Child support lawyer in Almaty — a fair amount for the child and for the one who pays

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Child support lawyer reviews documents on child expenses with a father and daughter in Almaty

Free child support consultation, online available
We represent both recipients and payers
Agreement, court order or claim — we choose the route
Payer abroad — also solvable

Child support cases

We draft child support agreements that won't have to be challenged

We obtain child support through a court order or claim

We protect payers: reduction of the amount and release from arrears

We recover child support for a spouse and additional expenses for the child

We assist with recovery when the payer lives in another country

Gulnara Abisheva, specialist in child support and family disputes

Write to us: are you the recipient or the payer in this case, is there a court decision, and what is the other party's income. These three answers already show where to start.

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9^years

in alimony cases

Setting the amount, changing it, debts and disputes with enforcement officers.
40^%

of our clients are payers

Fathers and mothers who were ordered an unaffordable amount or whose debt was calculated incorrectly.
¼^{of income}

per child

The base share that the court may reduce or increase depending on the circumstances.
3^years

alimony for a spouse after childbirth

This is how much the mother of a common child is entitled to claim for her own maintenance.

Alimony agreement

We draft the terms — amount, deadlines, indexation, procedure for changes — and assist with certification by a notary.

Court order

If there is no dispute, we obtain an order for the recovery of alimony in shares without hearings and a lengthy process.

Claim for recovery of alimony

When a fixed sum is needed, income is disputed or claims are made against several payers — we handle the case in court.

Alimony for a spouse

Maintenance for the mother of a child under three, for a spouse unable to work and for the person caring for a child with a disability.

Protection of the payer

Setting aside a court order, objections to a claim, reducing the amount due to illness, new children or a drop in income.

Release from debt

We prove valid reasons for non-payment and secure full or partial release from the debt.

Challenging the enforcement officer's calculation

We reconcile payments, including card transfers, and secure a recalculation of the debt.

Payer abroad

Recognition of a Kazakhstan judgment in another country and control over salary deductions abroad.

Receiving or paying alimony? An alimony lawyer will work out what is fair

The first consultation is free. We will review incomes, child-related expenses and documents already issued, and tell you straight: whether a different amount can be achieved or whether it is better to reach an agreement.

Message us on WhatsApp +7 778 325 44 44

For mothers and fathers with whom the children live
For payers who have been ordered an unaffordable amount
For spouses on maternity leave and with a child with a disability

Cost

How much the services cost alimony lawyer

Guidelines for common alimony cases. The price depends on whether there is a dispute over income and whether court is needed — we quote the exact amount after the consultation.

Service	What is included	Cost
Alimony consultation	Review of the recipient's or payer's situation	free of charge
Draft alimony agreement	Amount, indexation, procedure for amendment	from 30,000 ₸
Application for a court order	Preparation and filing with the court	from 20,000 ₸
Claim for recovery of alimony	Claim, calculation, participation in the hearing	from 80,000 ₸
Alimony in a fixed sum of money	Evidence of expenses and income, hearings	from 150,000 ₸
Cancellation of a court order	Objections and a further agreement or claim	from 40,000 ₸
Reduction of alimony or release from debt	Claim by the payer with evidence	from 120,000 ₸
Challenging the calculation of arrears	Reconciliation of payments and a complaint against the enforcement officer	from 60,000 ₸
Recovery from a payer abroad	Recognition of the decision and control over enforcement	from 250,000 ₸

Prices are for reference and are not an offer. Notarisation of the agreement, translations and apostille are paid for separately.

Find out the cost for my case

How it works alimony lawyer

Which side

We establish whether we represent the recipient or the payer, and what already exists: an agreement, an order, a decision, a debt.

Income and expenses

We gather information on the payer's earnings and the actual expenses for the child — the amount depends on them.

Choosing the route

An agreement, a court order, a claim or a change in the amount — we explain the advantages and timelines of each.

Contract

We fix the scope of work and the price before we start — no extra charges along the way.

Attempt to reach agreement

We propose a settlement to the other party: it is faster than court and is enforced like a judgment.

Documents to court

An application for an order, a claim or objections — with calculations and supporting documents.

Hearings

We prove income, expenses and the circumstances that affect the amount of maintenance.

Enforcement

We pass the document to the court enforcement officer, check the deductions and verify the calculation of the debt.

