Child Support Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
In order to help you understand our process and requirements, we
have put together a list of Frequency Asked Questions (FAQs)
relative to Child Support.
Q. How do I get started collecting child support?
A. Your Child Support checks get started by a court order from a
divorce or a paternity determination. There is also an
administrative process through CSEA for establishing child support
orders.
Q. How long should I wait when I don't receive a check before I call
your office?
A. You can call the Voice Response Unit (VRU) at 1-800-860-2555
at any time to see if the non-custodial parent paid their current
support. If the non-custodial parent made a payment and it has been
in the mail at least ten (10) working days call your CSEA
investigator at their direct dial phone number for assistance.
Q. Why don't I get my ordered amount every month?
A. Although child support is administered monthly, it is paid by
payroll period. A company multiplies the monthly amount by 12 and
divides it by the number of payroll periods. Example: a $200 month
order would work out to be $200 x 12 months = $2,400 ÷ 26 pay
periods = $92.30 per pay period.
Q. Why are my checks for different amounts?
A. According to the law the family must get the current support
first. Because we go by payroll periods it normally takes more than
4 checks to fulfill the monthly obligation. Therefore, a fee (2% of
the monthly amount) comes out of the 3rd or 5th check in any given
month.
Q. Why can't you get you get an employer of the Non-Custodial Parent
to pay the child support when we know they are working?
A. We look for verifiable W-2 earnings. We use the reporting
system that ALL Ohio employers should use when they hire or re-hire
someone. We also use the State wage system that provides quarterly
earnings. If the Non-Custodial Parent is working unreported we
couldn't provide proof. The options at that point are: to request
they come into the office or we can request a contempt hearing to
bring the issue to the Court's attention, perhaps a seek work order
can be issued by the Court.
Q. I have been ordered to pay my child support to the Child Support
Enforcement Division.  Can I pay my child support directly to my
former spouse rather than to the Child Support Enforcement Division?
A. No. You must follow the support order and pay your child
support to the Ohio Child Support Payment Central (CSPC). Any
payment of money that you make under a support order to your former
spouse that is not made to the CSPC shall not be considered as a
payment of support and, unless that payment is made to discharge an
obligation other than support, shall be deemed to be a gift.
Q. My former spouse does not allow me to visit our children even
though I have court-ordered visitation. Do I have to pay child
support under the support order even though I am not seeing my
children under the visitation order?
A. Yes. Child Support and visitation are separate issues. You're
former spouses violation of a court order does not mean that you can
violate another court order. You should consider seeking legal
advice from an attorney to enforce your visitation rights. The Child
Support Enforcement Division has no authority to assist you with the
visitation issue.
Q. Who is my case manager and how can I contact him or her?
A. Please see SETS paperwork for case managers
name and direct phone number. You can also reach customer
service at 330-297-3791.
Q. Why is my check less at the end of the month when the
non-custodial parent pays the same
amount?
A. The county is eligible for an administrative fee (or poundage)
each month. It is not taken until the custodial parent has been
given the full amount of the monthly current support owed. When the
current support has been paid in full, then the county will take the
administrative fee, which is equal to 2% of the amount due.
Q. I didn't get my check - what should I do?
A. First, call the Voice Response Unit (VRU) at
1-800-860-2555 to see if the non-custodial parent paid. If the
non-custodial parent made a payment and it has been in the mail at
least ten (10)
working days call Customer Service at 330-297-3791
for assistance.
Q. How does the IRS Tax Offset program work?
A. If a non-custodial parent is behind in payments
by $500 or more, the IRS will
seize any refund that is due. IRS refunds are released to the
custodial parent the day after posting to SETS if there are no
assigned arrears (amount due owed Job & Family Services or formerly
Human Services) unless the absent parent filed a joint return. In
the case of a joint return, the IRS refund will be released in six
(6) months. If there are assigned arrears, they will be paid before
arrears owed the custodial parent.
The law allows the Child Support agency to intercept any federal or
state tax refund to pay delinquent child support or to reimburse the
state for welfare dollars. You should have received a letter on or
about October 1 of last year informing you of the plan to take your
tax refund.
Q. What is the difference between past care and a child support
order?
A. Past care is obtained as a judgment based upon retroactive or
back child support for the time period from the child's birth until
the date upon which paternity was judicially established. Current
child support is a court order effective from the date paternity was
judicially established until the age of majority.
Q. Am I entitled to past care judgment?
A. The Ohio Revised Code sections 3111.13 and 3111.15(A) requires
child support from the date of the child's birth up to the date of
the paternity adjudication and until the age of majority. However,
the State of Ohio is entitled to past care judgment for any time
period in which you received cash assistance for the child from the
State of Ohio.
Q. I want to file a Complaint to determine Paternity; will the court
address the issue of custody and visitation?
A. No, the court cannot address the issues of custody and
visitation until after the court has made the determination of
parentage. After the parent/child relationship has been determined
to exist, the non-custodial parent can petition the juvenile court
to hear the issues of custody and visitation.
Q. My attorney told me my child support payment would
"automatically" be deducted from my pay checks so don't worry about
paying.
A. Nothing in the Child Support System is "automatically" going
to happen. The CSEA will follow the instructions in the divorce
order and/or Juvenile Court paternity order. Wage withholding orders
are to your employer, not the CSEA. The Court order states when
payments are to begin and end and wage assignments do not supersede
the court order. Until wage deductions are in place, you
should mail checks or money orders to Ohio Child Support Payment
Central (CSPC), PO Box 182372, Columbus Ohio, 43218-2372.
