For many, spousal support is a means to support themself if they are unable to work or until they reach financial independence. But with the reliance on spousal support comes difficulties when your former spouse refuses to pay or is behind on payments. It can get frustrating if you are unable to pay your bills for rent, healthcare, and utilities while you wait for your former spouse to pay their court-ordered spousal support.
Approaches for Payment
If your former spouse is not paying your spousal support, the first thing you should do is contact a spousal support attorney. Bring a copy of your spousal support agreement and discuss the missing or lost payments in your initial consultation. Together, you and your lawyer will create a plan on how to approach the missing spousal support payments.
Letter From Your Lawyer
Sometimes, a letter from your attorney can remind your former spouse to pay their spousal support; however, you may need to try greater measures depending on the circumstances.
Court Ordered Enforcement
If the letter from your lawyer did not work and your spousal support payments are still outstanding, you may need to ask the court to order enforcement of payments. You and your attorney will document the missing payments and present them to the court when requesting the payment. The court can then order your former spouse to pay the spousal support as well as face the following consequences:
- Withholding wages from paychecks, or
- Garnishing of unemployment, workers’ compensation, or disability benefits.
The judge will order consequences as they deem fit while ordering your spouse to pay the missing spousal support payments.
San Bernardino Spousal Support Enforcement Lawyers
The legal team at Law Office of Michael R. Young is experienced in requesting court-ordered enforcement for spousal support.
If your spouse is missing spousal support payments, contact our spousal support lawyers today to discuss your options. We can help you determine what will be the best path for payment and guide you through the process of retaining your financial stability.