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What the Government Needs To Do To Improve Child Support Enforcement

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Finding a Social Security Number to Collect Child Support

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Ask The Child Support Expert

Question: I recently went to court and for the first time in 9 years of dealing with my ex for support. I will now be going through the government child support collection unit. I will try to be brief. He is in arrears in the amount of $4700. The court ordered him to pay $50 a week to pay off the back support. Unfortunately, he was on unemployment at the time we went to court, so all I have received so far are four checks at $10 each from an attachment of his unemployment checks.

That stopped three months ago. I recently learned he has a new job. I thought the government collection unit was there to help make sure child support gets paid. So far they have done nothing and I am so far backed up with debt and bills. Please advise me how to get this government child support agency to work for my kids. Any help you can give is appreciated. Thanks.

- Alice

Answer: It usually helps to put your request for enforcement in writing. Send a copy of your request to your caseworker and the government child support enforcement agency director. If you need to find the name and address of the agency director, call the agency receptionist and ask in a professional manner (just like a secretary would), tell them you need to send the director a letter.

Write a clear and concise letter. Try not to cover more than one or two requests. Know what you want done, and ask for it specifically. Request a response within two weeks about the status of action on your case.

Need to know what action to request -- see child support case troubleshooting

Specifically in your case, ask for an income-withholding order for current support and payments on arrears be sent to his new employer. The government agency is mandated by federal and state child support laws to do this for you. As long as he working there, when the request is received by the employer, his paycheck will be attached to collect the child support payments due to your children. You should begin to receive child support payments with in 45 days. If not, go back to your caseworker and the agency director for another status report. Use that information to determine the next action you want taken to enforce your child support order.

- Geraldine Jensen

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HOW TO COLLECT CHILD SUPPORT 3RD EDITION