The Office of Inspector General has introduced a new website. The purpose is to expose people who have neglected their child support payments in the most extreme circumstances. This website also raises awareness of how the Illinois residents might seek help from the federal government to enforce child support payments.

This website features a most wanted list of child support violators. They are the people who owe the most child support in the country, and have been skipping payments for long periods of time. Some on the list owe more than $100,000 and one even owed more than $1 million. The site features photos of the most wanted violators, as well as information that might lead to their arrests and how much each of them owes.

Although typically child support enforcement is a state responsibility, the federal government can step in during certain circumstance to help enforce payments. Federal enforcement of child support would be handled by the Office of Inspector General, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The violation has to meet the following criteria:

•· If the violator has not paid child support for over one year

•· The noncustodial parent violating the support agreement has left the state or country

•· The person in violation owes over $5,000 and lives in another state from the child

Each child support situation is different. If your child is owed child support in Illinois, it might be wise to consult with an Illinois family law attorney to see what option you might have for pursuing payment.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services New Release, "OIG Launches Child Support Enforcement Web Page: Introduces 'most wanted' list of deadbeat parents," Jan. 17, 2012