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Difference between revisions of "Child Support Arrears"

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Although recipients can enforce orders and agreements for child support on their own, most of the time recipients will give that job to the [http://www.fmep.gov.bc.ca/ Family Maintenance Enforcement Program] (FMEP). This a provincial government program under the provincial ''[http://canlii.ca/t/840m Family Maintenance Enforcement Act]'' which has been contracted out to an American company, Maximus (Themis).  
Although recipients can enforce orders and agreements for child support on their own, most of the time recipients will give that job to the [http://www.fmep.gov.bc.ca/ Family Maintenance Enforcement Program] (FMEP). This a provincial government program under the provincial ''[http://canlii.ca/t/840m Family Maintenance Enforcement Act]'' which has been contracted out to an American company, Maximus (Themis).  


FMEP is a free service for recipients whose purpose is to enforce child support and s. 7 expenses.
FMEP is a free service for recipients whose purpose is to enforce child support and Section 7 expenses (special and extraordinary expenses).  Please note that enforcement of Section 7 expenses through FMEP is not straightforward. You should contact FMEP to ask what they can or cannot do with respect to Section 7 expenses.


FMEP has no discretion to change the orders and agreements that are filed with it for enforcement, although it will make important, judge-like decisions about who is and isn't entitled to receive child support. FMEP cannot increase or decrease the amount of a child support obligation and it cannot reduce or cancel arrears of child support. If you are a payor who wishes to apply to court to reduce or cancel child support arrears, and the FMEP is involved in your case, you must serve FMEP as well as the recipient with your application.
FMEP has no ability to change the orders and agreements that are filed with it for enforcement, although it will make important, judge-like decisions about who is and isn't entitled to receive child support in cases of children over 19. FMEP cannot increase or decrease the amount of a child support obligation and it cannot reduce or cancel arrears of child support. If you are a payor who wishes to apply to court to reduce or cancel child support arrears, and the FMEP is involved in your case, you must serve FMEP as well as the recipient with your application.


For child support orders, there are additional ways to enforce child support that are not available for other orders.  Under the "Family Maintenance Enforcement Act", the recipient can get a continuing garnishing order so that money is taken from the payer's income every payday.  See Section 18 of the "Family Maintenance Enforcement Act".
For child support orders, there are additional ways to enforce child support that are not available for other orders.  Under the "Family Maintenance Enforcement Act", the recipient can get a continuing garnishing order so that money is taken from the payer's income every payday.  See Section 18 of the "Family Maintenance Enforcement Act".