How Are Child Support Payments Made?

As the parent ordered to make child support payments, there are multiple, acceptable forms of payment that you can submit your child support payments through. Sometimes, the Court might specify the exact method that they want the paying parent to use, if the circumstances regarding the receiving parent require a specific method.

The methods of direct payment, where one parent pays the other on a specifically set schedule, vary in terms of method of delivery, as well as when they are appropriate to be used. Cash is a very common method, but a major drawback is that there is no receipt given, and therefore it is a bit difficult to prove that payment had been made, if it is ever needed. Also, depending on the status of the relationship between the parents (whether or not they can coexist), it may or may not be feasible for there to be a face-to-face meeting between the two.

In order to avoid the in-person interaction, a check or money order can be made in lieu of cash. Although this leaves the possibility of the money getting lost, there is at least a form of proof of payment, or attempt of payment, that comes with this form of payment (although you wont always know when).

Sometimes, the Court has to enforce the payment of child support, and in this scenario, they often utilize their ability to enforce wage garnishments, to extract the demanded child support amount. This is done through the employer, as they will withhold the amounts from their income. However, this does require that the paying spouse has a job, and is not self-employed.

As technology has improved, online transfers are now an acceptable form of child support payment as well. But again, the Court can set the form before the parent even has the chance to decide, and it would be determined largely by the best way for the receiving parent to accept payment.