There are a variety of ways to enforce the payment of child support. Those seeking child support should submit their claim to a court and obtain an order for the payment of child support. The court may then take further action. The most common way a court collects child support payments that aren't voluntarily made is through a wage garnishment order, which directs the obligor parent's employer to deduct the child support payment from earnings and make payment directly to the parent who is owed, or the obligee. If a wage garnishment order is violated, the employer may also become responsible for the child support payments. Another way a court may collect child support payments is by executing an attachment or levy. If the obligor parent has money in a bank, a valuable automobile, or an investment in a mutual fund, an attachment or levy can be executed and the property is then seized or taken away and given to the obligee parent. In some instances, a federal or state tax refund may be intercepted before an obligor parent receives it and used as child support. An obligor parent may also have his or her driver's or professional license suspended in an effort to convince him or her to pay owed child support. If all other measures fail, many courts will implement jail time, incarcerating the parent who owes money.
