When a parent ordered to pay child support (the obligor) fails to make the payments (is in arrears), the Office of the Attorney General in your state may take one or more actions to enforce the child support obligation. These enforcement actions may include court action (civil and criminal contempt charges); suspension of the obligor’s driver’s license; reporting the delinquency to credit reporting agencies; denial or suspension of the obligor’s passport privileges; and liens on properties, bank accounts, life insurance plans, retirement plans, personal injury claims, and other assets.
In Massachusetts, when a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, the Office of the Attorney General can take several enforcement actions. These actions include filing civil or criminal contempt charges, which may result in fines or imprisonment for the non-compliant parent. The state can also suspend the delinquent parent's driver's license and report the non-payment to credit bureaus, negatively affecting their credit score. Additionally, the state has the authority to deny or suspend the obligor's passport, making it difficult or impossible for them to travel internationally until they resolve their child support arrears. The Attorney General's office can place liens on various assets of the obligor, such as property, bank accounts, life insurance policies, retirement plans, and personal injury claims, to secure payment of the overdue child support.