Collection Tools

All child support orders are required by law to be paid through an Income Withholding Order (IWO) also known as a wage assignment. If the parent paying child support is employed, the IWO will be sent directly to their employer. The employer will then deduct up to the amount requested but cannot exceed 50% of the gross income. This deduction is then sent by the employer to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU). If the paying parent is self-employed or works for cash, they are personally obligated to send payments directly to the SDU.

The person paying support may request a reasonable cost review to determine if the employer-sponsored health insurance policy is available at a reasonable cost.

Each month, payments made, and arrears (past due support) owing, are reported to the credit reporting agencies of TRANS UNION, EXPERIAN, EQUIFAX, and INNOVIS.

Delinquent child support cases are reported to all state licensing boards. The paying parent’s application for a new or renewed professional and or recreational licenses (for example cosmetologist, contractor, doctor, teacher, attorney, fishing or hunting) will be denied if payment arrangements have not been made with our department.

All delinquent arrears are reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Franchise Tax Board (FTB). These agencies intercept federal and state income tax refunds and send the intercepted refunds to the State Disbursement Unit.

All active child support cases are reported monthly to the Employment Development Department (EDD). EDD will withhold up to 25% of any unemployment or disability benefits being received to satisfy the monthly child support.

When a paying parent has a Workers’ Compensation claim, up to 25% of ongoing temporary workers’ compensation benefits can be withheld by Income Withholding Order (IWO) to pay current support and arrears. A lien may also be filed with the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) to satisfy any arrears that may have accumulated from the date the paying parent was injured.

If the department received information about a personal injury settlement, the department can request up to one hundred percent of the new amount of that settlement to satisfy arrears that may be owing.

A Notice of Support Judgment (lien) will be placed in any county in which property may be owned. Once the lien is filed, property cannot be sold or refinanced unless the arrears are paid in full, or other arrangements are made with the department.

When a case has accrued arrears in excess of $2,500 these arrears are automatically reported to the U.S. State Department, who in turn, will not issue or renew a passport until the arrears balance is paid in full.

A request may be submitted to a banking institution to remove funds from a bank account, Individual Retirement Accounts, and other financial securities. Bank levies sent to the financial institution will request the full amount of the arrears owed.

Lottery winnings from the State of California are automatically intercepted to pay arrears owed.

The court may order an unemployed or under-employed parent who is not meeting their monthly child support obligation to search for work. This parent will be required to search for full-time employment and provide the results of their search efforts to the court at a future hearing.

A contempt action may be filed if it is determined that the parent obligated to pay child support has knowledge of the order for support, the order is a valid order and has made no support payments.

The department can file a Writ of Execution with the court, which directs a person or entity holding personal property, bank accounts or other assets owned in whole or in part by the paying parent to turn over those assets to pay arrears owed.

We can work with other States and countries to establish, collect and modify child support orders. The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) provides rules for the collection of child support orders when the parents live in different states or another country.