Part D—Child Support and Establishment of Paternity
Part Referred to in Other Sections
This part is referred to in
§651. Authorization of appropriations
For the purpose of enforcing the support obligations owed by noncustodial parents to their children and the spouse (or former spouse) with whom such children are living, locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, obtaining child and spousal support, and assuring that assistance in obtaining support will be available under this part to all children (whether or not eligible for assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter) for whom such assistance is requested, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year a sum sufficient to carry out the purposes of this part.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §451, as added
References in Text
Part A of this subchapter, referred to in text, is classified to
Amendments
1996—
1984—
1981—
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by section 108(c)(1) of
For effective date of amendment by section 395(d)(1)(A) of
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Section 2336 of
"(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in the preceding sections of this chapter [sections 2331–2335 of
"(b) If a State agency administering a plan approved under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [this part] demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, that it cannot, by reason of State law, comply with the requirements of an amendment made by this chapter to which the effective date specified in subsection (a) applies, the Secretary may prescribe that, in the case of such State, the amendment will become effective beginning with the first month beginning after the close of the first session of such State's legislature ending on or after October 1, 1981. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term 'session of a State's legislature' includes any regular, special, budget, or other session of a State legislature."
Effective Date
Section 101(f) of
Short Title
This part is popularly known as the "Child Support Enforcement Act".
Study on Effectiveness of Enforcement of Medical Support by State Agencies
"(1)
"(2)
"(A) the Department of Labor;
"(B) the Department of Health and Human Services;
"(C) State directors of programs under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [this part];
"(D) State directors of the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act [subchapter XIX of this chapter];
"(E) employers, including owners of small businesses and their trade or industry representatives and certified human resource and payroll professionals;
"(F) plan administrators and plan sponsors of group health plans (as defined in section 607(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (
"(G) children potentially eligible for medical support, such as child advocacy organizations;
"(H) State medical child support programs; and
"(I) organizations representing State child support programs.
"(3)
"(4)
"(5)
"(A)
"(i) recommendations based on assessments of the form and content of the National Medical Support Notice, as issued under interim regulations;
"(ii) appropriate measures that establish the priority of withholding of child support obligations, medical support obligations, arrearages in such obligations, and in the case of a medical support obligation, the employee's portion of any health care coverage premium, by such State agencies in light of the restrictions on garnishment provided under title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (
"(iii) appropriate procedures for coordinating the provision, enforcement, and transition of health care coverage under the State programs operated pursuant to part D of title IV of the Social Security Act and titles XIX and XXI of such Act [subchapter XIX and XXI of this chapter];
"(iv) appropriate measures to improve the availability of alternate types of medical support that are aside from health coverage offered through the noncustodial parent's health plan and unrelated to the noncustodial parent's employer, including measures that establish a noncustodial parent's responsibility to share the cost of premiums, co-payments, deductibles, or payments for services not covered under a child's existing health coverage;
"(v) recommendations on whether reasonable cost should remain a consideration under section 452(f) of the Social Security Act [
"(vi) appropriate measures for eliminating any other impediments to the effective enforcement of medical support orders that the Working Group deems necessary.
"(B)
"(6)
Promulgation of National Medical Support Notice
"(1)
"(2)
"(A) conform with the requirements which apply to medical child support orders under section 609(a)(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (
"(B) conform with the requirements of part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [this part]; and
"(C) include a separate and easily severable employer withholding notice, informing the employer of—
"(i) applicable provisions of State law requiring the employer to withhold any employee contributions due under any group health plan in connection with coverage required to be provided under such order;
"(ii) the duration of the withholding requirement;
"(iii) the applicability of limitations on any such withholding under title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act [
"(iv) the applicability of any prioritization required under State law between amounts to be withheld for purposes of cash support and amounts to be withheld for purposes of medical support, in cases where available funds are insufficient for full withholding for both purposes; and
"(v) the name and telephone number of the appropriate unit or division to contact at the State agency regarding the National Medical Support Notice.
"(3)
"(4)
"(5)
Authorization of Appropriations
Subsec. 101(e) of
§652. Duties of Secretary
(a) Establishment of separate organizational unit; duties
The Secretary shall establish, within the Department of Health and Human Services a separate organizational unit, under the direction of a designee of the Secretary, who shall report directly to the Secretary and who shall—
(1) establish such standards for State programs for locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, and obtaining child support and support for the spouse (or former spouse) with whom the noncustodial parent's child is living as he determines to be necessary to assure that such programs will be effective;
(2) establish minimum organizational and staffing requirements for State units engaged in carrying out such programs under plans approved under this part;
(3) review and approve State plans for such programs;
(4)(A) review data and calculations transmitted by State agencies pursuant to
(B) review annual reports submitted pursuant to
(C) conduct audits, in accordance with the Government auditing standards of the Comptroller General of the United States—
(i) at least once every 3 years (or more frequently, in the case of a State which fails to meet the requirements of this part concerning performance standards and reliability of program data) to assess the completeness, reliability, and security of the data and the accuracy of the reporting systems used in calculating performance indicators under subsection (g) of this section and
(ii) of the adequacy of financial management of the State program operated under the State plan approved under this part, including assessments of—
(I) whether Federal and other funds made available to carry out the State program are being appropriately expended, and are properly and fully accounted for; and
(II) whether collections and disbursements of support payments are carried out correctly and are fully accounted for; and
(iii) for such other purposes as the Secretary may find necessary;
(5) assist States in establishing adequate reporting procedures and maintain records of the operations of programs established pursuant to this part in each State, and establish procedures to be followed by States for collecting and reporting information required to be provided under this part, and establish uniform definitions (including those necessary to enable the measurement of State compliance with the requirements of this part relating to expedited processes) to be applied in following such procedures;
(6) maintain records of all amounts collected and disbursed under programs established pursuant to the provisions of this part and of the costs incurred in collecting such amounts;
(7) provide technical assistance to the States to help them establish effective systems for collecting child and spousal support and establishing paternity, and specify the minimum requirements of an affidavit to be used for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity which shall include the social security number of each parent and, after consultation with the States, other common elements as determined by such designee;
(8) receive applications from States for permission to utilize the courts of the United States to enforce court orders for support against noncustodial parents and, upon a finding that (A) another State has not undertaken to enforce the court order of the originating State against the noncustodial parent within a reasonable time, and (B) that utilization of the Federal courts is the only reasonable method of enforcing such order, approve such applications;
(9) operate the Federal Parent Locator Service established by
(10) not later than three months after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the year 1977, submit to the Congress a full and complete report on all activities undertaken pursuant to the provisions of this part, which report shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A) total program costs and collections set forth in sufficient detail to show the cost to the States and the Federal Government, the distribution of collections to families, State and local governmental units, and the Federal Government; and an identification of the financial impact of the provisions of this part, including—
(i) the total amount of child support payments collected as a result of services furnished during the fiscal year to individuals receiving services under this part;
(ii) the cost to the States and to the Federal Government of so furnishing the services; and
(iii) the number of cases involving families—
(I) who became ineligible for assistance under State programs funded under part A of this subchapter during a month in the fiscal year; and
(II) with respect to whom a child support payment was received in the month;
(B) costs and staff associated with the Office of Child Support Enforcement;
(C) the following data, separately stated for cases where the child is receiving assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter (or foster care maintenance payments under part E of this subchapter), or formerly received such assistance or payments and the State is continuing to collect support assigned to it pursuant to
(i) the total number of cases in which a support obligation has been established in the fiscal year for which the report is submitted;
(ii) the total number of cases in which a support obligation has been established;
(iii) the number of cases in which support was collected during the fiscal year;
(iv) the total amount of support collected during such fiscal year and distributed as current support;
(v) the total amount of support collected during such fiscal year and distributed as arrearages;
(vi) the total amount of support due and unpaid for all fiscal years; and
(vii) the number of child support cases filed in each State in such fiscal year, and the amount of the collections made in each State in such fiscal year, on behalf of children residing in another State or against parents residing in another State;
(D) the status of all State plans under this part as of the end of the fiscal year last ending before the report is submitted, together with an explanation of any problems which are delaying or preventing approval of State plans under this part;
(E) data, by State, on the use of the Federal Parent Locator Service, and the number of locate requests submitted without the noncustodial parent's social security account number;
(F) the number of cases, by State, in which an applicant for or recipient of assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter has refused to cooperate in identifying and locating the noncustodial parent and the number of cases in which refusal so to cooperate is based on good cause (as determined by the State);
(G) data, by State, on use of the Internal Revenue Service for collections, the number of court orders on which collections were made, the number of paternity determinations made and the number of parents located, in sufficient detail to show the cost and benefits to the States and to the Federal Government;
(H) the major problems encountered which have delayed or prevented implementation of the provisions of this part during the fiscal year last ending prior to the submission of such report; and
(I) compliance, by State, with the standards established pursuant to subsections (h) and (i) of this section; and
(11) not later than October 1, 1996, after consulting with the State directors of programs under this part, promulgate forms to be used by States in interstate cases for—
(A) collection of child support through income withholding;
(B) imposition of liens; and
(C) administrative subpoenas.
