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1. Where can I find general
information about Child Support Enforcement Services?
The
Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Program (referred to as the "IV-D"
program) is a cooperative effort between the Judicial and Executive
Branches of Connecticut government. The primary Judicial Branch
component of the IV-D program is the Support Enforcement Services Unit
of the Court Operations Division.
The Support
Enforcement Services Unit is responsible for the following aspects of
Connecticut’s IV-D program:
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Monitoring child support awards for compliance with financial,
medical insurance and child care orders
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Initiating court based enforcement actions such as income
withholdings and contempt applications
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Reviewing
financial support orders and initiating modifications when the order
substantially deviates from the Connecticut Child Support and
Arrearage Guidelines, and filing modifications to add medical
insurance orders
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Serving
as clerk of the court in interstate child support actions initiated
under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)
For more
information on the Executive Branch agencies involved in the Connecticut
Child Support Enforcement Program, click on the links listed below, or
contact Support Enforcement Services, Child
Support Call Center at
1-800-228-KIDS (5437) or
email us.
More information about paternity orders and other child
support services provided by the Dept. of Social Services.
More information about child support services provided by the
Attorney General.
PLEASE NOTE - Use of the Child
Support Enforcement Program is not mandatory. You may establish
paternity and/or support and enforce court orders without the assistance
of the IV-D program.
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2. What is the IV-D Program?
The IV-D
program (pronounced Four-D) is the technical name for government
administered Child Support Enforcement Programs. The term ‘IV-D’ comes
from Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, which is the program’s
federal enabling statute. In Connecticut, a case is considered IV-D if
the family has received public assistance benefits or if
an application for services was filed with either the Department of
Social Services or the Support Enforcement Unit.
Each state,
as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other territories,
have IV-D programs. All IV-D programs perform following activities:
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3. How can I obtain
case information?
If you
receive full IV-D services, or if your support payment is paid through
an income withholding order to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU), you
may get case information by:
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4. How do I get Child Support?
You must have
a court order to receive child support. A court order
for child support establishes the monetary support order for your
child(ren) as well as other orders for health insurance and child care.
Even if the non-custodial parent is willing to sign a voluntary
agreement to pay child support, it must be approved by a court. There
are three ways to get a court order for child support:
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Hire an
attorney to pursue your case in court.
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Represent
yourself in court.
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Apply for
child support services (IV-D) offered by the State. Child support
services are free of charge. Contact your regional office of the
Department of Social Services (DSS) for an application.
List of DSS
offices and telephone numbers.
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5. How are Support Orders
calculated?
The courts
use mandatory guidelines to make fair and consistent child support
orders.
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The
Connecticut Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines are state
regulations which provide a mathematical formula to set the child
support payment amount. The Guidelines use the combined income of
the mother and the father and the number of children to set a child
support amount.
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The court
will also enter a medical insurance order for the minor children if
it is available through an employer for a reasonable cost. The court
may also order one or both parties to apply for, and maintain,
medical coverage through the
HUSKY PLAN. The guidelines also provide for the
allocation of un-reimbursed medical costs between the parties.
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The
guidelines also provide a mathematical formula for allocating
qualified childcare costs between the parties.
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Judges
and family support magistrates must follow the guidelines unless
they make an exception in their ruling and tell you why they are
ordering a different amount. These exceptions are called
"deviations."
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The
amount of the child support order can change. Because child support
payments are based on income, the support amount may change as the
circumstances of the parents change.
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Click
here for a copy of the
Connecticut Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines, or
contact the Child Support Call Center at
1-800-228-KIDS or
email us. You may also get
a copy at any Judicial District Clerk's Office near you.
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6. How do I enforce a Child Support Order?
If you have applied for IV-D services, the Support Enforcement Services
Unit will enforce your child support order in court using three tools:
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Income Withholding
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all child support orders may be
collected through a court order to deduct money from the
non-custodial parent's income (Income includes wages, overtime pay,
worker's compensation, unemployment compensation, retirement
benefits, etc.).
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Contempt
- the court finds that the non-custodial parent willfully failed to
obey the court order. A person found in contempt may be ordered to
pay a lump sum of money. The person also can be sent to jail
(incarcerated) until a certain sum of money is paid.
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License Suspension
- the court finds the non-custodial parent failed to obey the court
order and orders his or her driver's license, professional,
occupational license, or recreational license suspended after 30
days.