Is the amount of maintenance beyond your means?

Write to us how much is being deducted and what has changed in your life — we will tell you whether there are grounds for revision.

Describe your situation

Team

Advocates and lawyers of the practice in Almaty

Defence in a criminal case, a court dispute and the documents for it — all within one team: the case is not passed between firms, it is handled by an advocate of the relevant profile.

Nurlan Beketov

Advocate for criminal cases

Defence from the moment of detention: participation in interrogations, appealing the preventive measure, work with expert examinations and the procedural agreement.

21 years of advocacy practice
Criminal cases, detention
Travel to the client at any time

Saule Tleubayeva

Advocate for family cases

Dissolution of marriage, determination of the child's place of residence and contact arrangements, alimony, division of the spouses' common property.

16 years of advocacy practice
Disputes over children and division of property
Work with guardianship authorities

Arman Doszhanov

Advocate for civil cases

Representation in court in contractual, housing, land and inheritance disputes, appeal and cassation.

12 years of advocacy practice
Courts of all instances
Advocate's requests and expert examinations

Dinara Yerzhanova

Advocate for economic and administrative cases

Defence of businesses and executives: tax and customs cases, searches and seizures, disputes with state bodies under the Administrative Procedural Code.

15 years of advocacy practice
Economic cases, inspections
Support during searches and seizures

Assel Kurmanova

Lawyer for civil cases

Prepares statements of claim, pre-action claims and calculations for the court case, gathers evidence and handles correspondence with government bodies.

14 years of practice
Documents for the court case
Pre-action procedure and claims

Gulnara Abisheva

Lawyer for family and social matters

Maintenance and property division agreements, consents for a child to travel abroad, documents for guardianship authorities and for court.

9 years of practice
Family agreements
Work with guardianship authorities

Practice

Recent case stories from our lawyers in Almaty

Details have been changed and anonymised: the content of the case is protected by professional privilege.

Notarised agreement

Father stopped paying under the agreement — enforcement started without court

Situation: During the divorce, the parents signed a notarised alimony agreement: 90 thousand tenge a month for their son until he comes of age. A year later the father changed jobs, stopped transferring money and told his ex-wife that "a piece of paper without a court means nothing".
What we did: The lawyer explained to the client that a notarised alimony agreement has the force of an enforcement document, and prepared an application to the court enforcement officer with a calculation of the debt for seven months. In parallel, he sent requests about the debtor's new place of work so that the enforcement officer could send the document there straight away.
Outcome: Enforcement proceedings were initiated within a week, and deductions from the new salary began the following month. The debt of 630 thousand tenge was paid off within six months together with the current payments, and no court was needed at all.

Defence of the payer

After a stroke, the father was assessed a debt of 1.8 million — he was released from most of it

Situation: The client paid alimony for two children amounting to a third of his income until he suffered a stroke and was granted disability group two. For almost a year he was treated and did not work, did not apply to change the amount, and the enforcement officer calculated a debt of 1.8 million tenge based on the average salary in the country.
What we did: The lawyer filed a claim for release from payment of the arrears and for a reduction in the amount of alimony. He attached extracts from the hospital and the rehabilitation centre, a certificate of disability and the amount of the benefit, documents on spending on medicines, and showed that during his illness the client continued to transfer small sums to the children.
Outcome: The court released the client from the debt for the period of treatment, leaving 310 thousand tenge payable for the months before the stroke. Alimony for the future was set as a fixed sum proportionate to his benefit.

Court order

The court order was set aside, even though the father was already paying more

Situation: The father voluntarily transferred 150 thousand tenge a month for his daughter — more than a quarter of his income — and paid for her school. After an argument, the mother obtained a court order for the recovery of a quarter of his earnings and claimed arrears for previous months, without mentioning the transfers.
What we did: The lawyer filed objections to the enforcement of the court order within the prescribed time limit, and the court set it aside. He then prepared a draft agreement on the payment of maintenance in a fixed sum with indexation and provision for school fees, and collected bank statements for all transfers marked "for daughter".
Outcome: The mother agreed to the agreement certified by a notary. The arrears for previous months were not recovered, and the transfers were counted as proper payment of maintenance.