(b) Certification of child support obligations to Secretary of the Treasury for collection
The Secretary shall, upon the request of any State having in effect a State plan approved under this part, certify to the Secretary of the Treasury for collection pursuant to the provisions of section 6305 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 the amount of any child support obligation (including any support obligation with respect to the parent who is living with the child and receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter) which is assigned to such State or is undertaken to be collected by such State pursuant to
(c) Payment of child support collections to States
The Secretary of the Treasury shall from time to time pay to each State for distribution in accordance with the provisions of
(d) Child support management information system
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall not approve the initial and annually updated advance automated data processing planning document, referred to in
(A) provides for the conduct of, and reflects the results of, requirements analysis studies, which include consideration of the program mission, functions, organization, services, constraints, and current support, of, in, or relating to, such system,
(B) contains a description of the proposed management system referred to in
(C) sets forth the security and interface requirements to be employed in such management system,
(D) describes the projected resource requirements for staff and other needs, and the resources available or expected to be available to meet such requirements,
(E) contains an implementation plan and backup procedures to handle possible failures,
(F) contains a summary of proposed improvement of such management system in terms of qualitative and quantitative benefits, and
(G) provides such other information as the Secretary determines under regulation is necessary.
(2)(A) The Secretary shall through the separate organizational unit established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, on a continuing basis, review, assess, and inspect the planning, design, and operation of, management information systems referred to in
(B) If the Secretary finds with respect to any statewide management information system referred to in
(3) The Secretary may waive any requirement of paragraph (1) or any condition specified under
(A) the State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the State has or can develop an alternative system or systems that enable the State—
(i) for purposes of
(ii) to submit data under
(iii) to substantially comply with the requirements of this part; and
(iv) in the case of a request to waive the single statewide system requirement, to—
(I) meet all functional requirements of
(II) ensure that calculation of distributions meets the requirements of
(III) ensure that there is only one point of contact in the State which provides seamless case processing for all interstate case processing and coordinated, automated intrastate case management;
(IV) ensure that standardized data elements, forms, and definitions are used throughout the State;
(V) complete the alternative system in no more time than it would take to complete a single statewide system that meets such requirement; and
(VI) process child support cases as quickly, efficiently, and effectively as such cases would be processed through a single statewide system that meets such requirement;
(B)(i) the waiver meets the criteria of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of
(ii) the State provides assurances to the Secretary that steps will be taken to otherwise improve the State's child support enforcement program; and
(C) in the case of a request to waive the single statewide system requirement, the State has submitted to the Secretary separate estimates of the total cost of a single statewide system that meets such requirement, and of any such alternative system or systems, which shall include estimates of the cost of developing and completing the system and of operating and maintaining the system for 5 years, and the Secretary has agreed with the estimates.
(e) Technical assistance to States
The Secretary shall provide such technical assistance to States as he determines necessary to assist States to plan, design, develop, or install and provide for the security of, the management information systems referred to in
(f) Regulations
The Secretary shall issue regulations to require that State agencies administering the child support enforcement program under this part petition for the inclusion of medical support as part of any child support order whenever health care coverage is available to the noncustodial parent at a reasonable cost. Such regulation shall also provide for improved information exchange between such State agencies and the State agencies administering the State medicaid programs under subchapter XIX of this chapter with respect to the availability of health insurance coverage.
(g) Performance standards for State paternity establishment programs
(1) A State's program under this part shall be found, for purposes of
(A) 90 percent;
(B) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 75 percent but less than 90 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 2 percentage points;
(C) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 50 percent but less than 75 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 3 percentage points;
(D) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 45 percent but less than 50 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 4 percentage points;
(E) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of not less than 40 percent but less than 45 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 5 percentage points; or
(F) for a State with a paternity establishment percentage of less than 40 percent for such fiscal year, the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus 6 percentage points.
In determining compliance under this section, a State may use as its paternity establishment percentage either the State's IV–D paternity establishment percentage (as defined in paragraph (2)(A)) or the State's statewide paternity establishment percentage (as defined in paragraph (2)(B)).
(2) For purposes of this section—
(A) the term "IV–D paternity establishment percentage" means, with respect to a State for a fiscal year, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) that the total number of children—
(i) who have been born out of wedlock,
(ii)(I) except as provided in the last sentence of this paragraph, with respect to whom assistance is being provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter in the fiscal year or, at the option of the State, as of the end of such year, or (II) with respect to whom services are being provided under the State's plan approved under this part in the fiscal year or, at the option of the State, as of the end of such year pursuant to an application submitted under
(iii) the paternity of whom has been established or acknowledged,
bears to the total number of children born out of wedlock and (except as provided in such last sentence) with respect to whom assistance was being provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter as of the end of the preceding fiscal year or with respect to whom services were being provided under the State's plan approved under this part as of the end of the preceding fiscal year pursuant to an application submitted under
(B) the term "statewide paternity establishment percentage" means, with respect to a State for a fiscal year, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) that the total number of minor children—
(i) who have been born out of wedlock, and
(ii) the paternity of whom has been established or acknowledged during the fiscal year,
bears to the total number of children born out of wedlock during the preceding fiscal year; and
(C) the term "reliable data" means the most recent data available which are found by the Secretary to be reliable for purposes of this section.
For purposes of subparagraphs (A) and (B), the total number of children shall not include any child with respect to whom assistance is being provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter by reason of the death of a parent unless paternity is established for such child or any child with respect to whom an applicant or recipient is found by the State to qualify for a good cause or other exception to cooperation pursuant to
(3)(A) The Secretary may modify the requirements of this subsection to take into account such additional variables as the Secretary identifies (including the percentage of children in a State who are born out of wedlock or for whom support has not been established) that affect the ability of a State to meet the requirements of this subsection.
(B) The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Congress that sets forth the data upon which the paternity establishment percentages for States for a fiscal year are based, lists any additional variables the Secretary has identified under subparagraph (A), and describes State performance in establishing paternity.
(h) Prompt State response to requests for child support assistance
The standards required by subsection (a)(1) of this section shall include standards establishing time limits governing the period or periods within which a State must accept and respond to requests (from States, jurisdictions thereof, or individuals who apply for services furnished by the State agency under this part or with respect to whom an assignment pursuant to
(i) Prompt State distribution of amounts collected as child support
The standards required by subsection (a)(1) of this section shall include standards establishing time limits governing the period or periods within which a State must distribute, in accordance with
(j) Training of Federal and State staff, research and demonstration programs, and special projects of regional or national significance
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there is hereby appropriated to the Secretary for each fiscal year an amount equal to 1 percent of the total amount paid to the Federal Government pursuant to a plan approved under this part during the immediately preceding fiscal year (as determined on the basis of the most recent reliable data available to the Secretary as of the end of the third calendar quarter following the end of such preceding fiscal year), which shall be available for use by the Secretary, either directly or through grants, contracts, or interagency agreements, for—
(1) information dissemination and technical assistance to States, training of State and Federal staff, staffing studies, and related activities needed to improve programs under this part (including technical assistance concerning State automated systems required by this part); and
(2) research, demonstration, and special projects of regional or national significance relating to the operation of State programs under this part.
