What To Do When Your Ex-Spouse Won’t Pay Child Support
When child support stops, daily life gets harder fast. You may feel frustrated, tired, and unsure what step actually works. Maryland gives you several ways to enforce a support order. Acting early can prevent arrears from growing and protect your child’s stability.
- Clarity: Learn the most common enforcement paths in Maryland.
- Documentation: Gather the records you will need for agency or court action.
- Accountability: Use available tools to collect ongoing support and past due amounts.
- Next steps: Understand when court motions make sense.
Start With The Basics
First, confirm the exact terms of your current child support order. Next, track what was due and what was actually paid. Save payment histories, messages, and any proof of missed payments. Clear records make every enforcement option easier.
Use Maryland Child Support Administration Services
Maryland’s Child Support Administration, sometimes referenced as the Child Support Enforcement Administration, can help track and enforce court ordered child support. You can open a case, provide updated employer information, and check payment activity through Maryland Department of Human Services resources. The main contact number is (800) 332 6347, and online options are available through the Maryland DHS Child Support Services site.
Once a case is active, the agency may use several enforcement tools to collect current support and arrears. Common tools include wage withholding, intercepting certain payments, and reporting arrears to credit bureaus. Enforcement can be effective, but timelines vary because the process runs through a government agency.
Maryland Child Support Services
Common Enforcement Tools The Agency May Use
- Income withholding: Support can be taken from wages and may also apply to unemployment insurance in eligible situations.
- Tax refund intercept: State and federal tax refunds may be intercepted for past due support when qualified.
- Lottery intercept: Certain lottery winnings may be intercepted for arrears.
- Credit bureau reporting: Past due support may be reported to credit bureaus.
- License action: Driver’s license or professional license action may be available when arrears reach required thresholds.
- Passport denial: Passport denial may apply in some cases when arrears meet the federal threshold.
Maryland updated its driver’s license suspension timeline effective October 1, 2025. Under the updated law, referral to the Motor Vehicle Administration generally occurs after 120 days out of compliance, with specific exceptions and eligibility rules.
Maryland Driver’s License Suspension Law Update
When Court Action May Help
Sometimes agency action is not enough, especially when the other parent hides income or ignores the order. Court options may help you get a clear ruling and stronger enforcement. The right motion depends on how far behind the payments are and what the other parent can realistically pay.
Motion To Compel Payment
A motion to compel asks the court to address missed payments and set a plan for catching up. The court may order a specific arrears payment amount on top of ongoing support. The judge may also order other compliance steps based on the facts.
Earnings Withholding Order
If the other parent has steady employment, wage withholding can be one of the fastest tools. The court can order an employer to withhold support from pay and send it to the proper payment channel. This option is harder when the paying parent is self employed or paid in cash.
Money Judgment For Arrears
A money judgment is a court determination of the total arrears owed. Once entered, additional collection tools may become available depending on the circumstances and the type of assets involved. This step can also help clarify the exact amount owed when there is a dispute.
Motion For Contempt
A contempt motion asks the court to find that the paying parent violated a court order. Judges usually focus on two questions: whether payments were missed and whether the parent had the ability to pay. Contempt findings can lead to serious consequences, which may include fines and in some cases incarceration, although outcomes depend on the facts and the judge’s discretion.
How The Burton Firm Helps Maryland Parents
At The Burton Firm, we help you choose an enforcement path, prepare clear documentation, and present your request in a way the court can act on. The Burton Firm is led by Aubrey Burton, Jr., a former U.S. District Court judicial law clerk licensed in Maryland, Washington D.C., and California with decades of family law experience. From our Upper Marlboro office we assist families across Prince George’s County and throughout Maryland with child support and custody matters.
Talk With A Maryland Child Support Attorney
If support is not being paid, you do not have to handle it alone. We can help you understand your options and take the next practical step. Call (301) 420-5540 to schedule a confidential consultation.