Maintenance for the spouse

The husband left when the child was one — the wife secured maintenance for herself as well

Situation: The client was on parental leave and had no income of her own apart from the benefit. Her husband left the family and paid only a quarter of his official salary for their son, believing he owed his wife nothing.
What we did: The lawyer filed a claim for maintenance for the spouse until the child reached the age of three, in a fixed sum. He submitted a calculation of expenses, a statement of the benefit amount and evidence of the husband's income, including bonuses that were not reflected in the salary statement.
Outcome: The court awarded maintenance for the spouse in a fixed sum until the son turns three, in addition to child maintenance. The judgment is enforced by deductions from the husband's salary.

The payer is in Russia

The father moved to Novosibirsk — deductions began from his Russian salary

Situation: There was a judgment of a Kazakhstan court for maintenance, but the payer moved to Russia, found a job there and stopped paying. The arrears for a year and a half exceeded 1.2 million tenge, and the Kazakhstan enforcement officer could do nothing.
What we did: The lawyer prepared an application for recognition and enforcement of the judgment in Russia under the procedure provided for by international legal assistance treaties, with translation and certification of the documents. He established the debtor's place of work through mutual acquaintances and social media in order to name it in the application.
Outcome: The Russian court recognised the judgment, and the enforcement document was sent to the employer. Current maintenance is deducted from the salary, and the arrears are being paid off in instalments together with it.

A child with a disability

In addition to maintenance, the father was ordered to contribute to rehabilitation expenses

Situation: The client's daughter has cerebral palsy, and rehabilitation courses, massage and special equipment cost the family more than the maintenance they received — a quarter of the father's earnings. The father believed he was paying everything required by law.
What we did: The lawyer filed a claim for additional expenses caused by exceptional circumstances, attaching medical reports, a rehabilitation programme, clinic invoices and receipts for equipment for the year. He calculated the father's monthly share of these expenses, taking into account the income of both parents.
Outcome: The court ordered the father to contribute a fixed monthly sum towards rehabilitation expenses in addition to maintenance. Half of the equipment expenses already incurred was recovered separately.

Maintenance from the mother

The son lives with his father, and the mother refused to pay

Situation: After the divorce, the twelve-year-old son chose to live with his father, while the mother moved to Almaty and started a new family. No agreement on maintenance was reached, and the mother believed that "men pay maintenance".
What we did: The lawyer prepared a claim for maintenance from the mother, attaching the decision determining the son's place of residence and statements of her income obtained through the court. He explained to the client that the duty to support a child is the same for both parents, and proposed an agreement to the mother before the hearing.
Outcome: The mother refused the agreement, and the court awarded a quarter of her earnings per month. Deductions are made by her employer's accounting department.

Calculation of arrears

The enforcement officer failed to account for card transfers — the arrears were reduced by 2.3 million

Situation: The payer had been transferring money to his ex-wife's card for six years, but without stating the purpose of payment, while enforcement proceedings were also ongoing. When the child turned eighteen, the enforcement officer calculated arrears of 2.7 million tenge without taking a single transfer into account.
What we did: The lawyer requested card statements for the entire period and prepared a month-by-month reconciliation, showing the regularity and amount of the transfers. He gathered the correspondence in which the mother confirmed receiving money "for the son", and filed a complaint against the calculation of the debt, and then a claim to determine the amount of the debt.
Outcome: The court recognised the transfers as payment of alimony, and the debt was reduced to 400 thousand tenge for the months when there were no transfers. The freeze on the client's account was lifted after the remaining balance was paid.

Useful information

Alimony lawyer: how to award, change and challenge alimony

Saule Tleubayeva Family law lawyer

Published: 14 September 2026 Updated: 16 September 2026

Alimony situations are rarely simple. One parent goes for years without receiving the payments due and does not know where to start. The other, by contrast, receives demands that exceed his real means, or discovers a debt he knew nothing about. In each case mistakes are costly: you can lose time, money and the chance of a fair decision.

Many try to resolve the matter on their own: download a template application, reach a verbal agreement, stop paying in response to a ban on seeing the child. This leads to counterclaims, growing debt and damaged relationships. An alimony lawyer is needed to assess the prospects soberly, choose the right method of protection and prepare documents that the court will accept.

Alimony lawyer: when one is needed and where to start

When the payer hides income, understates it or disappears altogether, and the court enforcement officer does nothing, the proceedings drag on for months. If the dispute has turned into a calculation of debt or the recovery exceeds the payer's real means, the help of an alimony lawyer becomes not a formality but a way to protect interests.

