When a child is born out of wedlock in Ohio, or when Ohio parents file for divorce, it is often necessary to arrange a child support agreement. This can be developed with your family law attorney during divorce proceedings, or through your county's Child Support Enforcement Agency.

It is necessary to come to an agreement that is in the best interests of the child and that each party will follow, because there are very serious consequences for neglecting a child support order. Not paying child support can result in restitution, fines and even jail time. Most often, this is dealt with through the Ohio court system, but in some cases the federal government becomes involved. Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published website to list the "Most Wanted Deadbeat Parents."

The federal government pursues child support offenders in cases where:

• The noncustodial parent does not live in the same state as the child and has refused to pay child support for more than one year.

• The noncustodial parent does not live in the same state as the child and owes more than $5,000 in child support.

• The noncustodial parent crosses state or national borders to avoid paying child support.

The federal government's "Most Wanted Deadbeat" is a New York man who reportedly owes more than $1 million in child support to his three children. According to the website, he has tried to avoid paying child support by lying about his income and moving out of the U.S.

In Ohio, there are a number of issues that are considered to determine child support payments. These include: current and past income, any pre-existing child support obligations, medical and dental needs of the child, tax deductions and more.

Child support orders, modifications and other issues can be pursued by the CSEA or a family law attorney.

Source: UpNorthLive.com, "Putting a face to deadbeat parents," Lauren Amstutz, Feb. 3, 2012