How Child Support Can Negatively Impact Your Second Marriage
Posted on Jun 22, 2020 9:00am PDT
Most people who have been married or married, divorced, and remarried can
attest that “marriage takes work.” With over 40 percent of
all first marriages ending in
divorce, it’s not very encouraging to learn that second marriages have an
even higher rate of divorce.
When you think about it, second marriages often involve blended families,
exes who are still in the picture because of the kids, child support, and
spousal support. Considering those factors, it’s understandable why a second marriage
may have more risk factors than a first.
If you pay
child support to your ex and you’re engaged or on your second marriage, it’s
important to be aware of the many ways child support can impact your second
marriage and not in a good way.
How Can Child Support Debt Affect My New Marriage?
Child support may seem harmless, but if you fall behind, the local child
support collection agency can take all kinds of enforcement actions against
you, which can add undue stress on your new relationship. Here’s
what you need to know:
- If you fall behind on child support and you owe $2,500 or more, you will
not be able to obtain a U.S. passport and you won’t be able to leave
the country. If you had a honeymoon abroad planned, this can put a wrench
in your plans.
- If you owe child support, your stimulus check may be reduced or eliminated entirely.
-
If you filed taxes jointly with your spouse, their portion of the stimulus
check can be taken to pay
your child support arrears.
- If you have a joint bank account with your spouse, funds can be seized
to pay your child support debt, even if the funds came from your spouse’s earnings.
- If you own a home with your new spouse, a lien can be placed for child
support, preventing you from refinancing or selling your home.
- Your driver’s license can be suspended, forcing your spouse to become
your chauffeur.
- If you have a tax refund due, it can be taken for child support.
- If you have a professional, business, or occupational license, it can be
suspended, preventing you from earning income.
- Your child support debt can be reported on your credit report, lowering
your FICO score.
- You can be arrested for contempt of court, fined, and jailed (this is usually
a last resort).
As you can see, delinquent child support debt can certainly add stress
to a new marriage. If you need help with a child support matter or need
to request a
downward modification, please
contact Arnold Law Group, APC to get started.