State Office of Child Support
Have a Child Support Order
and have been recently activated?
Protect Your Children and Yourself
Contact your State Child Support agency as soon as possible:
- If your income level has changed, or will change, you may be
eligible for the agency to review and adjust the amount of your support
order;
- If your support payments are being withheld from your paycheck, the
state agency can ensure the withholding is transferred to DFAS on a
timely basis to prevent or minimize missed payments. Also, ask your
current employer to notify the state agency of your deployment and to
provide all needed information;
- If you have a child support hearing scheduled, the agency can try
to move it up or let the court or hearing officer know your service
status;
- If your child support order includes health care coverage for
your child (medical support), your child is eligible for the military
health coverage TRICARE. The agency may be able to assist you in signing
your child up with DEERS;
- Remember - If you owe $5,000 or more past-due support, your passport
will be withheld until you make arrangements with your State Child Support
Agency for paying off the debt. Some states require the debt to be paid
off before your passport is made available.
Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act, CSS Letter 02-07
describes other provisions such as, restricted interest
rates on obligations incurred prior to activation. Please visit the following
link to review the notice for more
information: http://www.childsup.cahwnet.gov/pub/policy/css/2002/css02-07.pdf
Information can be obtained from state child support
enforcement agencies at
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/extinf.htm#exta,
OCSE Information Memorandum (IM)-01-09 at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/im-01-09.htm
and from DOD at https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/Legal
under "Family Law Matters."