The amount appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until expended.
(k) Denial of passports for nonpayment of child support
(1) If the Secretary receives a certification by a State agency in accordance with the requirements of
(2) The Secretary of State shall, upon certification by the Secretary transmitted under paragraph (1), refuse to issue a passport to such individual, and may revoke, restrict, or limit a passport issued previously to such individual.
(3) The Secretary and the Secretary of State shall not be liable to an individual for any action with respect to a certification by a State agency under this section.
(l) Facilitation of agreements between State agencies and financial institutions
The Secretary, through the Federal Parent Locator Service, may aid State agencies providing services under State programs operated pursuant to this part and financial institutions doing business in two or more States in reaching agreements regarding the receipt from such institutions, and the transfer to the State agencies, of information that may be provided pursuant to
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §452, as added
Amendment of Subsection (f)
References in Text
Parts A and E of this subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(10), (b), and (g)(2), are classified to
The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (b), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (a)(7).
1998—Subsec. (a)(10)(H) to (J).
Subsec. (d)(3).
"(A) the State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the State has an alternative system or systems that enable the State, for purposes of
"(B)(i) the waiver meets the criteria of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of
"(ii) the State provides assurances to the Secretary that steps will be taken to otherwise improve the State's child support enforcement program."
Subsec. (g).
Subsec. (l).
1997—Subsec. (d)(3)(A).
Subsec. (g)(1).
Subsec. (g)(2).
Subsec. (j).
1996—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(4).
Subsec. (a)(5).
Subsec. (a)(7).
Subsec. (a)(8).
Subsec. (a)(9).
Subsec. (a)(10).
Subsec. (a)(10)(A).
Subsec. (a)(10)(A)(i) to (iii).
Subsec. (a)(10)(C).
Subsec. (a)(10)(C)(i), (ii).
Subsec. (a)(10)(C)(iii).
Subsec. (a)(10)(C)(iv) to (vii).
Subsec. (a)(10)(E).
Subsec. (a)(10)(F).
Subsec. (a)(10)(G).
Subsec. (a)(10)(J).
Subsec. (a)(11).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(i).
Subsec. (f).
Subsec. (g)(1).
Subsec. (g)(1)(A).
Subsec. (g)(1)(B) to (F).
Subsec. (g)(2).
Subsec. (g)(2)(A).
Subsec. (g)(2)(A)(ii)(I).
Subsec. (g)(2)(B), (C).
Subsec. (g)(3)(A).
Subsec. (g)(3)(B), (C).
Subsec. (h).
Subsec. (j).
Subsec. (k).
1995—Subsecs. (d)(1)(B), (2)(A), (B), (e).
1994—Subsec. (g)(2)(A).
Subsec. (g)(2)(A)(i).
Subsec. (g)(2)(A)(ii)(I).
Subsec. (g)(2)(A)(ii)(II).
Subsec. (g)(2)(A)(iii).
1993—Subsec. (g)(1).
Subsec. (g)(1)(A) to (E).
"(A) 50 percent;
"(B) the paternity establishment percentage of the State for the fiscal year 1988, increased by the applicable number of percentage points; or
"(C) the paternity establishment percentage determined with respect to all States for such fiscal year."
Subsec. (g)(2).
Subsec. (g)(2)(A).
Subsec. (g)(2)(B).
1989—Subsec. (d)(2)(B).
1988—Subsec. (d)(1).
Subsec. (d)(3).
Subsec. (g).
Subsec. (h).
Subsec. (i).
1987—Subsec. (c).
"(1) There is hereby established in the Treasury a revolving fund which shall be available to the Secretary without fiscal year limitation, to enable him to pay to the States for distribution in accordance with the provisions of
"(2) There is hereby appropriated to the fund, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, amounts equal to the amounts collected under section 6305 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, reduced by the amounts credited or refunded as overpayments of the amounts so collected. The amounts appropriated by the preceding sentence shall be transferred at least quarterly from the general fund of the Treasury to the fund on the basis of estimates made by the Secretary of the Treasury. Proper adjustments shall be made in the amounts subsequently transferred to the extent prior estimates were in excess of or less than the amounts required to be transferred."
1986—Subsecs. (b), (c).
1984—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (a)(4).
Subsec. (a)(10)(C).
Subsec. (a)(10)(I).
Subsec. (c)(2).
Subsecs. (d)(1)(B), (2)(A), (B), (e).
Subsec. (f).
1982—Subsec. (b).
1981—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(7).
Subsec. (a)(10)(C).
Subsec. (b).
1980—Subsec. (a)(10).
Subsec. (b).
Subsecs. (d), (e).
1977—Subsec. (a)(10).
Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
"(A) October 1, 2001; or
"(B) the effective date of laws enacted by the legislature of such State implementing such amendments,
but in no event later than the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning after the close of the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date specified in subparagraph (A). For purposes of the preceding sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such session shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature."
[
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Section 5518(b) of
Amendment by sections 5540, 5541(a), and 5556(c) of
Effective Date of 1996 Amendments
Section 101(e) [title II, §215] of div. A of
Amendment by section 108(c)(2)–(9) of
Section 342(c) of
Section 346(b) of
Section 370(b) of
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Section 13721(c) of
"(1) October 1, 1993 or,
"(2) the date of enactment by the legislature of such State of all laws required by such amendments,
but in no event later than the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning after the close of the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 10, 1993]. For purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such session shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature."
Effective Date of 1989 Amendment
Section 10403(a)(1)(B)(ii) of
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Section 111(f)(1) of
Effective Date of 1987 Amendment
Section 9143(b) of
Effective Date of 1984 Amendments
Section 4(c) of
Section 9(c) of
Section 13(c) of
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Section 402(b) of
Section 405(e) of
Effective Date of 1977 Amendment
Section 504(b) of
Regulations
Section 122(b) of
Implementation of Performance Standards for State Paternity Establishment Programs
Section 111(f)(3) of
Requests for Child Support Assistance; Advisory Committee; Promulgation of Regulations
Section 121(b) of
"(1) Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 13, 1988], the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish an advisory committee. The committee shall include representatives of organizations representing State governors, State welfare administrators, and State directors of programs under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [this part]. The Secretary shall consult with the advisory committee before issuing any regulations with respect to the standards required by the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] (including regulations regarding what constitutes an adequate response on the part of a State to the request of an individual, State, or jurisdiction).
"(2) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking with respect to the standards required by the amendment made by subsection (a), and, after allowing not less than 60 days for public comment, shall issue final regulations not later than the first day of the 10th month beginning after such date of enactment."
Supplemental Report To Be Submitted to Congress Not Later Than June 30, 1977
Section 504(c) of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§653. Federal Parent Locator Service
(a) Establishment; purpose
(1) The Secretary shall establish and conduct a Federal Parent Locator Service, under the direction of the designee of the Secretary referred to in
(2) For the purpose of establishing parentage or establishing, setting the amount of, modifying, or enforcing child support obligations, the Federal Parent Locator Service shall obtain and transmit to any authorized person specified in subsection (c) of this section—
(A) information on, or facilitating the discovery of, the location of any individual—
(i) who is under an obligation to pay child support;
(ii) against whom such an obligation is sought;
(iii) to whom such an obligation is owed; or
(iv) who has or may have parental rights with respect to a child,
including the individual's social security number (or numbers), most recent address, and the name, address, and employer identification number of the individual's employer;
(B) information on the individual's wages (or other income) from, and benefits of, employment (including rights to or enrollment in group health care coverage); and
(C) information on the type, status, location, and amount of any assets of, or debts owed by or to, any such individual.
