If you owe child support arrears, you could lose sleep at night due to uncertainty about what will happen next. In Maryland, you could face a variety of penalties if you do not pay child support, and it is imperative to stay focused on doing what you can to get caught up.

In addition, these penalties highlight the importance of staying current. If you have concerns about your ability to keep making child support payments on time, do not hesitate to review potential strategies to make it easier to pay, such as modifying your child support order, establishing a payment plan and going over different payment options.

License suspension and other penalties for back child support

Maryland’s Department of Human Services covers some of the penalties parents can face for missing child support payments. For example, if you do not pay what you owe, you could have your driver’s license or professional license suspended. The government could also seize your assets, report your arrears to a credit agency or intercept your tax refund.

In fact, you can become found in contempt of court, leading to the possibility of arrest and time behind bars.

Other consequences due to unpaid child support

If you do not pay support, other hardships could follow. For example, you could lose the ability to use or receive a U.S. passport. Your reputation could suffer serious damage, which could carry over into many aspects of your life. You could face significant financial problems as well. Make sure you carefully go over strategies to avoid falling behind on child support and struggling with these serious penalties.