How do I get help with child support?

The kind of help you may receive with child support in Ohio depends on what side of the fence you are on. Are you struggling to pay child support or are you the parent struggling to collect child support to raise your child?

There are solutions available for both parties. The first step is identifying the problem or contributing factor and then attempting to rectify it. Here are some tips from USA Today.

Collecting child support

Regardless of the financial status of either parent, it takes money to raise a child and someone has to pay that bill. When both parents contribute, children generally live a better life with a higher standard of living. Without help from both parties, the custodial parent and child may struggle.

To collect on child support, you may either hire a private collections agency or take the matter to court. Before going to court, your ex may need to be as late as six months on payments. Hiring private investigators or an agency often helps many people to gather the information they need for a case. These experts usually work on a contingency basis.

Struggling to pay

Sometimes adults struggle to care for themselves, which can make caring for a child even more difficult. The lower the income available to the individual, the more likely this is. Even higher-earning non-custodial parents may struggle to pay if they change jobs or leave the workforce to start a business.

The first thing to consider is local state laws. States calculate child support differently and may have their own rules on punishments for failure to pay. If you have determined that you are unable to pay or to pay as much as is demanded of you, then consider a payment modification.

There is no guarantee that any of these tips will work. For this reason, parents often seek more specialized advice from professionals. Even so, it is a good starting point when first considering your options.

This article shares advice from USA Today on what to do if you have trouble paying for or collecting on child support. It should not be used as or in place of legal advice.