Collecting child support

Parents in California may be interested in knowing that almost $33 billion in child support was collected in the 2016 federal fiscal year, according to the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement. Seventy-five percent of the funds collected was obtained by being withheld from people’s income. The OCSE is making certain recommendations to ensure that the system for collecting child support remains effective.

Requests for verification of employment are issued by child support entities to collect data on income, withholdings and the availability of health insurance so that child support orders can be executed. However, many of the requests that are issued to employers are forwarded to third-party processors, who then charge the child support agencies.

The OCSE is consulting with all parties involved to arrive at an equitable solution. However, according to one OCSE representative, states are on the verge of issuing notices to employers advising them that it is their obligation to respond to the notices and that the state agencies will not pay for having the requests processed.

Another part of the child support collection process is obtaining new-hire data. Employers are required by state and federal laws to report new hires and rehires within 20 days.

An issue arises when employers use one federal employer identification number when reporting their hires and then employ a different one for the same worker when filing quarterly wage reports. This results in duplicate records in the National Directory of New Hires and makes it difficult for states to determine which employers are not in compliance with their reporting for new hires.

An attorney who practices family law may advise clients about what steps should be taken to obtain child support or modify current child support orders. A lawyer may also initiate collections against parents who are failing to pay child support.