What Can I Do If My Ex Stopped Paying Child Support?

 Posted on May 30, 2024 in Child Support

Parents are generally left to raise their children however they see fit unless there is any reason to worry that they are harming them. Married parents can make their own decisions about how they will pay for the many expenses involved in raising children and can figure out their own arrangements for the child’s accommodation without needing permission from anyone external.

This freedom to raise your children without input from others changes when you get a divorce. Suddenly, there are court-mandated schedules and payment plans to be followed. You might grow to expect that what is included in the divorce settlement is what will happen in reality,  and you might truly depend on monthly child support payments, budgeting around them. Unfortunately, sometimes one parent simply stops paying these without warning, which can leave the other parent scrambling to make ends meet. If your ex has suddenly stopped making their court-mandated child support payments, speak with a compassionate West Chicago, IL family law attorney who can explain your options for getting payments reinstated.

How to Reinstate Stopped Child Support Payments

There are three directions you can pursue when child support payments suddenly stop:

• Ask your ex: This is only an option for couples who maintain healthy, productive communication even after their divorce. Maybe this was an accident, and it slipped his mind, and now that he knows about it, he will promptly make the payment. Maybe he has lost his job and can no longer afford to make the payments but was embarrassed or uncomfortable telling you about it. You will not get any answers unless you ask the questions. If speaking directly with your ex is an option, it might be an efficient way to get to the bottom of why the payments stopped.
• Get help from DCSS: The Illinois Division of Child Support Services is an office specifically dedicated to this type of issue. They offer their assistance free of charge.
• Get help from a lawyer: If you can not afford to wait for DCSS to handle your case, a qualified attorney can review your case and address your issues faster. 

Schedule a Free Consultation with a DuPage County, IL Family Law Attorney

If your ex has suddenly stopped making the child support payments that you depend on for covering the costs of raising your child, speak with a skilled Winfield, IL child support lawyer. At Hensley Sendek Law, we understand how distressing it can be when something you were counting on does not appear. Call us at 630-358-9029 to schedule a free consultation and let us help you take control of the situation.