When it comes to collecting child support, there are options. No one person
or agency is better than any other; each family's needs are different, and what
is right for one family is not necessarily best for another. Parents
considering action to collect past-due child support should carefully consider
their needs and their situation before deciding who, if anybody, to contact for
help.
Custodial Parent--Whenever possible, the custodial parent should be in
charge of collecting child support from the noncustodial parent. Children who
see their mom and dad working together in their best interest will witness
problem-solving skills in action and know that their parents are both on their
team.
Government Child Support Enforcement Program--Each of the fifty states
provides child support collection services, regulated by the federal
government, to parents who are owed child support. These programs are great at
helping custodial parents locate the parents who owe, and have several
effective methods of making deadbeat parents pay their child support. They are
also free or cost less than private groups. Government child support programs
are often slow, however, and are not as aggressive as private agencies.
Private attorney--For typical attorney's fees, the attorney who helped draw
up the child support order can help parents collect the child support that they
are owed. Some parents who are reluctant to pay when asked by the custodial
parent, or who slip through cracks in state systems, are more willing to pay
when contacted by an attorney. Attorneys often work with government agencies,
helping parents collect more quickly.
Private Collection Agencies--Private child support collection agencies are
designed for parents who have tried everything to collect past-due child
support. They pride themselves on being able to locate hard-to-find parents,
and they use typical collections tactics to convince parents to pay. While they
boast high collection rates, these agencies are not cheap--they charge up to 25
to 30 percent of what they collect, plus any legal fees incurred. They can't
use some government tactics, such as tax intercepting, so think carefully
before contacting an agency of this type.