You may also hire an
attorney to represent you and file court papers asking for a finding of
contempt, or complete and file court papers for yourself
(self-represented or “pro se”). The court papers you may need are the
Application for Contempt Order, Income Withholding, and/or other Relief
(JD-FM-15) - (PDF) or the
Motion for
Contempt (JD-FM-173) - (PDF).
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7. What if the non-custodial
parent lives out-of-state?
If the non-custodial parent moves out of state
and the Support Enforcement Services Unit is already enforcing your
case, the Unit will take the steps to collect child support from the
out-of-state parent. Some of the available interstate enforcement tools
include:
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Direct
income withholding (the filing of an income withholding with an
out-of-state employer)
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Registering your order in a new state to give the new state
authority to enforce the order
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Interstate real property liens
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Seizure
of financial assets
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Referral
to the U.S. Attorney for federal prosecution under the Child Support
Recovery Act and Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act, 18 U.S.C. Section
228.
If you do not
have a case with Support Enforcement Services, you can start an
"interstate" child support case by contacting the Department of Social
Services (DSS). DSS will assist you to establish a new court order or
enforce an existing court order.
List of DSS offices and
telephone numbers.
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8. How can my order be
enforced without going to court?
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Federal and State
Income Tax Offset (IV-D CASES ONLY):
Past due child support orders monitored
by the state are automatically matched against federal and state
income tax returns every year. To be included in the match, the
non-custodial parent must owe more than $500 if your children have
never received public assistance. If your children have received
public assistance, the amount past due must be $150 or more. The
non-custodial parent will receive a written notice about the past
due child support, proposing that his or her name be submitted for
tax offset. The non-custodial parent has the right to contest the
proposed tax offset. If the non-custodial parent’s name is
submitted, his or her tax refund will be intercepted to pay the
child support debt.
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Consumer Credit Reporting (IV-D CASES ONLY):
Overdue child support of more than $1000 is automatically
reported to the major credit reporting agencies as an overdue debt
on a monthly basis. The child support debt will be included on the
non-custodial parent’s credit report. The non-custodial parent will
receive a written notice about the overdue child support, proposing
that his or her name be submitted to credit reporting agencies. The
non-custodial parent has the right to contest the proposed
reporting.
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Liens against Property: Past due
child support of more than $500 may be collected through a lien
against the non-custodial parent’s real estate or personal property.
When the property is sold, the child support debt will be paid out
of the proceeds of the sale. In IV-D cases, the non-custodial parent
will receive a written notice about the past due support and
information that a lien has been filed on behalf of the custodial
parent by the state. The non-custodial parent has the right to
contest this action. NON-IV-D lien actions must be pursued
privately.
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9. How do I change or modify a
Child Support Order?
In Connecticut child support orders can only be changed (modified) by a judge or a family support magistrate. There are three ways to get your child support case to court for a hearing to ask a judge or family support magistrate to change your order: 1) ask Support Enforcement Services to assist; 2) hire an attorney; or 3) do it yourself.
If you are asking for the modification, you must attend the court hearing or the judge or magistrate will not change the order.
Using Support Enforcement Services:
If you have a child support case with the state child support program, you may ask Support Enforcement Services (SES) in writing, by phone or by e-mail to review your court order to see if a change may be needed. If your court order is from Connecticut and either parents’ income has changed enough that the support order is at least 15% higher or lower than the amount required by the child support guidelines, then SES will prepare the court forms and tell you the court hearing date. SES can also assist you if there has been a change in either parents’ circumstances such as the receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD), a change in custody or a change in incarceration status. If your court order is from another state, contact SES and ask how to change an out of state order. Please note that Support Enforcement Services employees are not attorneys and cannot represent either parent at court hearings.
Child Support Modification Request Form
for Military Reservist - Word
Doc or PDF version
Child Support Modification Request Form
- Word
Doc or PDF version
E-Mail SES
Telephone Numbers for SES Offices
Hiring an Attorney:
You may hire an attorney to file a motion for modification and represent you before the court.
Self Representation:
You may file a motion for modification and represent yourself in court (PRO SE). Click on the link for information
on how to file a modification on your own.
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10. How will I get my Child
Support Payment?
Non
IV-D Income Withholding customers must report name and address changes
to SES Non IV-D, P.O. Box 65, Vernon, CT 06066, or by calling
1-800-228-5437.
