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WASHINGTON CHILD SUPPORT COLLECTIONS MAY ATTACH LOTTERY WINNINGS

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Child support is mandatory once it is ordered in Washington. Noncustodial parents are most often ordered to pay for child support as a divorce proceeds. These payments typically last until the child reaches the age of majority, though they are subject to modification by the court that issued them.

When a non-custodial parent fails to pay child support, they can face court hearings and penalties. Collection efforts can be made by the custodial parent or state agencies tasked with such efforts. Many noncustodial parents who have fallen behind in their obligations find that they are the subject of garnished wages or intercepted tax refunds.

This is what could have happened to one man, and his story may be of interest to readers in Washington. The man recently won the Powerball jackpot that was listed at $338 million. After taxes, his lump sum payment was $152 million, a recent report notes. This information likely did not escape the ears of child support officials in his home state who say that the man owes $29,000 in back child support.

The man's winnings could have been garnished for the amount of child support towed. Such a garnishment would likely also occur in our state if a lottery winner owed back child support. However, before this occurred, the lottery winner paid the child support that he owed. When a person finds that they are owed such monies and their co-parent has been the winner of such a windfall, they may wish to review our states laws as they apply to their situation.