If you are going through a child custody battle or fighting for child support you know timely and complete payments are significant to your child’s welfare. The courts and the government understand this too. They have strict rules and harsh penalties in place for those who parents who do not pay on time.
Nevertheless, despite the state’s best enforcement efforts, some cases fall through the cracks. This is often due to a lack of resources available to child services and related agencies. When parents take drastic steps to avoid paying child support, a private investigator may be able to help obtain evidence to help state government take the required enforcement steps.
Reasons To Hire a Private Investigator
There are a number of circumstances in which it makes sense to hire a private investigator for your case.
You Do Not Know Where the Other Parent Working
If the employer of a parent who is not paying child support is known, the government can then take steps to have the child support payment deducted directly from his or her paycheck. However, some parents quit the old job and get a new one for the express purpose of making it harder for wage garnishment and other collection activities to take place.
You Do Not Know Where the Other Parent Is Living
Some parents take an even more extreme step to avoid child support by changing residences. While there are legitimate reasons to move, it is illegal to do so specifically to avoid child support obligations.
You Have Reason To Believe the Other Parent is Reporting Inaccurate Income
Your ex may claim to be struggling financially, but he or she may be living a lifestyle that contradicts this. That could mean living in a fancy house, driving a luxury car, frequenting expensive restaurants, etc. A private investigator can not only monitor your ex’s activities but also gather evidence to verify his or her income.
Techniques Available to a Private Investigator
When hiring a child support investigator, it is important to remember that private investigators are bound by laws that limit the steps they can take in an investigation. Nevertheless, the law affords a private investigator a lot of leeway to discover useful evidence for your child support case. The following techniques may come into play:
- Asset Search: This technique digs into your ex’s financials to discover assets that he or she may have attempted to hide.
- Surveillance: This involves observing your ex’s lifestyle to determine if it suggests her or she has more income than has been reported.
- Evidence Collection: This involves finding the documentation and other information to support your case. It may involve tracking down your ex’s current residence or employer.
Things To Know Before Hiring a Private Investigator
Before taking the step to hire a child support investigator, there are a few other pieces of information you should know.
A Private Investigator Is Not the Same as a Collection Agency
In other words, a private investigator does not attempt to collect a debt or communicate with your ex at all. Rather, the investigator will gather the necessary information and provide it to you and your attorney so that you can then pass it on to the appropriate agency.
Results Are Not Guaranteed
Just because an investigation takes place doesn’t mean the outcome will be what you want. A private investigator is limited to finding and gathering evidence. Sometimes there just isn’t enough evidence to find. Contact a specialist at ACS today for a No Cost Consultation today (248) 363-1360