It is worth looking into the situation if there is a court case coming up to determine the amount of payments, a challenge to a court order or a review of a decision that has already entered into force. It makes sense to consult a lawyer when the financial or family situation has changed: the court may change the amount of alimony, and where there are valid reasons for non-payment, release the payer from the debt that has accumulated. The involvement of an alimony lawyer helps to gather evidence of income, prepare objections and not miss procedural deadlines.

The payer evades payments or hides earnings
The amount of alimony is inflated relative to real income
A large debt has been assessed and is being challenged
The amount of payments set by the court needs to be changed
A court order has been received that the payer disagrees with

An alimony lawyer resolves disputes about children and a spouse

An alimony dispute is not only about minors. The law protects several categories of recipients, and a child alimony lawyer helps recover maintenance for each child up to the age of eighteen, and where necessary for an adult son or daughter as well. Adult children are entitled to alimony only if they are unable to work and need assistance, and the amount in each such case is determined by the court.

A separate line is maintenance for a spouse. A pregnant wife has the right to claim alimony during pregnancy and for three years from the birth of the common child. The same right belongs to a spouse in need who cares for a common child with a disability, and to a spouse who is unable to work and in need. Alimony lawyers for men handle payers' cases, proving that part of the deductions is unjustified or that the claim has been brought by the wrong person.

children under eighteen — for each child
adult children unable to work who need assistance
a wife during pregnancy and for three years from the birth of the common child
a spouse unable to work and in need, as well as a spouse caring for a common child with a disability, as well as a spouse caring for a common child with a disability, as well as a spouse caring for a common child with a disability

Alimony recovery lawyer: order or claim

In Kazakhstan alimony is recovered in one of three ways: a notarised agreement between the parents, a court order or a court judgment on a claim. An alimony recovery lawyer chooses the route not out of habit but according to the circumstances: whether there is a dispute about the amount, whether the payer's place of work is known, whether he receives income officially.

A court order is convenient when the claim is undisputed: it is issued without summoning the parties and is therefore quick. But the debtor has the right to file an objection within the established time limit, and the order is set aside — then the dispute moves to claim proceedings, where the court decides on the amount, frequency and types of income. This is where a lawyer's services for recovering alimony have the greatest effect: a lawyer helps to file for alimony properly both in undisputed and in disputed cases, but the tactics and the set of evidence differ.

Notarial agreement — no dispute, the parents themselves determine the amount and procedure
Court order — the claims are undisputed, the debtor does not contest them
Claim to court — there is a dispute about the amount, income or the composition of recovery

A lawyer for alimony determines the amount per child

Before filing documents, a lawyer for alimony works out what is more advantageous in the specific situation and what the calculation will be based on. As a general rule, alimony for minor children is recovered as a share of earnings or other income: one quarter for one child, one third for two, half for three or more children. If earnings are irregular, paid in kind or in foreign currency, or there are none at all, the court may award alimony in a fixed monetary sum or simultaneously in shares and a fixed sum; such a sum is indexed in proportion to the growth of the monthly calculation index. Then the lawyer for alimony assesses which circumstances will influence the court's decision.

The court determines the fixed monetary sum taking into account the financial and family situation of the parties and the interests of the child. In practice this means that evidence will have to be collected:

Certificates of income and other receipts of both parties.
Information on the composition of the family and the number of dependants.
Documents on expenses for the child and the child's needs.
Confirmation of irregular or in-kind income.

What a consultation with a lawyer for alimony includes

A consultation with a lawyer for alimony begins with a review of documents: the marriage certificate and the child's birth certificate, income certificates of both parties, account statements, correspondence about voluntary support. If the payer is already paying or deductions are made from wages, we look at the writ of execution, the court enforcement officer's decision and the calculation of arrears. At the consultation on alimony we calculate the sums under the rules of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Marriage (Matrimony) and Family: shares of income for one, two or more children, or a fixed sum if earnings are irregular.

