How to Collect and Enforce Child Support in California With a Father Not Paying the Full Amount

Collecting and enforcing your child support order may be difficult when the father of your child is not paying the full amount owed to you. California law allows for methods of support enforcement against your child's father to get the money owed, like wage garnishment, bank account seizure, license suspension and interception of tax return refunds. The father of your child is still considered in arrears if back support is owed, even if he is making partial payments.

Instructions

1

Calculate the amount the father is in arrears by. Visit the official website of the California Department of Child Support Services to view your account information online. You need to register and receive a personal identification number to use the online services to check the support payment history if you have not already done so. Write down the amount of support you are currently owed.

2

Write down all of the information you have about the father of your child. List his current place of employment and address, any assets he has, like a house, and the name of any financial institutional where he has bank accounts. Note if the father has a valid California driver or work-related license, like a broker's license, and whether or not you expect him to file an income tax return. Collect any supporting documentation you have, like a recent pay stub from the father.

3

Contact your local child support agency worker. Check the notices you received from the child support unit if you are unsure about your worker's contact information. Give the worker all of the information about the father you have and verify the arrears amount. Request that further enforcement action be taken against the father, like bank account seizure and license suspension, if possible.

4

Respond to all requests from the child support agency and your worker. You may be required to attend court hearings regarding further collection activity against the father.

5

File a complaint with the Complaint Resolution program if you are unable to get collection enforced through your local child support agency. Visit or contact your local child support agency and request the "Complaint Resolution" form. Fill out the form in full. File the complaint in person at your child support agency or by mail within 90 days of the event that is the basis of your complaint, like an unresponsive support worker.