(3) For the purpose of enforcing any Federal or State law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child, or making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination, as defined in
(b) Disclosure of information to authorized persons
(1) Upon request, filed in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, of any authorized person, as defined in subsection (c) of this section for the information described in subsection (a)(2) of this section, or of any authorized person, as defined in
(A) is contained in any files or records maintained by the Secretary or by the Department of Health and Human Services; or
(B) is not contained in such files or records, but can be obtained by the Secretary, under the authority conferred by subsection (e) of this section, from any other department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States or of any State,
and is not prohibited from disclosure under paragraph (2).
(2) No information shall be disclosed to any person if the disclosure of such information would contravene the national policy or security interests of the United States or the confidentiality of census data. The Secretary shall give priority to requests made by any authorized person described in subsection (c)(1) of this section. No information shall be disclosed to any person if the State has notified the Secretary that the State has reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse and the disclosure of such information could be harmful to the custodial parent or the child of such parent, provided that—
(A) in response to a request from an authorized person (as defined in subsection (c) of this section and
(B) information may be disclosed to a court or an agent of a court described in subsection (c)(2) of this section or
(i) upon receipt of information from the Secretary, the court determines whether disclosure to any other person of that information could be harmful to the parent or the child; and
(ii) if the court determines that disclosure of such information to any other person could be harmful, the court and its agents shall not make any such disclosure.
(3) Information received or transmitted pursuant to this section shall be subject to the safeguard provisions contained in
(c) "Authorized person" defined
As used in subsection (a) of this section, the term "authorized person" means—
(1) any agent or attorney of any State having in effect a plan approved under this part, who has the duty or authority under such plans to seek to recover any amounts owed as child and spousal support (including, when authorized under the State plan, any official of a political subdivision);
(2) the court which has authority to issue an order or to serve as the initiating court in an action to seek an order against a noncustodial parent for the support and maintenance of a child, or any agent of such court;
(3) the resident parent, legal guardian, attorney, or agent of a child (other than a child receiving assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter) (as determined by regulations prescribed by the Secretary) without regard to the existence of a court order against a noncustodial parent who has a duty to support and maintain any such child; and
(4) a State agency that is administering a program operated under a State plan under subpart 1 of part B of this subchapter, or a State plan approved under subpart 2 of part B of this subchapter or under part E of this subchapter.
(d) Form and manner of request for information
A request for information under this section shall be filed in such manner and form as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe and shall be accompanied or supported by such documents as the Secretary may determine to be necessary.
(e) Compliance with request; search of files and records by head of any department, etc., of United States; transmittal of information to Secretary; reimbursement for cost of search; fees
(1) Whenever the Secretary receives a request submitted under subsection (b) of this section which he is reasonably satisfied meets the criteria established by subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section, he shall promptly undertake to provide the information requested from the files and records maintained by any of the departments, agencies, or instrumentalities of the United States or of any State.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the individual who is the head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States receives a request from the Secretary for information authorized to be provided by the Secretary under this section, such individual shall promptly cause a search to be made of the files and records maintained by such department, agency, or instrumentality with a view to determining whether the information requested is contained in any such files or records. If such search discloses the information requested, such individual shall immediately transmit such information to the Secretary, except that if any information is obtained the disclosure of which would contravene national policy or security interests of the United States or the confidentiality of census data, such information shall not be transmitted and such individual shall immediately notify the Secretary. If such search fails to disclose the information requested, such individual shall immediately so notify the Secretary. The costs incurred by any such department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States or of any State in providing such information to the Secretary shall be reimbursed by him in an amount which the Secretary determines to be reasonable payment for the information exchange (which amount shall not include payment for the costs of obtaining, compiling, or maintaining the information). Whenever such services are furnished to an individual specified in subsection (c)(3) of this section, a fee shall be charged such individual. The fee so charged shall be used to reimburse the Secretary or his delegate for the expense of providing such services.
(3) The Secretary of Labor shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary to provide prompt access for the Secretary (in accordance with this subsection) to the wage and unemployment compensation claims information and data maintained by or for the Department of Labor or State employment security agencies.
(f) Arrangements and cooperation with State agencies
The Secretary, in carrying out his duties and functions under this section, shall enter into arrangements with State agencies administering State plans approved under this part for such State agencies to accept from resident parents, legal guardians, or agents of a child described in subsection (c)(3) of this section and to transmit to the Secretary requests for information with regard to the whereabouts of noncustodial parents and otherwise to cooperate with the Secretary in carrying out the purposes of this section.
(g) Reimbursement for reports by State agencies
The Secretary may reimburse Federal and State agencies for the costs incurred by such entities in furnishing information requested by the Secretary under this section in an amount which the Secretary determines to be reasonable payment for the information exchange (which amount shall not include payment for the costs of obtaining, compiling, or maintaining the information).
(h) Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders
(1) In general
Not later than October 1, 1998, in order to assist States in administering programs under State plans approved under this part and programs funded under part A of this subchapter, and for the other purposes specified in this section, the Secretary shall establish and maintain in the Federal Parent Locator Service an automated registry (which shall be known as the "Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders"), which shall contain abstracts of support orders and other information described in paragraph (2) with respect to each case and order in each State case registry maintained pursuant to
(2) Case and order information
The information referred to in paragraph (1) with respect to a case or an order shall be such information as the Secretary may specify in regulations (including the names, social security numbers or other uniform identification numbers, and State case identification numbers) to identify the individuals who owe or are owed support (or with respect to or on behalf of whom support obligations are sought to be established), and the State or States which have the case or order. Beginning not later than October 1, 1999, the information referred to in paragraph (1) shall include the names and social security numbers of the children of such individuals.
(3) Administration of Federal tax laws
The Secretary of the Treasury shall have access to the information described in paragraph (2) for the purpose of administering those sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which grant tax benefits based on support or residence of children.
(i) National Directory of New Hires
(1) In general
In order to assist States in administering programs under State plans approved under this part and programs funded under part A of this subchapter, and for the other purposes specified in this section, the Secretary shall, not later than October 1, 1997, establish and maintain in the Federal Parent Locator Service an automated directory to be known as the National Directory of New Hires, which shall contain the information supplied pursuant to
(2) Data entry and deletion requirements
(A) In general
Information provided pursuant to
(B) 12-month limit on access to wage and unemployment compensation information
The Secretary shall not have access for child support enforcement purposes to information in the National Directory of New Hires that is provided pursuant to
(C) Retention of data for research purposes
Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), the Secretary may retain such samples of data entered in the National Directory of New Hires as the Secretary may find necessary to assist in carrying out subsection (j)(5) of this section.
(3) Administration of Federal tax laws
The Secretary of the Treasury shall have access to the information in the National Directory of New Hires for purposes of administering section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or the advance payment of the earned income tax credit under section 3507 of such Code, and verifying a claim with respect to employment in a tax return.
(4) List of multistate employers
The Secretary shall maintain within the National Directory of New Hires a list of multistate employers that report information regarding newly hired employees pursuant to
(j) Information comparisons and other disclosures
(1) Verification by Social Security Administration
(A) In general
The Secretary shall transmit information on individuals and employers maintained under this section to the Social Security Administration to the extent necessary for verification in accordance with subparagraph (B).
(B) Verification by SSA
The Social Security Administration shall verify the accuracy of, correct, or supply to the extent possible, and report to the Secretary, the following information supplied by the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A):
(i) The name, social security number, and birth date of each such individual.
(ii) The employer identification number of each such employer.
(2) Information comparisons
For the purpose of locating individuals in a paternity establishment case or a case involving the establishment, modification, or enforcement of a support order, the Secretary shall—
(A) compare information in the National Directory of New Hires against information in the support case abstracts in the Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders not less often than every 2 business days; and
(B) within 2 business days after such a comparison reveals a match with respect to an individual, report the information to the State agency responsible for the case.
(3) Information comparisons and disclosures of information in all registries for subchapter IV program purposes
To the extent and with the frequency that the Secretary determines to be effective in assisting States to carry out their responsibilities under programs operated under this part and programs funded under part A of this subchapter, the Secretary shall—
(A) compare the information in each component of the Federal Parent Locator Service maintained under this section against the information in each other such component (other than the comparison required by paragraph (2)), and report instances in which such a comparison reveals a match with respect to an individual to State agencies operating such programs; and
(B) disclose information in such components to such State agencies.
