Ensuring Your Divorce Settlement Payout Is Paid Timely

Divorce can be a tiresome process of giving and taking. It may take months or years for you and your husband to be able to reach an agreement on ancillary matters such as your settlement payout. Unfortunately, the tedious process may not end here.

Many husbands may fail to honour the financial terms of the divorce settlement. Every month, the payout may become increasingly difficult to collect. Fortunately, there are many ways to handle such a problem. For one, you may try to talk to your husband and learn why he is unable to make the payouts. If he proves to be too stubborn, you may also bring your complaint to the court with the help of your divorce attorney.

1. Talk it out with your husband.

Some couples can calmly discuss divorce-related issues without the interference of their attorneys or the court. Try to meet with your husband, and talk it out. Find out why he has been unable to make his settlement payouts. If you can reach an agreement, then you may not have to bring your case to the court.

2. Get in touch with your divorce attorney.

However, if your husband stops making the settlement payouts and refuses to coordinate with you, it might be best to get in touch with your attorney and to file a petition in the Family Court for enforcement of the court order.

3. File for an enforcement application at Family Court.

Before you go to the court to file the complaint, try to find out where your husband is located. Your presence may be needed by the court officer when he serves the summons to your husband.

As described by The Law Society of Singapore, the wife can easily file a complaint at the Family Court at Havelock Road. This complaint is filed in English. If you need assistance, you may easily request for an interpreter at the court.

4. After filing an enforcement application, the judge will be able to issue a variety of orders to get your husband to pay.

By filing an enforcement application, you may be able to recover the unpaid divorce settlement payouts. However, remember that only arrears up to a period of three years before the application may be recovered. As such, it is best to act immediately once your husband stops to pay for the agreed amount of settlement payout.

If your husband still declines to make the settlement payouts, then the judge can issue a variety of orders to get him to pay. For example, the judge can impose a fine as well as an imprisonment sentence on him. Your husband may be imprisoned for not more than one month for each month of unpaid payouts.

Aside from the fine and the imprisonment sentence, the judge may also give an attachment order. This order will be addressed to the employer of your husband. With such an order, the employer will have the authority to directly deduct the settlement payment out of the salary of your husband. If the judge decides to impose the attachment order, you may need to provide the court with the name of the employer and the address of the workplace.

More information: Marriage Matters and Divorce Issues in Singapore.