As we reported last week, many single parents who are owed child support to help raise their children never see the money that they are owed, according to recently released statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.

In fact, just 41.2 percent of custodial parents received the full amount of child support that was owed to them in 2009. Many of these parents even had child support orders in place that required the non-custodial parent to pay.

In response to these shocking statistics, Forbes featured an article on what people who are not getting the child support or alimony payments can do. The sad reality, the article said, is that many ex-spouses simply don't honor what is spelled out in court orders for child support and alimony.

A custodial parent who is not receiving child support payments from a non-custodial parent can contact their state's Office of Child Support Enforcement for assistance. Each state is required under federal law to have one of these offices.

The Office of Child Support Enforcement has the authority to pursue the child support owed through a number of ways, including wage garnishing, tax return withholding and suspension of licenses.

When it comes to unpaid alimony, the process can be a little more difficult. In order to get a court order to garnish an ex-spouse's wages or take other action for unpaid alimony, the person who is owed the alimony must first go to court.

The spouse not receiving alimony must show the judge that the ex is in contempt of court for failing to pay alimony pursuant to a divorce decree. The non-paying spouse could even face jail time for noncompliance with the divorce decree.

As you can see, there are options available for people who are not paid the child support or alimony payments that they are owed. Of course, an experienced family law attorney can of help with the both of these processes, but particularly collecting unpaid alimony.

Source: Forbes, "How Can a Divorcing Woman Get the Child Support, Alimony She is Owed?" Jeff Landers, Dec. 14, 2011