An online consultation with a lawyer for alimony is convenient when the parties live in different cities or their schedule does not allow them to come: documents are sent as scans or photos, and the discussion takes place by video. The same review is available to a payer from whom more is being recovered than they can actually pay, or who has been assessed arrears. A consultant on alimony helps to predict the outcome of each method of recovery: a court order is issued without summoning the parties and is set aside if the debtor files an objection within the established time limit — then the claimant has the right to file a claim. Separately, we work out which strategy is more advantageous in the specific situation:

the amount of the share or fixed sum and the calculation of arrears
the choice of order or claim, the risks of the order being set aside
collecting certificates of the other party's income and property
the procedure for communication with the child and the parent's participation in expenses

A lawyer for alimony through a notary: an agreement

A notarial agreement is chosen when both parents are ready to reach an agreement without court: it is faster, cheaper and without public proceedings. Alimony through a notary is possible both for children and for a spouse — the main thing is that the parties themselves determine the procedure, method and amount of payments.

The agreement can only be made in writing and certified by a notary: without notarial certification it is invalid and has no force of a writ of execution. The key requirement is that the amount under the agreement cannot be lower than what the child would receive by a court decision, otherwise the agreement can be declared invalid. If later the terms cease to be suitable, the agreement can be amended or terminated — also through a notary or in court.

Written form and notarial certification are mandatory.
The amount is not lower than what a court would award.
Indexation and liability for delay can be provided for.
The force of a writ of execution — it can be presented to a court enforcement officer immediately.

Lawyer for alimony when varying and discharging maintenance

The amount of alimony is not set in stone. If, after the court's decision, the payer has another child, loses their job or becomes disabled, the court may reduce the payments. The recipient's grounds run the other way: the child has started school, medical expenses have grown, or the payer has started earning noticeably more — there is reason to raise the question of an increase. A lawyer for alimony in Almaty assesses how far the changed circumstances genuinely affect the payments and gathers supporting evidence: income statements, family composition, health documents.

Being fully discharged from payment is harder than having the amount reduced. The court looks at whether changes have occurred that make payment impossible, not merely inconvenient: serious illness, disability, prolonged loss of income. The applicant must also prove that their financial and family situation does not allow them to pay off the debt. A lawyer for alimony in Almaty helps determine which claim — reduction, increase or discharge — can realistically be substantiated in a given situation.

The birth of other children or dependants to the payer.
Loss of job, reduced income, disability.
Growing expenses on the child for the recipient.
A noticeable increase in the payer's earnings.

Lawyer for alimony challenges the arrears

The calculation of alimony arrears is prepared by the court enforcement officer, and this document determines how much will actually have to be paid additionally or withheld. If the amounts clearly do not match the income or withholdings, the calculation is challenged: first the court enforcement officer is asked to recalculate the arrears, and if they refuse, their order is appealed to the court. Here a lawyer on alimony matters is important — one who will check every period and spot arithmetic and legal errors. A question to a lawyer on alimony should be raised immediately after receiving the order, so as not to miss the deadline for appeal.

A separate line of dispute is the recovery of alimony for a past period. Alimony for the past time may be recovered within a three-year period from the moment of applying to the court, but only if the recipient took steps to obtain it: sent demands, applied to the court enforcement officer, kept the correspondence. Without such evidence the court will refuse beyond the period, so a lawyer on alimony cases first gathers the supporting documents and only then prepares the application.

The court enforcement officer's order on the calculation of arrears
Statements of income and withholdings for the disputed period
Written demands for payment and correspondence with the payer
Applications to the court enforcement officer and the replies to them

How much a lawyer for alimony costs: what it is made up of

How much a lawyer for alimony costs depends on what exactly has to be done: prepare a single document, conduct negotiations, or handle the case through court and enforcement proceedings. The more disputed issues there are — establishing paternity, challenging the arrears, determining the contact arrangements — the longer the process and the higher the time input. That is why a lawyer for alimony sets the price after studying the situation, not by a template.

For a lawyer's services on alimony, the cost is made up of the volume of work and the number of court hearings, the complexity of the case and the need for travel, as well as urgency: the faster the documents need to be prepared or objections filed, the more effort it takes. Support during enforcement proceedings is priced separately if the debtor evades payment.

Preparation and filing of an application for a court order or a claim
Conducting the case in the court of first instance and on appeal
Drafting an alimony agreement and having it certified
Recalculation of arrears and objections to the enforcement officer's claims
Support of recovery at the enforcement proceedings stage

A lawyer's help on alimony: the list of services

Legal assistance on alimony covers the whole path from the first calculation to the money actually arriving. First the lawyer determines whether you have a right to payments and what amount is due, then prepares the documents: an application for a court order, a claim to establish the amount, an agreement, an application for indexation. If a dispute is already under way, a lawyer's help on alimony includes representation in court: they gather statements of income, expenses and family composition, file motions, and present the reasoning for the position.

