Types of child support fraud

Far too often, a former spouse or partner will choose to not respect the child support obligations that they have been assigned by a court. In some cases, a parent may even go as far as committing child support fraud to avoid paying assigned child support payments. Child support fraud is a serious offense that can ultimately lead to jail time for the offending party. Understanding child support fraud may help you avoid being either the perpetrator or victim of this crime.

One common form of child support fraud involves a parent choosing to under-report income. By under-reporting income, an individual may be able to reduce the size of required child support payments. This can be especially tempting to those who are self employed and accept cash payments in their business. Although it may seem like an easy fix to not report cash earnings as income, doing so in this case can bring charges of child support fraud.

For many years, it was a common tactic for a parent to relocate across state lines in an attempt to evade his or her child support responsibility. The Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act of 1998 mandates that a parent who engages in this activity can be prosecuted if he or she fails to pay child support obligations for a year and has an obligation of $5,000 or more.

Child support fraud can take many forms, but if you suspect that a former partner or spouse is dodging their obligations fraudulently, your California family law attorney is a good source of advice and guidance in the matter.

Source: Mademan.com, “What Is Child Support Fraud?,” Ana Jackson, accessed July 07, 2016