For many women, especially Black women and women of color who are often primary caregivers, understanding how child support laws work can be the difference between getting what’s owed and watching money slip away.
Attorney Stephanie R. Lindsey recently took to Instagram to break it down in plain language: unpaid child support doesn’t just come out of a personal injury settlement.
It can also be taken from lottery winnings, court judgments, or any other major payout.
She recalled a client early in her career who won the lottery.
The moment the winnings hit his account, the funds were immediately pulled to cover his overdue child support.
The same applies if someone owes you money from a lawsuit. That payment can be intercepted if they’re behind on support.
“The bottom line,” Lindsey says, “is people should be paying their child support when they’re supposed to. But if they don’t, there may be a way to collect what’s owed.”
For women fighting to receive long-overdue support, these laws can provide a powerful tool to ensure their children’s needs are met.
