Correct way to pay child support?

[Liverpool4evr]

Ok - so our case is almost over and child support is calculated.

I thought I would write her a check every month and mail it on the 1st but my employer said to find out where they can do it for me, meaning that he would garnish the amount owed, send it to the local child support authority and they would send it to her. I like the idea as I will never have to write and mail checks but is that the proper way to handle this? He said that he does this for other employees and not to think of the work garnishee as a deadbeat but that it avoids her saying she never got the check etc and that there is a trail from the company to the child support agency.

I emailed my attoryney on Monday but she's out for 2 weeks so I'll just mail a check this month but please let me know how you guys do it.

thanks

[RC211V]

In California and yeah, they take it from my paycheck. I think there's a $3 fee for the administration of it. I like that I don't have to mail checks and all that, and yeah I don't have to worry about tracking it. I see no reason not to do it that way and if she chooses to, all she has to do is file a request and get automatic deductions anyway, as far as I know.

[Liverpool4evr]

Does she have to file to do it that way or can I just contact the child support agency for North Carolina and do it that way?

[anonymous guest]

Most here seem to recommend using your state's child support agency. They will take it directly from your paycheck. It's recommended because there is a record of it and if you ever go to court being accused of not paying you can just have the agency provide proof.

[Fatheroffour]

Trust issues? Character issues?

State clearing house is the way to go.

[Liverpool4evr]

ACtually, I was just going to write her a check but the owner of our company (it's small, 30 employees) has been in 2 divorces and he calls me and says he'll gladly take it from my paycheck and have it sent to the agency on my behalf so I can start putting all of this behind me. He said he went through hell years ago that his ex said she didn't get checks when she did and it took him 6 months to prove it all and nothing happened to her so he wants to avoid any of that for me. Nice of him but I also wanted to ensure he knew what he was on about so I would check with you guys first!

[kmich91262]

Even if it is amicable, I would always suggest paying thru a third party whether it be thru the state CSA or as a bare minimum your banks bill pay system. Always remember that one day you could end up back in court explaining to your Honor why your behind in CS when reality you may not be.

I pay thru my bank's bill pay system and can account for every payment made, it clearly states on the front of the check what the payment is for (i.e. first half of child support for MM/YY), and can obtain copies of cashed checks with NJ's signature on the back. If done thru a third party, a disinterested third party has no interest of lying for you whether it has been electronically sent or the check mailed to the payee as directed.

If you pay directly IMO too much margin of error even in perfect circumstances. The payee can say they never received it, you never mailed it, and maybe a couple of other "excuses."

[Mossyhorns]

Here you can go to the court house and they will log your payment and put your check in a self addressed stamped envelope provided by the recipient so that it is legally logged if it is not held from your paycheck.

My x lovely bride is unemployed and has written enough hot checks that she doesn't even have a checking account, I bought a receipt book from Wal-Mart and I give her a receipt for cash when she pays her CS, I assume she is keeping up with the receipts.

[defaultuser]

I'm pretty sure you need a child support order to go through the state.

Depending on what you want, just keep the money until the court orders you to pay arrears based on X days, then cut her a check then. Legally, you aren't required to do anything else but that.

I paid support to my X before it was ordered, but I knew it was coming down. Her lawyer still tried to get the arrears. If I had to do it all over again, I would have just saved the money until the court ordered me to pay arrears, then I would have handed a check over in front of the judge.

[Chris A]

My place has direct deposit. Half goes in her acount and half goes in mine. Stated right on my pay stub