Most parents accept their obligation to support their children financially, but they may dislike making payments to their co-parent. Direct payments can raise disputes about whether a payment was made in full and on time and force the parents to keep comprehensive records.
Connecticut addresses these potential problems by establishing a system where child support payments are made through a state agency. The process of child support payments in Southbury avoids a direct handoff of money between the two parents and ensures a reliable payment record exists.
Our skilled child support attorneys can explain how the state handles child support payments during an initial consultation.
Connecticut General Statutes § 52-362 allows a judge to issue a new or modified child support order requiring the payment to be withheld from the paying parent’s income. The order is sent to the paying parent’s employer, and the employer must begin withholding the child support payment immediately unless the order allows a delay.
The employer sends the child support payment to the Connecticut Child Support Payment Resource Center (CSPRC), which forwards it to the recipient. The CSPRC records the date of receipt of the payment and the date of transfer to the receiving parent. The receiving parent can choose a direct deposit to their checking or savings account or can opt to receive a prepaid Visa card.
Income withholding eases the child support payment process for some parents, but when the paying parent does not have stable employment or is self-employed, a direct wage deduction may not be feasible. Parents may have privacy concerns or other reasons to disfavor income withholding. Depending on the circumstances, a Southbury attorney can help a parent negotiate a different process for making child support payments.
Parents can agree to an arrangement that does not require income withholding but must protect the child’s right to support. These agreements typically include a contingency in which income withholding will be implemented if the paying parent falls into arrears. A Southbury attorney can help parents prepare an agreement calling for a method of paying child support other than income withholding.
Alternative payment methods are likely unavailable if the parent has failed to comply with an earlier child support order. When there is no prior history of noncompliance, a judge can elect not to order income withholding . The child support order must describe the factors that led the judge to decide income withholding is not in the children’s best interests.
Even when child support is not deducted from the payer’s income, parents should still make their payments to the CSPRC rather than directly to the coparent. Payments to the CSPRC can be managed by direct deposit, online, over the phone via credit or debit card, or in person by cash or money order.
Connecticut’s system for managing child support payments ensures the state records payments made in full and on time. This eases enforcement and ensures that children receive the financial support they deserve.
Speak with one of our legal professionals about the process of child support payments in Southbury. An experienced family law attorney can explain what you should expect and help you make a different arrangement if income withholding does not work for you.
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