Quick answer: In Arkansas, all child support that becomes due and remains unpaid accrues interest at 10% a year, unless the owner of the judgment asks beforehand that it not accrue. Each accrued installment is a final judgment. Arrears stay collectible after the duty to pay ends.
This Arkansas child support arrears calculator adds up the unpaid principal and simple interest at the statutory rate under Ark. Code 9-14-233, and shows which enforcement thresholds a balance can meet. In an enforcement action the court must award a minimum of 10% of the support due, or a reasonable fee, as attorney’s fees, and collection can be by execution, contempt and other remedies. The court cannot reduce support that accrued before a motion to modify.
Arkansas child support arrears and interest at a glance
| Rule | What Arkansas says |
|---|---|
| Interest rate | 10% a year on child support that becomes due and remains unpaid (Ark. Code 9-14-233(a)) |
| Waiver of interest | Unless the owner of the judgment requests, before the interest accrues, that it not accrue |
| Each installment | A final judgment subject to garnishment or execution until a motion to modify is filed (9-14-234) |
| After support ends | The obligor keeps paying toward the arrearage, and withholding, intercepts and contempt remain available (9-14-235) |
| Time to sue | An action to recover arrears can be brought up to five years beyond the date the child turns 18; no limit if the parent leaves Arkansas to avoid payment (9-14-236) |
| License suspension | Delinquency of three months’ obligation or more, after notice (9-14-239) |
| Attorney’s fees | A minimum of 10% of the support due, or a reasonable fee, in an enforcement action (9-14-233(b)) |
How do child support arrears work in Arkansas?
- Rate and method. See the Arkansas child support interest rate.
- Collection. See what happens if you do not pay child support in Arkansas.
- Time limits and forgiveness. See whether Arkansas child support arrears expire or can be forgiven.
What does this arrears calculator check?
You enter the monthly support and the number of installments unpaid. The calculator figures simple interest at 10% a year on each unpaid installment from its due date, shows the minimum attorney’s fee the statute sets for an enforcement action, and flags the license-suspension condition (delinquent three months or more), the federal $2,500 passport threshold and the $10,000 criminal-referral amount. It does not model partial payments or the agency’s own calculation. To change the amount going forward, see the Arkansas child support modification calculator, and for when the obligation stops, the Arkansas child support end date calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the interest rate on child support arrears in Arkansas?
10% per annum on all child support that becomes due and remains unpaid, unless the owner of the judgment requests before the interest accrues that it not accrue (Ark. Code 9-14-233(a)).
Does Arkansas charge attorney’s fees on unpaid child support?
In an enforcement action the circuit court must award a minimum of 10% of the support amount due, or any reasonable fee, including a court-approved contingency fee.
Can an Arkansas court reduce child support arrears?
No. The court may not set aside, alter or modify a decree or order that has accrued unpaid support before the motion was filed, though it may offset time the noncustodial parent had physical custody with the custodial parent's knowledge and consent.
Do Arkansas arrears end when the child turns 18?
No. The obligor must keep paying toward the arrearage or judgment, and enforcement remains available until it is satisfied.
Can I lose my license for unpaid child support in Arkansas?
Yes. The office notifies the licensing entity to suspend a license when the obligor is delinquent three months' obligation or more, unless an installment agreement or other arrangements are made, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
Official sources
- Ark. Code 9-14-233: interest and attorney’s fees on unpaid support
- Ark. Code 9-14-234: support decrees as final judgments
- Ark. Code 9-14-235: continued payment of arrearages
- Ark. Code 9-14-236: recovering arrearages
- Ark. Code 9-14-239: suspension of license for failure to pay child support
- Ark. Code 9-14-241: referrals for criminal prosecution