When the decision or order has entered into force and the money is not arriving, a lawyer's services on alimony do not end. The lawyer sends the documents to a private or state court enforcement officer, monitors enforcement, and where necessary challenges the amount, discharges the debt or, conversely, secures a recalculation in your favour. A lawyer's services on alimony also include work on objections: reducing the amount, removing an unjustified debt, changing a previously adopted decision.

Preparation of applications, claims, agreements and other documents.
Calculation of the amount and verification of deductions.
Representation in court in alimony disputes.
Interaction with the court enforcement officer.
Challenging arrears and revising the amount.

An alimony lawyer compares the methods of recovery

The choice of how to recover alimony determines how quickly the money starts coming in and how easy it will be to revise the terms. If the parents have reached an agreement, a notarised agreement is enough. Where there is a dispute but the claims are straightforward, a court order works: it is issued on application without summoning the parties and itself has the force of an enforcement document — it is passed straight to the court enforcement officer.

Complex situations require a claim: recovery in shares or a fixed sum, a dispute over the amount, claims against other family members, or where the child's place of residence is being decided at the same time. A legal consultation on alimony helps you see where the chosen route will lead and avoid a mistake — obtaining an order that then has to be set aside. A legal consultation on alimony should end with a clear plan of documents and actions, which is why a lawyer's consultation on alimony is built around the specific situation of the payer or the recipient. Legal assistance on alimony means working through the options before the application is filed, while there is still a chance to choose a convenient procedure.

Advantages and disadvantages of the methods of recovery
Method	Advantages	Disadvantages	When it is suitable
Notarised agreement	The parents set the terms themselves; indexation and the form of payment are possible	Mutual consent is required; the terms can only be changed together or through court	Willingness to agree and a stable income
Court order	Quick, on application, without summoning the parties	Strictly in shares; the debtor may object	A dispute only over the share of income
Claim for recovery	A fixed sum, shares, and child-related expenses are possible	Longer, with a risk of counterclaims	Hidden income, a dispute over the amount, other claims

The choice of method is determined by the payer's income, the existence of a dispute and the substance of the claims.

A child support lawyer selects the documents for court

Before filing, a child support lawyer checks the documents, because the choice of route — order or claim — depends on them. A court order is issued without summoning the parties and is set aside if the debtor files an objection within the prescribed period; the claimant may then bring a claim. If the claimant only obtains the set-aside after filing, time will be lost preparing everything again.

A judge assesses not the number of papers but their connection to the claim. Extra certificates will not help, and missing ones will have to be submitted later.

The package of documents is assembled with a margin: the court looks at confirmation of kinship, the payer's income and the composition of the family. When a lawyer handles the child support, they check every certificate against what the court actually requires. This reduces the risk that the case is returned or drags on. An approximate set looks like this:

the child's birth certificate and the document on the conclusion or dissolution of the marriage
a certificate from the payer's place of work on income and deductions
a bank statement or a document on the amount of income, if there is no official earnings
the calculation of arrears prepared by the court enforcement officer

What to check before filing
Document	Why it is needed	Common mistake
Birth certificate	Confirms kinship	No copy for the defendant
Income certificate	Shows the basis for calculation	The certificate is out of date
Calculation of arrears	Substantiates the amount of the debt	Calculated for the wrong period
Account details	Where to transfer the child support	The account is closed or belongs to someone else

The exact list depends on whether an order or a claim is filed and whether there is a dispute about the amount.

In alimony cases, the one who follows the procedure wins: chooses the order or the claim correctly, confirms income and expenses with documents, and avoids emotional steps such as reducing payments on their own.

Reviews

Client reviews of an alimony lawyer

4.9

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4.9 · 128

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4.8 · 94

2GIS

4.9 · 156

Zoon

4.7 · 41

Madina S. 3 September 2026

My ex stopped paying under the notarised agreement and even laughed that nothing would happen without a court. I went to a lawyer because on my own I didn't understand where to take the papers, and all that time only my money was going to the child. I had to wait a couple of days for an answer, and I later brought in one more certificate. But the agreement went straight to the court enforcement officer and deductions started within a month.