While many parents paying child support feel that the ordered support amount is unfair or that the custodial parent is not spending the support money on the children, it’s never a good idea to stop paying child support. Doing this can lead to severe consequences, ranging from wage garnishment to revoking your driver’s license, but as shown in the case below, sometimes it can also affect your livelihood itself.
According to reports, a Colorado dentist had his dental license suspended back in April after he failed to pay child support. This means that the dentist’s practice has now been shut down until the license is reinstated. A spokesman from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies stated that the dentist’s license would be reinstated when he was in compliance with the child support order per the Child Support Enforcement Unit.
Records show that the dentist’s wife filed for divorce in 2011, and the divorce was finalized on Dec. 22, 2011. The couple’s relationship resulted in at least one child, presumably the reason for the child support order, and court records indicate that a judgement was awarded for the man’s ex-wife in May 2013 for $2,885 that the dentist owed her. It’s unclear if this was related to the child support issue.
While your driver’s license or any professional license you hold likely won’t be suspended if you fall just a bit behind, it’s important to always pay your child support on time and in full to avoid heading down the path to arrears. If there is an issue that is preventing you from being able to pay your child support or you feel there has been a change of circumstances that warrants a modification of the support order, it’s best to talk with a family law attorney.
Source: The Denver Channel, “Boulder dentist suspended for failing to pay child support, state says,” Alan Gathright, Aug. 17, 2015
