If you find yourself working through divorce as a parent, you need to focus on a myriad of issues. Setting aside custody, the distribution of property and other divorce-related hurdles, you could have a lot of stress and uncertainty surrounding child support. If you expect to owe payments, you need to familiarize yourself with the process of paying support and have a clear understanding of your options.
In addition to helping you prepare, understanding different child support payment methods and how they differ can also decrease the chances of you falling behind.
Wisconsin child support payment methods
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families goes over the different ways that parents can make child support payments in this state. For starters, it is crucial to realize that most parents who owe support have payments taken from their checks through income withholding. However, some parents, such as those who owe back support, find themselves out of work or earn a living through self-employment need to find a different payment method.
In Wisconsin, you can pay support online through different platforms. You can also pay over the phone, by sending a payment through the mail or in person at various retail locations.
Child support fees and processing
If you need to find a different way to pay child support, you should look over the pros and cons of each option. For example, some payment methods result in registration fees as well as payment fees. Furthermore, processing times can vary. For example, it could take five business days or longer for the state to process your payments, which highlights the importance of paying child support in advance to stay current.