My Parents have not provided me support in Iowa. What can I do as a minor?

Full question:

I'm 15 years old living with my granny in Iowa. When I went to my granny's house, my parents used to send some money for my expenses every month. Now, it's been more than a year that I met my parents or received any money from them. What can I do?

• Category: Minors
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: Iowa

Answer:

You may move to the court against your parents for not giving you child support for more than year. In Iowa, if a parent doesn’t provide child support to his/ her child (who is below the age of 18 years) for more than a year then such a parent may have to face imprisonment up to 5 years or/and fine between 750 to 7500 dollars.
 
Iowa Code § 726.5 says:

“A person, who being able to do so, fails or refuses to provide support for the person's child or ward under the age of eighteen years for a period longer than one year or in an amount greater than five thousand dollars commits nonsupport; provided that no person shall be held to have violated this section who fails to support any child or ward under the age of eighteen who has left the home of the parent or other person having legal custody of the child or ward without the consent of that parent or person having legal custody of the child or ward. "Support", for the purposes of this section, means any support which has been fixed by court order, or, in the absence of any such order or decree, the minimal requirements of food, clothing or shelter. Nonsupport is a class "D" felony.”

Iowa Code § 902.9 says:

“ I. The maximum sentence for any person convicted of a felony shall be that prescribed by statute or, if not prescribed by statute, if other than a class "A" felony shall be determined as follows:
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e. A class "D" felon, not an habitual offender, shall be confined for no more than five years, and in addition shall be sentenced to a fine of at least seven hundred fifty dollars but not more than seven thousand five hundred dollars.”