The automatic wage deduction takes the form of a court order to a third party, which is usually an employer, requiring automatic deduction from a paycheck. The support payment (which is a portion of the paycheck) is then mailed directly to the payee. The true beauty of this set-up it that the payor never really sees the money, so he or she is not tempted to spend it.

Some jurisdictions require an automatic wage deduction as a method for paying child support.

Your Suggestion

1. Establishing a Wage Deduction Order
   Not all states require this, so in those in which it is optional, it is often overlooked. In the states that require wage deuction, there is a standardized document that must be completed and signed by the judge (typically along with the final decree or judgment). This court order is then mailed to the employer and the employer must follow the requests of the court or face th eleagl repercussions.
   Contributed on 4/19/2007 by: DivorceDex.com Staff

   Category: Child Support   (Applicable in All States)
2. The Tricks of Wage Deduction
   If a payor has a very close relationship with the employer, he or she may be able to convince the employer to make adjustments to his or her salary, bonuses, and/or overall methods of payment in order to decrease future child support payments. This can be an uphill battle for a payee, so if you see this starting to happen, be sure to address it quickly, because before you know it, you will be in court with the payor because he or she is attempted to modify the existing support order to reflect his or her reduced income.
   Contributed on 4/19/2007 by: DivorceDex.com Staff

   Category: Child Support   (Applicable in All States)

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