HOW DOES THE CHILD SUPPORT PROGRAM WORK?

Your Cooperation is essential

How long it takes to receive child support depends on the facts in your case. You can speed the process by cooperating with our child support specialists. In fact, your cooperation is essential. For custodial parents receiving AFDC, failure to respond to our request for information or missed appointments may result in AFDC sanctions being imposed and your benefits reduced. Please understand that our child support specialists will use all available resources to resolve your case. You can cooperate by allowing us the necessary time to complete our research and case actions. You should follow the established procedures in our office for making status request. Frequent contacts with the Child Support Division that do not provide information that will benefit your case, can slow the process. However, if you have any new information about the non-custodial parent's location, employment history, social security number or prior court orders, please let us know. If you learn new information as your case progresses, by all means tell us.

How Long Will It Take?

Each case is unique and the time it takes depends on your geographic location,the location of the non-custodial parent, financial information of the non-custodial parent, local court procedures, and the action needed on your case. Cases that must be forwarded to another state can take much longer than a case handled in Indiana. Locating missing parents and scheduling court hearings also cause delays. Please bear with us. Because of limited staff and a staggering case load, delays are often unavoidable.

How Payments Are Handled.

If you do not receive AFDC, the Clark County Clerk collects support payments and forwards them to you. If you receive AFDC, support payments go to the State of Indiana as reimbursement for the money you receive through AFDC. If you have any questions regarding these payments, please contact your AFDC worker. A processing fee may be charged to the non-custodial parent for each payment received by the Clerk. Your child support specialist will discuss this with you.

Establishment of Court Orders

A court order is required in order to collect child support. If there is no order of the court for the payment of child support or health and hospitalization coverage, the Child Support Division can assist you in obtaining one.

Locate Efforts

To locate absent parents, the Child Support Division uses local and state locate resources such as motor vehicle registration, driver's license, employment files, and credit bureau reporting. In some cases, we can utilize social security, income tax and military service records through the federal government to locate absent parents.

Modifications

If you have a court order but believe that the amount of child support should be increased or decreased, the Child Support Division will review your support order according to the Indiana Child Support Guidelines, and will recommend a modification of the order, if appropriate.

Monitor Payments

The Child Support Division will monitor payments in your case. We will request the use of the Court's contempt power in those cases where the paying parent is delinquent in support payments. We will also keep tabs on the paying parent by requiring that there be a report back to court on a quarterly basis.