Can Child Support Be Paid In Cash In Florida?
All parents are obligated to provide for their minor and dependent children financially. When parents of a minor child get divorced or separated, one of the parents may be ordered to pay child support to the other parent.
When a parent has a child support obligation, they may wonder, “How should child support payments be made?” and “Can I pay child support in cash?” It is critical to review the terms of your child support order to understand how and when you should make payments in your specific situation.
Consult with an Orlando child support attorney to discuss your case and determine if you can make child support in cash.
Can You Pay Child Support in Cash?
The first step to determine whether or not you can pay child support in cash is to have an experienced attorney review the existing child support order. Many child support orders contain provisions regarding the method of payment.
If your child support order does not contain a provision that would specify how payment should be made and whether you can pay in cash, it means that you and your former spouse can choose the best method of payment that works for both parties.
There are the following child support payment methods:
- Cash
- Money order
- Check
- Direct deposit
For many divorced parents, paying a former spouse in cash is the easiest and fastest way to provide child support payments without the involvement of a third party such as a bank or another financial institution.
However, paying in cash offers no oversight, which may eventually lead to disputes regarding the payment of child support.
Keep Records of Child Support Payments Paid in Cash
If you are the recipient of child support and you agreed to receive payments in cash, it is critical to keep a record of all payments paid in cash. It is also equally important to keep records of late or overdue child support payments.
Organized and detailed records can serve as a crucial piece of evidence in the event of a dispute regarding child support. If your child support order contains a provision requiring the payor to pay child support through a third party, the payments will be overseen by the Florida State Disbursement Unit (SDU).
The SDU is a government entity that processes and sends child support payments and allows the payor to pay child support with a credit card or through a bank account.
Consult with an Orlando Child Support Attorney
If you are not sure if you should pay child support in cash or are embroiled in a dispute regarding the payment of support, speak with an attorney to discuss your particular case. If the payor refuses or fails to pay child support in cash, you may be able to enforce the order to ensure that you receive the payments.
Consult with our Orlando child support attorney at Arwani Law Firm to talk about your options. Call 407-254-0060 to schedule a case evaluation.