Hefty interest charges levied for delinquent child support

Keeping up with child support payments can be extremely daunting under the best of circumstances. However, if you are experiencing a financial setback due to an untimely event such as the loss of a job, you may be hard pressed to come up with money every month.

So perhaps you have been letting things slide in regard to your support payments, thinking that you can repay what you owe later. But this is not a good idea. You see, if you continue to bypass making your payments, you’ll likely end up footing a much larger bill than you expect. The state of California assesses a ten percent interest charge per year on delinquent child support. And these interest charges cannot be canceled by a judge.

It’s not unusual for a person to avoid paying child support when in financial distress. But not sending the check will only make things worse in the long run. And if you miss your payments for a prolonged period, the money you owe along with the interest accrued will likely create a monstrous bill that you will have to pay or face the possibility of incarceration.

So, if you are truly in such a precarious financial condition that maintaining your support payments is impossible, you may want to discuss the matter with a child support lawyer. You may be able to successfully seek a modification of your payment obligations. But to do so, you will have to convince a judge that you meet very specific criteria. A lawyer can assess your finances and if it appears you qualify for a modification, he or she could help you prepare to demonstrate as such in family court.