Finalizing a divorce has many hurdles to make before it’s done. Parents fight over various issues pertaining to financial matters, such as spousal support and property division while children may be left somewhat confused about the structure that their lives will take after divorce, which will be directly related to the financial support of both parents. In fact, child support is a very contentious issue in a divorce, so much so that in Texas, the state Attorney General’s Office enforces child support orders.
The child support program that is part of this Texas office is responsible for locating parents and collecting child support money. The department has offices located throughout the state where parents may apply for child support services directly. It may be difficult to predict how long it may take for child support services to take effect, depending on the kinds of services that are needed for a case.
While one case may require the entire range of services to be deployed, for instance, locating an absent parent or establishing paternity before collecting child support payments. In other cases, elaborate paraphernalia may not be required. There may be a divorce decree with an established court order and the employer may just have to withhold income.
Child support applicants are required to submit copies of the divorce decree and paternity acknowledgment if available, children’s birth certificates, documents that reflect payments, income and other assets to the department office. The custodial parents also need to furnish the child support office with the history of payments by the non-custodial parent.
Participating in a Child Support Review Process is another method through which parents can establish a child support order. The supporting parent will be automatically scheduled for a CSRP meeting. However, if matters become difficult, a custodial parent may also consider consulting a family law attorney to help obtain the support needed to raise a child.
Source: TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov, “Frequently Asked Questions,” Accessed on Dec. 30, 2014