The consequences of failing to pay child support on time include interest and penalty amounts assessed by the child support services division of your state’s Office of Attorney General, the department of revenue, or other government agency responsible for enforcing child support payments on behalf of the state. Penalties may also include court action (civil and criminal contempt charges); suspension of the obligor’s driver’s license; reporting the delinquency to creditor reporting agencies; denial or suspension of the obligor’s passport privileges; and liens on the obligor’s properties, bank accounts, life insurance plans, retirement plans, personal injury claims, and other assets.

In Alabama, if an individual fails to pay child support on time, they may face various penalties enforced by the Alabama Department of Human Resources, which oversees child support enforcement. Interest and penalty amounts can be assessed on overdue child support. The state may take court action against the non-paying parent, which can include civil and criminal contempt charges. Additionally, Alabama can suspend the delinquent parent's driver's license and report the non-payment to credit reporting agencies, which can negatively affect the obligor's credit score. The state also has the authority to deny, restrict, or suspend the obligor's passport privileges if the child support arrears reach a certain threshold. Furthermore, liens can be placed on the obligor's property, bank accounts, life insurance policies, retirement plans, personal injury claims, and other assets to secure the owed child support. These measures are intended to ensure compliance with child support orders and to protect the financial interests of the children involved.