Services provided by the State
Disbursement Unit (SDU):
The SDU is responsible for all
functions associated with the processing of the income withholding
payment. These responsibilities are governed by CGS sec. 52-362 and a
contract between the SDU and the State of Connecticut. In general, you
can expect that the SDU will:
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Deposit all payments
collected pursuant to an income withholding within 24 hours
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Distribute all payments
collected pursuant to an income withholding within two business days
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Allocate payments in
proportion to support orders in situations where there are two or
more income withholding orders levied against an individual
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Answer payment inquiries
via a toll-free telephone number
(1-888-233-7223)
What the
SDU needs from you (IV-D Customer)
To insure the prompt processing of your child's support payment
the SDU needs accurate and up-to-date information. Any changes to the
information originally provided to the IV-D Program must be reported to
the Support Enforcement Services Unit office handling your case. This
includes:
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Change in either the
custodial or non-custodial parents' names
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Change of addresses
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Change in the
non-custodial parent's employment, or source of income
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Changes to the income
withholding order (such as the amount of the current support or the
establishment of an arrearage order)
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Termination of the income
withholding obligation
What the
SDU needs from you (NON IV-D Customer)
Non IV-D Income
Withholding customers must provide the state with information to allow
for the creation of an account with the SDU. Non IV-D customers MUST
complete a
Case
Input Record Non IV-D Income Withholding (JD-FM-150) and mail
it, along with a signed original
Withholding Order for Support (JD-FM-1), to SES Non IV-D, P.O.
Box 65, Vernon, CT 06066. The Non IV-D unit will create an account with the SDU and serve, via
certified mail, the withholding order on the employer (or source of
income).
Non IV-D Income
Withholding customers must report name and address changes, in writing,
to SES Non IV-D, P.O. Box 65, Vernon, CT 06066.
Changes in employment or
source of income, or changes to the income withholding order must be
recorded on the CASE INPUT RECORD NON IV-D INCOME WITHHOLDING
(JD-FM-150) and mailed to the PO Box listed above. The Non IV-D Unit will make
the changes necessary for the SDU to accurately process your payment.
Please refer to the instructions on the JD-FM-150 for further
information.
Contact the Non IV-D Unit
by
email.
Where can I send
my child support payment?
All child support payments should be sent by mail to the State
Disbursement Unit (SDU) at:
Connecticut - CCSPC
P.O. Box 990031
Hartford, CT 06199-0031
Employers send payments
to:
Connecticut - CCSPC
P.O. Box 990032
Hartford, CT 06199-0032
* SDU payment information
is available on the internet at
http://www.ctchildsupport.com.
Or you may contact them by telephone at 1-888-233-7223.
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11. Where are the Support Enforcement Service Unit Offices and what
are their telephone numbers?
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12. Are there any Child Support Publications available?
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13.
My employee is subject to Income Withholding. What does that mean for me
as the employer?
Employer
Information
Child support is often collected
through income withholding orders and is paid by the non-custodial
parent's employer out of the parent's wages. Income subject to
withholding may include:
Wages/salary/paychecks
Commissions
Bonuses
Unemployment
compensation
Worker's
compensation insurance
Retirement benefits
For a complete listing of
income subject to withholding, see
Connecticut General Statutes section 52-362.
Employer
Responsibilities
After an employer receives an income
withholding order, the employer must:
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Withhold money
from income or wages as required by the court order.
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Send payments
within seven days of withholding the money from the employee's wages
or earnings to the State Disbursement Unit as indicated on the
Withholding Order for Support (JD-FM-1).
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Continue to
withhold and send payments until you are notified by the court or a
state agency that the withholding order is suspended or changed.
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Honor multiple withholding orders for
the same employee the fullest extent possible. The state will
allocate the payment as appropriate.
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14. What if there is an Income Withholding Order from
another state?
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As of January 1, 1998, Connecticut
employers must honor Income Withholdings from other states in the
same manner as if a Connecticut court issued them.
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Upon receipt of an
income withholding from another state, the employer must give the
employee a copy of the income withholding order and a copy of the
claim form. The claim form is available at
www.ctchildsupport.com.
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The employer must
implement the withholding order regardless of a claim made by the
employee through the use of the claim form.
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15. Other Child Support
Resources:
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