Child Support Payments During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What You Need to Know

During these uncertain times, information is swirling faster than many of us can keep up. Unfortunately, the conditions are also ripe for plenty of mis-information to spread.

Here at Vasquez de Lara Law Group, we understand that in times of crisis (and always), it’s imperative to rely on trusted resources for important information, especially when it’s about issues that matter most to our families.

What to Know About Child Support Payments During the Pandemic

In regards to child support payments, particularly payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, getting accurate information is essential to ensuring that you continue to comply with the law. Here is what you need to know in terms of legal responsibilities:

• Child support payments do not stop during the pandemic. A misconception we have heard in recent weeks is that child support payments are cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. That is absolutely not the case. While unfortunately many employees are facing layoffs and furloughs during this difficult time, that does not mean the responsibility of making child support payments stop. Payments should continue to be made directly to the state even if they are no longer coming out of paychecks. To learn more about how to do that, visit https://fl.smartchildsupport.com/ or get in touch with us.
• Ensure that you keep evidence of payments. It’s important to make child support payments any way a payor can, whether it is via cash, check, applications such as Venmo, Zelle, or others. Regardless of the method of payment, however, it’s critical to retain evidence of payments. For example, if you pay in cash, ensure that the recipient signs something detailing the payment, and always hold on to receipts.
• Partial payments are better than no payments at all. If child support payments stop, a payor will very likely end up in court. Making every possible attempt to make a payment, even if it’s a partial payment shows the courts that you had an intent to make a payment, which will be viewed more positively than if your child did not have any child support at all.

At Vasquez de Lara Law Group, we are here to support families any way we can throughout the pandemic and beyond. Join us daily at 9am ET on our Facebook page for a live stream. We’ll discuss new topics each day as well as answer your questions. Can’t join us live? Be sure to look through our video archives posted on our Facebook page to learn more about important family law issues.

As always, if you have any questions about how to navigate parenting, marriage, divorce, domestic abuse, or any other family concerns, please, get in touch with us right away to schedule a virtual consultation.