# Missing Child Support Payments Hurt More Than the Children | Brown Family Law

The amount of [child support](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/salt-lake-city-ut/child-support-lawyer/) one parent pays to the other can be determined by either the Utah court system or by means of divorce mediation. In divorce mediation, the parents decide how much is appropriate depending on the income made by each parent and how many children are in the household. As many people are aware, paying child support is not an option; it is a parental responsibility that every parent needs to fulfill to provide for their children as if they were still in the same house.

The federal Office of Child Enforcement has stated in a report that an estimated $108 billion in back child support payments are owed to custodial parents since 2009. There is no longer a debtor’s prison for parents that are not fulfilling their financial obligations, but there are alternatives for custodial parents who may be struggling to make ends meet. One way to help ensure payments are made and on time is through the use of payroll garnishments.

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Another method that may work is having the ex-partner spend more time with the child, which could enable the noncustodial parent to see exactly what the child’s needs may be on a daily basis. As an aside, extra contact may also help the child feel as though the other parent is still part of the his or her life. However, some parents have been known to hold visitation back as a bargaining factor. This includes actions like saying that if payments are made, weekend visits may be granted. However, this can harm the children in the long run because they are not being allowed to foster relationships with both parents.

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Utah child enforcement is there to make sure that children are being provided for after a divorce and that their needs are being met. The responsibility of child support payments rests with both parents. If they cannot agree on a support amount for the noncustodial parent, the state court system is set up to provide guidance and tools to help calculate child support.

**Source: **US News and World Report, [What to Do When Your Ex Won’t Pay Child Support](https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/child-support-laws-and-expectations), Geoff Williams, Nov. 20, 2013

Child Support Blog Posts:    [![Child Support Services in Utah](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/wp-content/uploads/child-support-services-in-utah-300x200.jpg)](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/child-support-services-in-utah/)

### [Child Support Services in Utah](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/child-support-services-in-utah/)

Parents in Utah may benefit from understanding more about some general information published by the Office of Recovery

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### [You Should Know What Child Support Covers](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/you-should-know-what-child-support-covers/)

When it comes to matters of child support, you and/or your former partner may have a variety of questions. Here is one

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### [Calculation for Child Support Available in Utah](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/calculation-for-child-support-available-in-utah/)

When you have a child and you are getting a divorce, the question of child support will come up. You and your spouse

[![Jail and Failure to Pay Child Support in Utah](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/wp-content/uploads/jail-and-failure-to-pay-child-support-in-utah-300x200.jpg)](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/jail-and-failure-to-pay-child-support-in-utah/)

### [Jail and Failure to Pay Child Support in Utah](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/jail-and-failure-to-pay-child-support-in-utah/)

Although there are few people who question that parents have an obligation to support their children, there are a

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Source: https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/missing-child-support-payments-hurt-more-than-the-children/