Collecting Support By Income Withholding

Dept. of Human Services, Oct 20, 2006

A parent can be required to pay child support by income withholding. Nationally, over 60 percent of child support is paid in this manner. Overdue child support can be collected from:

• Federal and state income tax refunds
• Liens placed on property
• Sale of property.

When past-due child support is owed, the following may occur:

• Unpaid child support can be reported automatically to credit reporting bureaus.
• Drivers, professional, occupational and recreational licenses can be suspended if the obligated parent is not paying required support.
• The U.S. State Department will deny a passport to someone who owes more than $5000 in back child support.
• Child support agencies have agreements with financial institutions to freeze and seize accounts of those identified as owing back child support.
• In certain states and under certain circumstances, criminal actions can be taken against chronic delinquent parents who owe large sums of child support.