(4) Provision of new hire information to the Social Security Administration
The National Directory of New Hires shall provide the Commissioner of Social Security with all information in the National Directory.
(5) Research
The Secretary may provide access to data in each component of the Federal Parent Locator Service maintained under this section and to information reported by employers pursuant to
(6) Information comparisons and disclosure for enforcement of obligations on Higher Education Act loans and grants
(A) Furnishing of information by the Secretary of Education
The Secretary of Education shall furnish to the Secretary, on a quarterly basis or at such less frequent intervals as may be determined by the Secretary of Education, information in the custody of the Secretary of Education for comparison with information in the National Directory of New Hires, in order to obtain the information in such directory with respect to individuals who—
(i) are borrowers of loans made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [
(ii) owe an obligation to refund an overpayment of a grant awarded under such title.
(B) Requirement to seek minimum information necessary
The Secretary of Education shall seek information pursuant to this section only to the extent essential to improving collection of the debt described in subparagraph (A).
(C) Duties of the Secretary
(i) Information comparison; disclosure to the Secretary of Education
The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Education, shall compare information in the National Directory of New Hires with information in the custody of the Secretary of Education, and disclose information in that Directory to the Secretary of Education, in accordance with this paragraph, for the purposes specified in this paragraph.
(ii) Condition on disclosure
The Secretary shall make disclosures in accordance with clause (i) only to the extent that the Secretary determines that such disclosures do not interfere with the effective operation of the program under this part. Support collection under
(D) Use of information by the Secretary of Education
The Secretary of Education may use information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only—
(i) for the purpose of collection of the debt described in subparagraph (A) owed by an individual whose annualized wage level (determined by taking into consideration information from the National Directory of New Hires) exceeds $16,000; and
(ii) after removal of personal identifiers, to conduct analyses of student loan defaults.
(E) Disclosure of information by the Secretary of Education
(i) Disclosures permitted
The Secretary of Education may disclose information resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only to—
(I) a guaranty agency holding a loan made under part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [
(II) a contractor or agent of the guaranty agency described in subclause (I);
(III) a contractor or agent of the Secretary; and
(IV) the Attorney General.
(ii) Purpose of disclosure
The Secretary of Education may make a disclosure under clause (i) only for the purpose of collection of the debts owed on defaulted student loans, or overpayments of grants, made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [
(iii) Restriction on redisclosure
An entity to which information is disclosed under clause (i) may use or disclose such information only as needed for the purpose of collecting on defaulted student loans, or overpayments of grants, made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
(F) Reimbursement of HHS costs
The Secretary of Education shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance with subsection (k)(3) of this section, for the additional costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information requested under this subparagraph.
(k) Fees
(1) For SSA verification
The Secretary shall reimburse the Commissioner of Social Security, at a rate negotiated between the Secretary and the Commissioner, for the costs incurred by the Commissioner in performing the verification services described in subsection (j) of this section.
(2) For information from State directories of new hires
The Secretary shall reimburse costs incurred by State directories of new hires in furnishing information as required by
(3) For information furnished to State and Federal agencies
A State or Federal agency that receives information from the Secretary pursuant to this section shall reimburse the Secretary for costs incurred by the Secretary in furnishing the information, at rates which the Secretary determines to be reasonable (which rates shall include payment for the costs of obtaining, verifying, maintaining, and comparing the information).
(l) Restriction on disclosure and use
(1) In general
Information in the Federal Parent Locator Service, and information resulting from comparisons using such information, shall not be used or disclosed except as expressly provided in this section, subject to section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(2) Penalty for misuse of information in the National Directory of New Hires
The Secretary shall require the imposition of an administrative penalty (up to and including dismissal from employment), and a fine of $1,000, for each act of unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or use of, information in the National Directory of New Hires established under subsection (i) of this section by any officer or employee of the United States or any other person who knowingly and willfully violates this paragraph.
(m) Information integrity and security
The Secretary shall establish and implement safeguards with respect to the entities established under this section designed to—
(1) ensure the accuracy and completeness of information in the Federal Parent Locator Service; and
(2) restrict access to confidential information in the Federal Parent Locator Service to authorized persons, and restrict use of such information to authorized purposes.
(n) Federal Government reporting
Each department, agency, and instrumentality of the United States shall on a quarterly basis report to the Federal Parent Locator Service the name and social security number of each employee and the wages paid to the employee during the previous quarter, except that such a report shall not be filed with respect to an employee of a department, agency, or instrumentality performing intelligence or counterintelligence functions, if the head of such department, agency, or instrumentality has determined that filing such a report could endanger the safety of the employee or compromise an ongoing investigation or intelligence mission.
(o) Use of set-aside funds
Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there is hereby appropriated to the Secretary for each fiscal year an amount equal to 2 percent of the total amount paid to the Federal Government pursuant to a plan approved under this part during the immediately preceding fiscal year (as determined on the basis of the most recent reliable data available to the Secretary as of the end of the third calendar quarter following the end of such preceding fiscal year), which shall be available for use by the Secretary, either directly or through grants, contracts, or interagency agreements, for operation of the Federal Parent Locator Service under this section, to the extent such costs are not recovered through user fees. Amounts appropriated under this subsection for each of fiscal years 1997 through 2001 shall remain available until expended.
(p) "Support order" defined
As used in this part, the term "support order" means a judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction, for the support and maintenance of a child, including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing State, or of the parent with whom the child is living, which provides for monetary support, health care, arrearages, or reimbursement, and which may include related costs and fees, interest and penalties, income withholding, attorneys' fees, and other relief.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §453, as added
References in Text
Parts A, B, and E of this subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (c)(3), (4), (h)(1), (i)(1), and (j)(3), (5), are classified to sections 601 et seq., 620 et seq., and 670 et seq., respectively, of this title.
The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsecs. (h)(3), (i)(3), and (l), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
The Higher Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (j)(6)(A), (E), is
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (j)(6).
Subsec. (l)(2).
1998—Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(2)(A)(iv).
Subsec. (i)(2).
Subsec. (l).
1997—Subsec. (a).
"(1) information on, or facilitating the discovery of, the location of any individual—
"(A) who is under an obligation to pay child support or provide child custody or visitation rights;
"(B) against whom such an obligation is sought;
"(C) to whom such an obligation is owed,
including the individual's social security number (or numbers), most recent address, and the name, address, and employer identification number of the individual's employer;
"(2) information on the individual's wages (or other income) from, and benefits of, employment (including rights to or enrollment in group health care coverage); and
"(3) information on the type, status, location, and amount of any assets of, or debts owed by or to, any such individual."
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(2)(A)(iv).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c)(1).
Subsec. (c)(2).
Subsec. (c)(4).
Subsec. (h)(1).
Subsec. (h)(2).
Subsec. (h)(3).
Subsec. (j)(3)(B).
Subsec. (j)(5).
Subsec. (k)(2).
Subsec. (o).
Subsec. (p).
1996—
Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c)(1).
Subsec. (c)(2).
Subsec. (c)(3).
Subsec. (e)(2).
Subsec. (f).
Subsec. (g).
Subsecs. (h) to (n).
Subsec. (o).
Subsec. (p).
1988—Subsec. (e)(3).
1984—Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (f).
1981—Subsec. (c)(1).
Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Effective Date of 1997 Amendments
Amendment by
Section 1090(a)(4) of
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amounts available under subsec. (o) of this section to be calculated as though amendments made by section 101(e) [title II, §215] of
Amendment by section 108(c)(10) of
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Section 124(c) of
"(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and
"(2) The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor shall enter into the agreement required by the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act."
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by
Notice of Purposes for Which Wage and Salary Data Are To Be Used
Report on Data Maintained by National Directory of New Hires
Coordination Between Secretaries Relating to Amendments by Pub. L. 105–34
Section 1090(a)(3) of
Requirement for Cooperation
Section 316(h) of title III of
Executive Agencies To Facilitate Payment of Child Support
For provisions requiring Federal agencies to cooperate with Federal Parent Locator Service, see Ex. Ord. No. 12953, §303, Feb. 27, 1995, 60 F.R. 11014, set out as a note under
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§653a. State Directory of New Hires
(a) Establishment
(1) In general
(A) Requirement for States that have no directory
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), not later than October 1, 1997, each State shall establish an automated directory (to be known as the "State Directory of New Hires") which shall contain information supplied in accordance with subsection (b) of this section by employers on each newly hired employee.
