San Diego Child Support Debt Attorneys

Child Support Debt

The term "arrears" refers to child support debt or past due child support payments. These arrears are created when the court orders a parent to pay child support and those payments are either not made or are only partially made. Section 685.020 (b) of the California Code of Civil Procedure requires the parent who owes this money to pay an interest of 10 percent on arrears.

Whether your arrears or debt can be reduced or negotiated depends on who you owe the money to. Arrears owed to DCSS usually are not negotiable because the money is usually used to pay back the county for support they provided to the other parent. But if you owe money directly to the parent, the arrears can be reduced if the parties can reach a mutual agreement.

The government has started employing many creative ways to collect these arrears. For example, the parent's debt may show up in their credit report and of course, affect it very negatively. Another step the federal government is taking is to refuse giving out passports to parents who owe these child support arrears.

In addition, the state can suspend your drivers license, can collect from SSI monies, can collect from your Disability monies, Tax Refunds, and other monies you may receive.

Whether you owe money to the custodial parent of your child or you are a custodial parent trying to get the other parent to pay up, the experienced Southern California Divorce Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can help.

If you are not sure that you are the parent of the child you have been asked to pay child support for, then we can help set up a paternity test to find out or to prove that you may not be or are not the parent of this child. If paternity tests already exist and you are still not convinced, we could help you challenge the validity of those tests. We can also help negotiate a fair settlement so that you are not drowning in debt and your child and the custodial parent receive some financial support that is within your means.

If you or someone you know owes child support debt or arrears or is owed this money, please contact a skilled Orange County family law attorney at Wallin & Klarich to schedule your free appointment. Child support debt can become a serious problem that destroys your credit and ruins your job prospects or even the ability to purchase a car or a house. Don't let child support debt ruin your future and your peace of mind. Call us today to discuss your case.

At Wallin & Klarich, we approach every case with the belief that the person we're representing could easily be one of our own family members. We've seen firsthand how stressful legal matters can be for our clients and their loved ones. We are committed to being available to our clients at all times -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you are involved in a family law matter in Southern California, you should call Wallin & Klarich today for a free evaluation of your case. Call 1-888-749-7428 or fill out our online consultation form to get in contact with a legal professional today. We will be there when you call.