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If I don't pay my Massachusetts child support obligation, what happens?

Suffolk County parents sometimes have difficulties meeting financial obligations for their children. Child support is a financial responsibility that cannot be ignored without incurring significant penalties. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue's Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED)uses several ways to collect unpaid support.

Parents behind on support payments receive CSED notices each year. Notifications include details about the money owed, attached penalties and interest and consequences for non-payment. All Massachusetts child support orders include provisions for income withholding - a non-custodial parent's wages can be garnished.

Data exchanges with financial institutions and several other sources provide the state with information about a parent's financial status. CSED can move to levy income and bank accounts until a support obligation is satisfied. The Division can enforce payment orders this way, because overdue child support is considered an "automatic judgment," favoring the custodial parent or state.

Liens may be brought against property owned by a non-custodial parent, placing the support debt ahead of any real and personal property transactions. The Department of Revenue (DOR) also may lay claim to abandoned property.

Government pensions, including lump sum distributions, and benefits like unemployment or workers' compensation, can be seized. Federal and state income tax refunds may be intercepted to update support arrears as low as $150. When child support debt exceeds $2,500, a non-custodial parent's passport can be revoked.

Additional pressure is applied with driver, recreational and professional license suspensions. Lottery winnings over $600 and insurance settlements can be used for support arrears. A non-custodial parent's credit rating may be affected when DOR reports past-due support amounts to credit reporting bureaus.

Child support modifications are requests to have support agreements and orders altered. Speak with an attorney if you've suffered a job loss, bankruptcy or a medical problem that has significantly changed your financial status. Pursuing modification may be a better solution than struggling with mounting, inescapable penalties for child support non-payment. 

Source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Revenue, "Child Support Enforcement Division" Dec. 09, 2014

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