(B) States with new hire reporting law in existence
A State which has a new hire reporting law in existence on August 22, 1996, may continue to operate under the State law, but the State must meet the requirements of subsection (g)(2) of this section not later than October 1, 1997, and the requirements of this section (other than subsection (g)(2) of this section) not later than October 1, 1998.
(2) Definitions
As used in this section:
(A) Employee
The term "employee"—
(i) means an individual who is an employee within the meaning of
(ii) does not include an employee of a Federal or State agency performing intelligence or counterintelligence functions, if the head of such agency has determined that reporting pursuant to paragraph (1) with respect to the employee could endanger the safety of the employee or compromise an ongoing investigation or intelligence mission.
(B) Employer
(i) In general
The term "employer" has the meaning given such term in section 3401(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and includes any governmental entity and any labor organization.
(ii) Labor organization
The term "labor organization" shall have the meaning given such term in
(b) Employer information
(1) Reporting requirement
(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), each employer shall furnish to the Directory of New Hires of the State in which a newly hired employee works, a report that contains the name, address, and social security number of the employee, and the name and address of, and identifying number assigned under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to, the employer.
(B) Multistate employers
An employer that has employees who are employed in 2 or more States and that transmits reports magnetically or electronically may comply with subparagraph (A) by designating 1 State in which such employer has employees to which the employer will transmit the report described in subparagraph (A), and transmitting such report to such State. Any employer that transmits reports pursuant to this subparagraph shall notify the Secretary in writing as to which State such employer designates for the purpose of sending reports.
(C) Federal Government employers
Any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States shall comply with subparagraph (A) by transmitting the report described in subparagraph (A) to the National Directory of New Hires established pursuant to
(2) Timing of report
Each State may provide the time within which the report required by paragraph (1) shall be made with respect to an employee, but such report shall be made—
(A) not later than 20 days after the date the employer hires the employee; or
(B) in the case of an employer transmitting reports magnetically or electronically, by 2 monthly transmissions (if necessary) not less than 12 days nor more than 16 days apart.
(c) Reporting format and method
Each report required by subsection (b) of this section shall be made on a W–4 form or, at the option of the employer, an equivalent form, and may be transmitted by 1st class mail, magnetically, or electronically.
(d) Civil money penalties on noncomplying employers
The State shall have the option to set a State civil money penalty which shall not exceed—
(1) $25 per failure to meet the requirements of this section with respect to a newly hired employee; or
(2) $500 if, under State law, the failure is the result of a conspiracy between the employer and the employee to not supply the required report or to supply a false or incomplete report.
(e) Entry of employer information
Information shall be entered into the data base maintained by the State Directory of New Hires within 5 business days of receipt from an employer pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
(f) Information comparisons
(1) In general
Not later than May 1, 1998, an agency designated by the State shall, directly or by contract, conduct automated comparisons of the social security numbers reported by employers pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and the social security numbers appearing in the records of the State case registry for cases being enforced under the State plan.
(2) Notice of match
When an information comparison conducted under paragraph (1) reveals a match with respect to the social security number of an individual required to provide support under a support order, the State Directory of New Hires shall provide the agency administering the State plan approved under this part of the appropriate State with the name, address, and social security number of the employee to whom the social security number is assigned, and the name and address of, and identifying number assigned under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to, the employer.
(g) Transmission of information
(1) Transmission of wage withholding notices to employers
Within 2 business days after the date information regarding a newly hired employee is entered into the State Directory of New Hires, the State agency enforcing the employee's child support obligation shall transmit a notice to the employer of the employee directing the employer to withhold from the income of the employee an amount equal to the monthly (or other periodic) child support obligation (including any past due support obligation) of the employee, unless the employee's income is not subject to withholding pursuant to
(2) Transmissions to the National Directory of New Hires
(A) New hire information
Within 3 business days after the date information regarding a newly hired employee is entered into the State Directory of New Hires, the State Directory of New Hires shall furnish the information to the National Directory of New Hires.
(B) Wage and unemployment compensation information
The State Directory of New Hires shall, on a quarterly basis, furnish to the National Directory of New Hires information concerning the wages and unemployment compensation paid to individuals, by such dates, in such format, and containing such information as the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall specify in regulations.
(3) "Business day" defined
As used in this subsection, the term "business day" means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.
(h) Other uses of new hire information
(1) Location of child support obligors
The agency administering the State plan approved under this part shall use information received pursuant to subsection (f)(2) of this section to locate individuals for purposes of establishing paternity and establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support obligations, and may disclose such information to any agent of the agency that is under contract with the agency to carry out such purposes.
(2) Verification of eligibility for certain programs
A State agency responsible for administering a program specified in
(3) Administration of employment security and workers' compensation
State agencies operating employment security and workers' compensation programs shall have access to information reported by employers pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for the purposes of administering such programs.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §453A, as added
References in Text
The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2), (b)(1)(A), and (f)(2), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Amendments
1997—Subsec. (d).
Subsec. (g)(2)(B).
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date
For effective date of section, see section 395(a)–(c) of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§654. State plan for child and spousal support
A State plan for child and spousal support must—
(1) provide that it shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the State;
(2) provide for financial participation by the State;
(3) provide for the establishment or designation of a single and separate organizational unit, which meets such staffing and organizational requirements as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe, within the State to administer the plan;
(4) provide that the State will—
(A) provide services relating to the establishment of paternity or the establishment, modification, or enforcement of child support obligations, as appropriate, under the plan with respect to—
(i) each child for whom (I) assistance is provided under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, (II) benefits or services for foster care maintenance are provided under the State program funded under part E of this subchapter, (III) medical assistance is provided under the State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or (IV) cooperation is required pursuant to
(ii) any other child, if an individual applies for such services with respect to the child; and
(B) enforce any support obligation established with respect to—
(i) a child with respect to whom the State provides services under the plan; or
(ii) the custodial parent of such a child;
(5) provide that (A) in any case in which support payments are collected for an individual with respect to whom an assignment pursuant to
(6) provide that—
(A) services under the plan shall be made available to residents of other States on the same terms as to residents of the State submitting the plan;
(B) an application fee for furnishing such services shall be imposed on an individual, other than an individual receiving assistance under a State program funded under part A or E of this subchapter, or under a State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or who is required by the State to cooperate with the State agency administering the program under this part pursuant to subsection (l) or (m) of
(C) a fee of not more than $25 may be imposed in any case where the State requests the Secretary of the Treasury to withhold past-due support owed to or on behalf of such individual from a tax refund pursuant to
(D) a fee (in accordance with regulations of the Secretary) for performing genetic tests may be imposed on any individual who is not a recipient of assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter; and
(E) any costs in excess of the fees so imposed may be collected—
(i) from the parent who owes the child or spousal support obligation involved; or
(ii) at the option of the State, from the individual to whom such services are made available, but only if such State has in effect a procedure whereby all persons in such State having authority to order child or spousal support are informed that such costs are to be collected from the individual to whom such services were made available;
(7) provide for entering into cooperative arrangements with appropriate courts and law enforcement officials and Indian tribes or tribal organizations (as defined in subsections (e) and (l) of
(8) provide that, for the purpose of establishing parentage, establishing, setting the amount of, modifying, or enforcing child support obligations, or making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination, as defined in
(A) all sources of information and available records; and
(B) the Federal Parent Locator Service established under
and shall, subject to the privacy safeguards required under paragraph (26), disclose only the information described in
(9) provide that the State will, in accordance with standards prescribed by the Secretary, cooperate with any other State—
(A) in establishing paternity, if necessary;
(B) in locating a noncustodial parent residing in the State (whether or not permanently) against whom any action is being taken under a program established under a plan approved under this part in another State;
(C) in securing compliance by a noncustodial parent residing in such State (whether or not permanently) with an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction against such parent for the support and maintenance of the child or children or the parent of such child or children with respect to whom aid is being provided under the plan of such other State;
(D) in carrying out other functions required under a plan approved under this part; and
(E) not later than March 1, 1997, in using the forms promulgated pursuant to
