New license options can help with child support issues

Failure to pay child support comes with a price, especially if a parent has gone a long time without paying at all. One consequence for nonpayment in Missouri is the revocation of a parent’s driver’s license. For working parents, losing the right to drive can put their jobs at risk and lead to an even greater struggle to pay and stay current with child support payments. One state has evoked a new law to help enforce child support orders while helping the paying parent avoid unemployment as a result.

The new law pertains to granting a restricted license for parents who are behind in payments. The thought behind the restricted license is that the parent will still be able to get to work and not fall further behind in payments. The parent applying for the restricted license must prove she or he works 30 hours a week and works more than a mile from home.

There are stipulations to the new law so as to keep a parent from taking advantage of having a license while behind on support. While having the license, the parent has stay current on payments. Further non-payment will result in that license being revoked. Also, the parent cannot use the restricted license for commercial driver’s license purposes or for attending school.

Once a parent falls behind in child support, that parent may have a difficult time catching up. Also, if a parent does not have steady employment, the chances of falling behind are simply increased overall. In Missouri, parents who are concerned about falling behind, missing payments or losing a license if they fail to pay may want to inquire as to when it may be appropriate to file for a modification to a child support order.

Source: herald-citizen.com, “New law could help parents paying child support maintain licenses”, Tracey Hackett, Aug. 31, 2015