If you pay child support, you’ve probably been tempted from one time to another to stop paying. Maybe you have good reasons. Perhaps you firmly believe the child isn’t yours. Or maybe you’re simply unable to pay. However, there are good reasons why you should always pay your child support. If you miss a credit card payment, that’s one thing. But if you miss a child support payment, you’re in danger of crossing into territory that can permanently damage your finances, your reputation, and, most importantly, your child.

Let me say that I’ve been on both sides of this equation. I’m a child of divorce. So I’ve seen my parents exchange child support payments depending on who I was living with. And I’m also the parent to a child who doesn’t live with me full time. I’ve made child support payments for the last fifteen years or so.

And what I’ve learned, from both sides of the equation here, is that there are plenty of reasons why you should always pay your child support.

Fulfilling Your Obligation

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat. Whether it’s been court ordered or not, you have an obligation to pay for the needs of your child. When you’re partnered with the child’s other parent, that’s pretty easy. But when you’re co-parenting and not part of a relationship, sometimes the requirements need to be codified. That’s where court-ordered child support payments come in. In theory, the court can choose an amount that’s fair for everybody.

Child support is a way of fulfilling your obligations for the time that you are not present with the child. This means that, when the child is with you, you are are responsible for food, clothing, and so on–your child support payments are not intended to fulfill any of those requirements. Instead, child support is intended to pay for the child’s needs during the times when you are not present. It may seem like a small distinction, but it’s quite important in the long run.

Consequences for Not Paying Your Child Support

If you’re thinking about ignoring your child support obligation, I should tell you that’s a bad idea. There are several reasons for this, both ethically and legally. Some of those consequences include:

    • The stress and damage caused to the child who, potentially, will not have his or her needs met
    • Damage caused to your reputation (this damage can be especially difficult to repair)
    • Not paying your child support could impact your credit score
    • In some jurisdictions, your driver’s license may be suspended if you do not pay child support
    • Some people may face jail time or a prison sentence if they fail to pay child support

Even if you do not pay, your obligation does not abate. In other words, your obligation will accrue, building every month. In other words, if you start missing payments, it’s only going to get harder to dig yourself out.

What if You Can’t Pay?

Of course, the question becomes: what if you can’t pay? Maybe you’re down on your luck. Perhaps you’re having a hard time finding a job. If you’re paying court ordered child support, it’s likely that you have a caseworker at the county level. It’s vital that you contact that caseworker and explain the situation.

If you can’t pay your child support obligation, the least you can do is communicate as to why.

The fact of the matter is, you should always pay your child support. There are so many consequences for not paying that obligation that, even if you don’t agree with the amount or the ruling, it’s still in your best interests to pay. You can always challenge the details in court. But you won’t have a leg to stand on if you haven’t been making payments.