(10) provide that the State will maintain a full record of collections and disbursements made under the plan and have an adequate reporting system;
(11)(A) provide that amounts collected as support shall be distributed as provided in
(B) provide that any payment required to be made under
(12) provide for the establishment of procedures to require the State to provide individuals who are applying for or receiving services under the State plan, or who are parties to cases in which services are being provided under the State plan—
(A) with notice of all proceedings in which support obligations might be established or modified; and
(B) with a copy of any order establishing or modifying a child support obligation, or (in the case of a petition for modification) a notice of determination that there should be no change in the amount of the child support award, within 14 days after issuance of such order or determination;
(13) provide that the State will comply with such other requirements and standards as the Secretary determines to be necessary to the establishment of an effective program for locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, obtaining support orders, and collecting support payments and provide that information requests by parents who are residents of other States be treated with the same priority as requests by parents who are residents of the State submitting the plan;
(14)(A) comply with such bonding requirements, for employees who receive, disburse, handle, or have access to, cash, as the Secretary shall by regulations prescribe;
(B) maintain methods of administration which are designed to assure that persons responsible for handling cash receipts shall not participate in accounting or operating functions which would permit them to conceal in the accounting records the misuse of cash receipts (except that the Secretary shall by regulations provide for exceptions to this requirement in the case of sparsely populated areas where the hiring of unreasonable additional staff would otherwise be necessary);
(15) provide for—
(A) a process for annual reviews of and reports to the Secretary on the State program operated under the State plan approved under this part, including such information as may be necessary to measure State compliance with Federal requirements for expedited procedures, using such standards and procedures as are required by the Secretary, under which the State agency will determine the extent to which the program is operated in compliance with this part; and
(B) a process of extracting from the automated data processing system required by paragraph (16) and transmitting to the Secretary data and calculations concerning the levels of accomplishment (and rates of improvement) with respect to applicable performance indicators (including paternity establishment percentages) to the extent necessary for purposes of
(16) provide for the establishment and operation by the State agency, in accordance with an (initial and annually updated) advance automated data processing planning document approved under
(17) provide that the State will have in effect an agreement with the Secretary entered into pursuant to
(18) provide that the State has in effect procedures necessary to obtain payment of past-due support from overpayments made to the Secretary of the Treasury as set forth in
(19) provide that the agency administering the plan—
(A) shall determine on a periodic basis, from information supplied pursuant to section 508 of the Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1976, whether any individuals receiving compensation under the State's unemployment compensation law (including amounts payable pursuant to any agreement under any Federal unemployment compensation law) owe child support obligations which are being enforced by such agency; and
(B) shall enforce any such child support obligations which are owed by such an individual but are not being met—
(i) through an agreement with such individual to have specified amounts withheld from compensation otherwise payable to such individual and by submitting a copy of any such agreement to the State agency administering the unemployment compensation law; or
(ii) in the absence of such an agreement, by bringing legal process (as defined in
(20) provide, to the extent required by
(21)(A) at the option of the State, impose a late payment fee on all overdue support (as defined in
(B) assure that the fee will be collected in addition to, and only after full payment of, the overdue support, and that the imposition of the late payment fee shall not directly or indirectly result in a decrease in the amount of the support which is paid to the child (or spouse) to whom, or on whose behalf, it is owed;
(22) in order for the State to be eligible to receive any incentive payments under
(23) provide that the State will regularly and frequently publicize, through public service announcements, the availability of child support enforcement services under the plan and otherwise, including information as to any application fees for such services and a telephone number or postal address at which further information may be obtained and will publicize the availability and encourage the use of procedures for voluntary establishment of paternity and child support by means the State deems appropriate;
(24) provide that the State will have in effect an automated data processing and information retrieval system—
(A) by October 1, 1997, which meets all requirements of this part which were enacted on or before October 13, 1988; and
(B) by October 1, 2000, which meets all requirements of this part enacted on or before August 22, 1996, except that such deadline shall be extended by 1 day for each day (if any) by which the Secretary fails to meet the deadline imposed by section 344(a)(3) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996;
(25) provide that if a family with respect to which services are provided under the plan ceases to receive assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State shall provide appropriate notice to the family and continue to provide such services, subject to the same conditions and on the same basis as in the case of other individuals to whom services are furnished under the plan, except that an application or other request to continue services shall not be required of such a family and paragraph (6)(B) shall not apply to the family;
(26) have in effect safeguards, applicable to all confidential information handled by the State agency, that are designed to protect the privacy rights of the parties, including—
(A) safeguards against unauthorized use or disclosure of information relating to proceedings or actions to establish paternity, or to establish, modify, or enforce support, or to make or enforce a child custody determination;
(B) prohibitions against the release of information on the whereabouts of 1 party or the child to another party against whom a protective order with respect to the former party or the child has been entered;
(C) prohibitions against the release of information on the whereabouts of 1 party or the child to another person if the State has reason to believe that the release of the information to that person may result in physical or emotional harm to the party or the child;
(D) in cases in which the prohibitions under subparagraphs (B) and (C) apply, the requirement to notify the Secretary, for purposes of
(E) procedures providing that when the Secretary discloses information about a parent or child to a State court or an agent of a State court described in
(27) provide that, on and after October 1, 1998, the State agency will—
(A) operate a State disbursement unit in accordance with
(B) have sufficient State staff (consisting of State employees) and (at State option) contractors reporting directly to the State agency to—
(i) monitor and enforce support collections through the unit in cases being enforced by the State pursuant to paragraph (4) (including carrying out the automated data processing responsibilities described in
(ii) take the actions described in
(28) provide that, on and after October 1, 1997, the State will operate a State Directory of New Hires in accordance with
(29) provide that the State agency responsible for administering the State plan—
(A) shall make the determination (and redetermination at appropriate intervals) as to whether an individual who has applied for or is receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State program under part E of this subchapter, the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or the food stamp program, as defined under
(i) in the case of the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State program under part E of this subchapter, or the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter shall, at the option of the State, be defined, taking into account the best interests of the child, and applied in each case, by the State agency administering such program; and
(ii) in the case of the food stamp program, as defined under
(B) shall require the individual to supply additional necessary information and appear at interviews, hearings, and legal proceedings;
(C) shall require the individual and the child to submit to genetic tests pursuant to judicial or administrative order;
(D) may request that the individual sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, after notice of the rights and consequences of such an acknowledgment, but may not require the individual to sign an acknowledgment or otherwise relinquish the right to genetic tests as a condition of cooperation and eligibility for assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State program under part E of this subchapter, the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or the food stamp program, as defined under
(E) shall promptly notify the individual and the State agency administering the State program funded under part A of this subchapter, the State agency administering the State program under part E of this subchapter, the State agency administering the State program under subchapter XIX of this chapter, or the State agency administering the food stamp program, as defined under
(30) provide that the State shall use the definitions established under
(31) provide that the State agency will have in effect a procedure for certifying to the Secretary, for purposes of the procedure under
(A) each individual concerned is afforded notice of such determination and the consequences thereof, and an opportunity to contest the determination; and
(B) the certification by the State agency is furnished to the Secretary in such format, and accompanied by such supporting documentation, as the Secretary may require;
(32)(A) provide that any request for services under this part by a foreign reciprocating country or a foreign country with which the State has an arrangement described in
(B) provide, at State option, notwithstanding paragraph (4) or any other provision of this part, for services under the plan for enforcement of a spousal support order not described in paragraph (4)(B) entered by such a country (or subdivision); and
(C) provide that no applications will be required from, and no costs will be assessed for such services against, the foreign reciprocating country or foreign obligee (but costs may at State option be assessed against the obligor); and
(33) provide that a State that receives funding pursuant to
The State may allow the jurisdiction which makes the collection involved to retain any application fee under paragraph (6)(B) or any late payment fee under paragraph (21). Nothing in paragraph (33) shall void any provision of any cooperative agreement entered into before August 22, 1996, nor shall such paragraph deprive any State of jurisdiction over Indian country (as so defined) that is lawfully exercised under
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §454, as added
References in Text
Parts A and E of this subchapter, referred to in pars. (4)(A)(i), (6)(B), (D), (25), and (29)(A), (D), (E), are classified to section 601 et seq. and 670 et seq., respectively, of this title.
