Child support can be a hot topic of debate, especially when a parent falls behind on their payments. Both parents are obligated to support their children whether they are married or not. This means that parents are legally required to support their children, even if they are unemployed, on workers’ compensation, or if they suffer from a severe mental illness, if they are disabled, terminally ill, or if they are incarcerated.
But what if a noncustodial parent has a hard time, for example, what if they become disabled or they lose their job, what happens if they skip their child support payments? All kinds of bad things can happen. The paying parent’s bank accounts can be levied, they can be denied a U.S. passport, the late payments can be reported on their credit, their tax refund can be intercepted, their driver’s license can be suspended, their business or occupational license can be suspended, and their recreational licenses can be suspended.
If you’re a noncustodial parent who loves to hunt or go fishing, read on to learn how child support arrears can hinder your early morning and weekend recreational activities.
Are Your Recreational Licenses at Risk?
“All 50 states have statutory or administrative provisions authorizing the suspension or revocation of various licenses for failure to pay child support. The licenses affected generally are drivers, occupational, professional (e.g., law), business and recreational (e.g., hunting and fishing),” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
Here in Texas, the Office of the Attorney General can resort to license suspensions for noncustodial parents who owe three or more months of overdue child support, or who have made payment arrangements for overdue support but have failed to comply with a repayment schedule.
In Texas, the types of licenses that can be suspended or denied for child support arrears include:
- Business licenses
- Professional licenses
- Occupational licenses
- Driver’s licenses
- Recreational licenses (e.g. hunting and fishing)
- Other regulated activities that require a license or permit
What can you do to prevent (or resolve) your licenses from being suspended or denied? You can contact our firm so an attorney can help you work out an agreement with the appropriate child support enforcement agency. To get started right away, contact Goline & Roland Law Firm at (940) 400-0475.