Each year, custodial parents are collectively owed billions in back child support by non-custodial parents. Even if you utilize the services of your local child support enforcement agency, it is common knowledge that these agencies are constantly backlogged, which means you will have to be proactive and do some investigative work to track down the other parent.

Keep It Quiet

Be sure to keep mum as to what you are up to. If you are trying to find the non-custodial parent without tipping him off, do not let anyone either of you know find out. The more people you tell, the greater the risk that the other parent will be told, causing them to possibly go further into hiding.

Make a List

Make a list of every detail you know about the non-custodial parent. Start by jotting down their full name, siblings’ names, parents’ names, their last known address, immediate family’s last known addresses, any schools they attended, and organizations of which they are a member. Do not forget about properties they own, people they have dated or married, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses.

Search Online

It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep your name off of the Internet, especially since the advent of MySpace and Facebook. You can get access to all types of public records from unpaid parking tickets and tax liens to marriage certificates and real estate purchases by going online.

Take the information you do have and plug it into a search engine query. Try looking for relatives or searching for their profiles on social networking websites. Eventually, the non-custodial parent will pop up and even give away additional clues or outright information as to their whereabouts.

Background and Public Record Searches

There are quite a few public record searching sites available online. And even though some of these services will give you information for free, most of these do require you to pay a fee before releasing any information. Typical record searching fees can range from $9.99 to $39.99, depending upon the plan and provider you choose. These sites will save you a lot of time and aggravation.