Payments must include your name, SSN, SETS Case number and order
number.
Q. I thought my child support payment would automatically come to my
home the same time
each month. So where is my check?
A. It is extremely important that persons receiving spousal or
child support understand that in Ohio, child support is a "per
month" program. How many times money is deducted from someone's pay
and submitted to the CSEA has no bearing until a full-month has
expired. Therefore, if the Court order requires $500.00 per month be
paid, no official action can be taken by the CSEA until after the
month is completed and what money has or has not been paid, is
calculated.
When a payee receives money during a month period can fluctuate
greatly depending on when payment is actually received from an
employer when the check is issued in Columbus, when the check is
mailed from Columbus, when it gets to the post office in the local
area it is mailed to, and when the local post office delivers it to
the payee's house. Also remember, effective October 1, 2000 child
support payments from payroll deductions will no longer be received
at the County Child Support Agency. These payments, from employers,
will be directly sent to Bank One in downtown Columbus, posted to
accounts and mailed out from Columbus.
The State's voice-response system number is 1-800-860-2555 is
available on line daily to assist payee's concerning their child
support checks.
Q. My investigator told me my file is missing or lost! Is this true?
A. Absolutely not! All files of the CSEA are bar coded and
tracked by a records computer system. File folders can be misplaced;
however, between SETS, our records computer and the Court file, your
case information is never lost.
Q. Getting through on the telephone is very difficult. What is the
best way to contact the CSEA?
A. You're Right, telephone calls are the very last method to use.
The Child Support Agency is open for business Monday through Friday
from 8:00am to 4:30pm only. During business hours the CSEA workers
assist people living in Portage County plus anywhere else in the
State of Ohio. Phone calls and mail are received from all four
corners of America and also foreign countries.
The best way to
communicate with the CSEA is by registered mail or FAX. Make sure on
all written letters and FAX's you provide your full name, social
security number and court number from Domestic or Juvenile Court. If
you know your SETS case number please provide that also. Written
letters, FAX's and e-mails are date stamped when received and become
a permanent part of your case file. If you have access to the
Internet, e-mail,
Portage_CSEA@odjfs.state.oh.us. Once again,
make sure your e-mail has your name, the name of the other person on
the Court order and the Court case number.
FOR FASTER RESULTS………………………..
FAX requests or information to 330-297-4559,
ATTN:
Portage CSEA Customer Service (or the name of your case manager)
Q. I work during the day, so I had my relative call the CSEA for me
and they wouldn't talk to her or him. Why not?
A. That's right! The CSEA, by law, is only allowed to talk with
the two people whose names are listed on the Court order and/or
official administrative orders. The Child Support Agency files about
you are not a public record. Therefore, only you, if listed on the
court records, and this is especially true over the telephone, will
receive a response from the CSEA.
Q. I have left my name, my case number, my SETS number, my phone
number, everything you wanted. When can I expect an answer?
A. If you don't receive some type of response within 72 hours
(weekends and holidays don't count) from when you e-mailed,
telephoned and/or FAXed. Please contact us by FAX at 330-297-3847.
Q. Would it be better if I contacted my attorney or the CSEA?
A. By all means, if you have a private attorney handling your
divorce you should contact your attorney. The CSEA will work with
your private attorney as the law allows but the CSEA will not
overtake or replace a private attorney unless you have submitted a
written Child Support application form and been found eligible for
our services. You cannot use a private attorney and the CSEA at the
same time. It's one or the other.
Q. I moved a couple of months ago and my check was late. Didn't you
change my address?
A. In order for us to change your address in the computer, we
must have a written request from you. Please FAX or mail any change
of addresses, names, or other important information to CSEA
immediately. You can also drop off a signed Change of Address
request to the Customer Service Desk, 209 S. Chestnut Street, Room
201, Ravenna, OH 44266. Remember only the parties listed on the
Court Order can sign to have their address changed. We cannot accept
this information over a telephone call. Our mailing address is
Portage County CSEA, PO Box 1208, Ravenna OH, 44266-1208.
Q. I was told my support was to be paid the first of every month as
required by Ohio law.
A. Child support orders do not set a calendar due date for
payments. Ohio Child Support orders a "per month". Therefore the
payee has from the first to the 31st (or the end of the month) to
pay the court ordered amount. The person is not in default of paying
support until a minimum of 30 days has expired since the last
payment. Default means no payment was made. Arrearage may mean only
a partial payment less than the ordered amount was paid.
Q. I saw "poundage" on my last statement. What exactly does that
mean?
A. "Poundage" is another term for administrative fee. State law
allows the county to keep 2% of the total amount collected to pay
the costs for administering the program.
Q. When will child support terminate due to emancipation of my
child?
A. Emancipation is the legal term that is used when your child
becomes 18 years old or capable of living on his or her own. Under
Ohio Law, children will emancipate when they have reached their 18th
birthday and also have graduated (or withdrawn) from high school.
They must be attending an accredited high school on a full-time
basis for child support to continue beyond their 18th birthday.
Child Support cannot extend beyond the child's 19th birthday unless
the court has ordered this due to the child being mentally or
physically disabled and incapable of being self-supporting or the
parties have agreed to a longer term of support pursuant to a
separation agreement. If arrearages (or past due amount) are owed at
the time of the emancipation, income withholding will remain in
effect for the previously ordered amount until the arrearages are
paid in full.
Portage_CSEA@odjfs.state.oh.us
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Last Modified:
February 05, 2007 - Web Services by:
Department of
Information Technologies:
webmaster@portageco.com
Copyright 2006
Portage County. Ohio. All rights reserved.
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