Understanding child support services in North Carolina

As any North Carolina parent will attest, raising a child can be expensive. They will further assert that it takes a village to raise a child. Thus, when a parent is caring for a child on his or her own, it can feel very overwhelming. Whether it is due to a split or a divorce, some parents will take on all or the majority of the childcare. In turn, that parent will seek child support from the other parent to address the financial burdens this causes the single parent.

North Carolina child support services

While child support can be secured in any state, each state has its own process to secure a child support order and enforce the order if it is not complied with. In the state of North Carolina, child support services are available to anyone in the state that needs help collecting child support.

In matters where the noncustodial parent cannot be located or paternity has not been established, child support services can assist with this. With as much personal information the custodial parent has, child support services could assist with locating the noncustodial parent. Additionally, if a mother seeks to prove paternity or a father wants to establish paternity, this too could be accomplished through child support services.

Establishing support obligations

In order to establish a child support obligation, a legal order must be made and specify the amount to be paid for the benefits of the child. The successful establishment of this order is dependent on critical factors, such as locating the noncustodial parent, determining the financial needs of the child and the noncustodial parent identifying what he or she can pay with regards to child support. Additionally, the obligation to provide medical support in the form of health insurance could be obtained as well.

Once established, child support services will collect and distribute child support payments. This can be accomplished through direct payments, income withholding and the interception of tax refunds. Additionally, if child support is not being paid, child support services can take various actions to remedy this, such as income withholding, claims on real or personal property or a court action.

Securing and enforcing child support can be a challenging and tedious effort for some parents. Thus, it is imperative that those dealing with child support issues fully understand the matter and the options he or she may have. This not only aids the parent in their efforts, but also helps ensure the best interests of the child are met throughout the process.