both parents want the best for the children, even if there is animosity between the parents. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world, and when payment is not forthcoming, enforcement of support often becomes necessary.
According to a 2009 U.S. Census report, fewer than half of all obligees (custodial parents) receive all the support they were owed. When the deadbeat mom or dad is in state, the Florida Department of Revenue is charged with enforcing collection through actions ranging from suspending drivers’ licenses to placing liens on vehicles and garnishing wages.
What happens, though, if the parent who is responsible for paying support and who is in arrears lives out of state? The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) allows Florida to apply long-arm jurisdiction — meaning that the parent who is dodging support responsibility can run, but cannot hide. UIFSA helps in collecting from out-of-state parents in several ways, including:
Every child deserves as much financial stability as possible. Parents who need help enforcing child support from the other parent in Florida may wish to turn to a Florida attorney with experience in child support matters.
Attorney Shane Herbert also contributed to this post.