Enforcement actions for unpaid child support

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People who have been ordered by a court to make child support payments in New Jersey may want to learn about the various ways that the state might enforce such an order. It is also important for them to know that the state has the power to also enforce the requirement to provide health insurance coverage for a child as explained by the New Jersey Department of Human Services.

The state tracks the payments of child support or the existence of health care insurance via a dedicated computer system. If there is a noted gap in what has been ordered and what has been paid or provided, there are multiple ways that the state may attempt to collect the money. These include the reporting of arrears, which is the falling behind on child support responsibilities, to credit bureaus, taking assets from the parent who is ordered to pay, collecting money from the parent’s wages or other sources of income and more.

According to the New Jersey Courts, the state may also take actions that result in the suspension of a person’s driver’s license if the child support has not been paid for six months or if the health care coverage has not been provided for that length of time. A driver’s license may also be suspended if a bench warrant has been issued in connection with the failure to pay child support.

An application for a new or renewed United States Passport may also be denied if the amount of child support arrears exceeds $2,500.

 

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