There are people in the state of Missouri who owe child support. On the other side of the equation, there are people who collect this payment from their child’s other parent every month.

Just because a child support order is issued does not mean a person is actually going to pay. As unfortunate as it may be, there are people out there who will do whatever it takes to dodge their responsibility, even if this means it could land them in jail.

The easiest and most efficient way to enforce a child support order is through wage withholding. This means the money is taken from a person’s paycheck, as opposed to relying on that person to remit payment on a monthly basis.

There are other ways in which a child support order can be enforced, including personal property liens and real estate liens. Since these methods are typically more time consuming, it is common for wage withholding to be considered first and foremost.

A civil contempt of court is when the court orders a person be sent to jail because he or she is not paying the ordered child support. This is a serious matter, but in some cases the court has no choice but to act in this manner.

The best thing for all parties involved, including the child, is for the parent to pay the support in full and on time every month. If a parent is finding it difficult to get the money owed, he or she may wish to consult with a family law attorney.

Source: The Missouri Bar, “Child Support in Missouri” Dec. 28, 2014