Is child support money safe from debt collectors? by: Mary
Federal law exempts child support income from being taken by debt collectors trying to collect on a past due debt. So that money is safe. However, if the money is in an account with funds from other sources, a debt collector who takes you to court and wins a money judgment against you could freeze all of the money in your account to collect on its judgment and you would have to request a hearing to determine what portion of the money in your account is child support and what is from other sources. Since this process could take time, it's best if you are concerned about what a debt collector may do to you for you to keep your child support payments in an account that is totally separate from the rest of your money.
I would suggest that you not ignore the credit card debt that you owe. It is damaging your credit history and is apt to make it difficult for you to obtain additional credit when you need it, to obtain adequate insurance, get the job or promotion you may really want or even rent a place to live. One option is to contact a nonprofit credit counseling agency for help; another is to work with a reputable debt settlement firm which may be able to help you settle your debt for less than the full amount that you owe. To learn more about debt settlement, click here to listen to an interview I did with Michael Bovee, president of Consumer Recovery Network, a fair and ethical debt settlement firm debt settlement podcast.
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