In Virginia and Maryland, as throughout the U.S., disputes and litigation about child support matters are all too common. It may seem that one thing divorcing or divorced couples can continue to agree on is the need to love and support their children, but frequently previous areas of conflict have led to resentment that is not easily erased. Unfortunately, such ill will can be expressed by the paying parent withholding or delaying child support payments.
Because every child requires financial support no matter what their parents’ differences, disputes about child support must be resolved as quickly as possible. This requires the skill and determination of an experienced child support enforcement attorney. If you are going through the ordeal of trying to support your child without the full resources from your ex-spouse you are entitled to, now is the time to contact Randall J. Borden, Attorney at Law.
Attorney Borden has been practicing family law successfully for more than 30 years. From his office in Fairfax, he provides clients in Virginia and Maryland with outstanding legal guidance and, when necessary, powerful representation in court. If you are enmeshed in a dispute over child support and don’t know where to turn, you can count on his knowledge and skill to get you through.
What Gets in the Way of Meeting Child Support Obligations
Although theoretically, child support is a straightforward transaction, there are many obstacles to a smooth payment process. Child support payments may be subverted by:
- Emotional interference motivated by anger, jealousy, or a desire for revenge
- Increased costs for the growing needs of the child (e.g. the loss of an unpaid caregiver such as a grandparent or the child’s need for tutoring or therapy)
- Either parent’s loss of a job
- An illness or injury that affects either parent’s earning power
Enforcing Child Support in Virginia and Maryland
For the parent counting on child support payments as necessary income to pay the bills for their child’s care, not receiving them or not being able to count on them arriving regularly can make life difficult or unbearable. This is where having a stalwart attorney can be a godsend. Randall Borden can help to enforce child support through any of the following legal measures:
- Withholding income from the paycheck of the delinquent parent and sending it directly to the parent designated to receive child support.
- Intercepting state or federal tax refunds and using them to pay child support.
- Having the delinquent parent’s license suspended (driving, professional, or recreational) to pressure them into paying.
- Preventing the non-paying parent from being issued a passport until the full amount of owed child support is paid.
- Issuing negative reports to credit bureaus of the parent who has failed to pay full child support.
- Putting liens on the delinquent parent’s property
- Putting liens on the parent’s retirement account, workers’ comp benefits or unemployment payments
It is even possible for a parent who has failed to meet their child support obligations to lose a portion of their lottery winnings to pay the debt.
Ultimately, as a last resort, under state or federal law, a parent who owes a considerable amount of money in child support for a long period can be incarcerated for up to 2 years. The amounts of child support owed and the length of time vary according to whether the charges are brought as a misdemeanor or a felony and whether they are brought in Maryland, Virginia, or some other state, or are charged in a federal court.
In most cases, jailing parents who fail to pay child support serves no real purpose since an incarcerated parent is hardly likely to be able to pay the debt while jailed. For this reason, this punishment is very rarely meted out.
Why You Need Randall Borden’s To Successfully Enforce Child Support
The ins and outs of child support laws in Virginia and Maryland are complicated and may be confusing. This is why having an accomplished child support enforcement lawyer at your side is essential. Randall Borden has a long-established reputation for:
- Gathering pertinent evidence of late, incomplete, or nonexistent child support payments
- Investigating the other spouse’s financial resources (even hidden ones), income, including bonuses, dividends, and government benefits, and working with financial experts to assess the financial situation of the other parent accurately.
- Providing comprehensive legal knowledge of child support regulations in your state and being able to enforce child support across state lines.
- Handling communications with the other parent and opposing counsel
- Skillfully negotiating and/or mediating to get positive, legally binding results
- Representing his clients forcefully and persuasively in court
- Handling child support enforcement measures on your behalf, such as wage garnishment or liens
- Modifying child support orders to accommodate changing circumstances, like income changes, cost of living adjustments, incapacity of one parent
- Offering emotional support and guidance
In short, Attorney Borden will do everything possible to see to it that child support arrangements are fairly established and consistently enforced.
If You Are Owed Child Support Payments in Virginia, Speak to Randall Borden Now
Being divorced and raising a child is difficult enough without financial worries. If your child’s other parent has been remiss in paying child support for an extended period, you need a determined attorney to assist you. Attorney Borden will fight aggressively to get you the money you need and are entitled to. Contact our office today so he can begin taking action to resolve this painful issue and ensure your child’s well-being.