If a Nebraska parent fails to pay child support as ordered, enforcement mechanisms may be used to compel it. In some cases, a person may have his or her wages garnished, pay a fine or have a tax refund seized to fulfill a support obligation. When wages are garnished, they are removed directly from a parent’s paycheck before he or she receives it.
As much as 60 percent of a person’s wages may be used to pay back child support owed. Typically, the jurisdiction that is attempting to collect the support will coordinate with an individual’s employer to ensure that the garnishment happens. Fines are generally the result of being held in contempt of court for failing to pay as ordered by a judge. The amount of the fine may be determined by the number of missed payments or the parent’s attitude toward paying them.
In some cases, an individual may lose a driver’s or other type of license for failure to pay a past due child support balance. Generally, the license is restored after the payments have been made. Jail time could also be a penalty for someone who does not pay child support in a timely manner or otherwise fails to comply with a court order.
There may be many reasons why a parent refuses to pay child support. For instance, a parent may have negative emotions about having a child or toward the other parent. Refusing to pay child support may be an attempt to get back at the parent. However, this may ultimately have a bigger impact on the child. Those who are trying to collect child support may want to talk with an attorney to develop strategies to collect a past due balance.
