Our Child Support Attorneys in Tulsa can help you if you owe or are owed child support. The courts in Oklahoma work to enforce past child support orders. Owing past due child support or child support arrearages is essentially like taking out the worst high-interest loan in existence. Unpaid due child support, under Oklahoma child support law, accrues 10% interest per year. What can start of as an insignificant amount can quickly end up in a dire situation.
When Do I Start Paying Support:
We advise that at the outset the parent who will be paying child support start paying what they can immediately. In child support cases, divorce clients have it a bit easier. This is because child support is calculated for the past 5 years. The father in a paternity action can also he held responsible for his share with costs associated with the pregnancy. Past due expenses add to the new support order. This past due amount also accrues interest.
Paying Off Back Support in Oklahoma:
Oklahoma child support law allows a 36 month pay-off period for arrearages. As stated above the past due amount is adding interest to whats owed. This interest is calculated at 10% until its paid in full. When both the current and late child support adds together the problem worsens.
Oklahoma child support law also provides for a way to deviate from the 36 month “pay-off plan” and for the parties to come up with more reasonable payments, but this too has risks. As mentioned above, arrears continue to generate 10% annual interest. If the deviated arrearage payment is too low, the parent obligated to pay child support may end up just paying of the accruing interest and never the actual arrearage amount, creating an never ending cycle.
If the parent order to pay is not meeting their obligation on current and past due child support they can have their wages garnished; have their federal and state tax refunds garnished; and have liens, established by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, placed on workers’ compensation and personal injury settlements. Worst of all, a parent not meeting this obligations could face contempt charges, which could result in 6 months in jail, with the obligation and past due amount (now with even more interest) still owed.
Read this article about Alimony in Divorce –Oklahoma alimony information
When Does Child Support End:
A parent’s child support obligation does cease, in normal circumstances, when the child graduates high school. A parent’s obligation to pay back past due child support or arrearages does not cease, until the amount is complete. If you are facing a contempt charge for failure to pay child support or are having problems paying back child support, it is important that you contact an Oklahoma child support attorney to know your rights and options.
Contact Our Child Support Attorneys in Tulsa:
If you are considering divorce or otherwise need to calculate support we can help you. Contact our child support attorneys in Tulsa to help you navigate all family law questions. Call today and talk with an attorney today.