Section 508 of the Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1976, referred to in par. (19), is section 508 of
Section 344(a)(3) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, referred to in par. (24), is section 344(a)(3) of
Amendments
1999—Par. (6)(E)(i).
Par. (9)(A) to (C).
Par. (19)(A).
Par. (19)(B)(i).
Par. (24)(A).
Par. (24)(B).
1997—Par. (4)(A)(i)(IV).
Par. (6)(B).
Par. (8).
Par. (8)(A).
Par. (8)(B).
Par. (16).
Par. (17).
Par. (19)(B)(ii).
Par. (26).
Par. (26)(A).
Par. (26)(B).
Par. (26)(C).
Par. (26)(D), (E).
Par. (29)(A).
"(i) shall be defined, taking into account the best interests of the child, and
"(ii) shall be applied in each case,
by, at the option of the State, the State agency administering the State program under part A of this subchapter, this part, or subchapter XIX of this chapter;".
Par. (29)(D).
Par. (29)(E).
Par. (32)(A).
Par. (33).
1996—
Par. (4).
"(A) in the case of a child born out of wedlock with respect to whom an assignment under
"(B) in the case of any child with respect to whom such assignment is effective, including an assignment with respect to a child on whose behalf a State agency is making foster care maintenance payments under part E of this subchapter, to secure support for such child from his parent (or from any other person legally liable for such support), and from such parent for his spouse (or former spouse) receiving aid to families with dependent children or medical assistance under a State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter (but only if a support obligation has been established with respect to such spouse, and only if the support obligation established with respect to the child is being enforced under the plan), utilizing any reciprocal arrangements adopted with other States (unless the agency administering the plan of the State under part A or E of this subchapter determines in accordance with the standards prescribed by the Secretary pursuant to
Par. (5)(A).
Par. (6).
Par. (6)(A).
Par. (6)(B).
Par. (6)(C).
Par. (6)(D).
Par. (6)(E).
Par. (7).
Par. (8).
Par. (8)(B).
Par. (9)(B), (C).
Par. (9)(E).
Par. (11).
Par. (12).
Par. (13).
Par. (14).
Par. (15).
Par. (16).
Par. (21)(A).
Par. (23).
Par. (24).
"(A) will submit to the Secretary by October 1, 1991, for review and approval by the Secretary within 9 months after submittal an advance automated data processing planning document of the type referred to in such paragraph; and
"(B) will have in effect by October 1, 1997, an operational automated data processing and information retrieval system, meeting all the requirements of that paragraph, which has been approved by the Secretary;".
Par. (25).
Par. (26).
Par. (27).
Par. (28).
Par. (29).
Par. (30).
Par. (31).
Par. (32).
Par. (33).
1995—Par. (24)(B).
1988—Par. (5)(A).
Par. (6)(D), (E).
Par. (16).
Par. (24).
1987—Par. (4)(A).
Par. (4)(B).
Par. (5).
1984—Par. (4)(B).
Par. (4)(B).
Par. (5).
Par. (6)(A).
Par. (6)(B).
Par. (6)(C).
Par. (6)(D).
Par. (8)(B).
Par. (9)(C).
Par. (16)(A)(ii).
Par. (16)(D), (E).
Par. (17).
Par. (20).
Par. (21).
Par. (22).
Par. (23).
1982—Par. (5).
Par. (6).
Pars. (18) to (20).
1981—
Par. (4)(B).
Par. (5).
Par. (6)(B).
Par. (6)(C).
Par. (9)(C).
Par. (11).
Par. (16).
Par. (18).
Par. (19).
Par. (20).
1980—Par. (16).
Par. (17).
1977—Pars. (14), (15).
1975—Par. (4)(A).
Par. (4)(B).
Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by section 108(c)(11), (12) of
Amendment by section 302(b)(2) of
Section 303(b) of
Section 304(b) of
Amendment by section 312(a) of
Amendment by section 342(a) of
Amendment by section 370(a)(2) of
Section 395(a)–(c) of title III of
"(a)
"(1) the provisions of this title [see Tables for classification] requiring the enactment or amendment of State laws under section 466 of the Social Security Act [
"(2) all other provisions of this title shall become effective upon the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 22, 1996].
"(b)
"(1) the date specified in this title, or
"(2) the effective date of laws enacted by the legislature of such State implementing such provisions,
but in no event later than the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter beginning after the close of the 1st regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 22, 1996]. For purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such session shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
"(c)
"(1) 1 year after the effective date of the necessary State constitutional amendment; or
"(2) 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 22, 1996]."
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Section 104(b) of
Section 111(f)(2) of
Effective Date of 1987 Amendment
Section 9141(b) of
Section 9142(b) of
Effective Date of 1984 Amendments
Section 3(g) of
"(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the amendments made by this section [enacting
"(2) Section 454(21) of the Social Security Act [par. 21 of this section] (as added by subsection (d) of this section), and section 466(e) of such Act [
"(3) In the case of a State with respect to which the Secretary of Health and Human Services has determined that State legislation is required in order to conform the State plan approved under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [this part] to the requirements imposed by any amendment made by this section, the State plan shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the requirements of such part solely by reason of its failure to meet the requirements imposed by such amendment prior to the beginning of the fourth month beginning after the end of the first session of the State legislature which ends on or after October 1, 1985. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term 'session' means a regular, special, budget, or other session of a State legislature."
Amendment by section 5(b) of
Section 6(c) of
Section 11(e) of
Section 12(c) of
Section 14(b) of
Amendment by section 21(d) of
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Amendment by section 171(a), (b)(1) of
Section 173(b) of
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendments by sections 2331(b), 2332(d)(2)–(7), and 2333(a), (b) of
Amendment by section 2335(a) of
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1977 Amendment
Section 502(b) of
Effective Date of 1975 Amendment
Section 210 of title II of
State Commissions on Child Support
Section 15 of
"(a) As a condition of the State's eligibility for Federal payments under part A or D of title IV of the Social Security Act [part A of this subchapter or this part] for quarters beginning more than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 16, 1984] and ending prior to October 1, 1985, the Governor of each State, on or before December 1, 1984, shall (subject to subsection (f)) appoint a State Commission on Child Support.
"(b) Each State Commission appointed under subsection (a) shall be composed of members appropriately representing all aspects of the child support system, including custodial and non-custodial parents, the agency or organizational unit administering the State's plan under part D of such title IV [this part], the State judiciary, the executive and legislative branches of the State government, child welfare and social services agencies, and others.
"(c) It shall be the function of each State Commission to examine, investigate, and study the operation of the State's child support system for the primary purpose of determining the extent to which such system has been successful in securing support and parental involvement both for children who are eligible for aid under a State plan approved under part A of title IV of such Act [part A of this subchapter] and for children who are not eligible for such aid, giving particular attention to such specific problems (among others) as visitation, the establishment of appropriate objective standards for support, the enforcement of interstate obligations, the availability, cost, and effectiveness of services both to children who are eligible for such aid and to children who are not, and the need for additional State or Federal legislation to obtain support for all children.
"(d) Each State Commission shall submit to the Governor of the State and make available to the public, no later than October 1, 1985, a full and complete report of its findings and recommendations resulting from the examination, investigation, and study under this section. The Governor shall transmit such report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services along with the Governor's comments thereon.
"(e) None of the costs incurred in the establishment and operation of a State Commission under this section, or incurred by such a Commission in carrying out its functions under subsections (c) and (d), shall be considered as expenditures qualifying for Federal payments under part A or D of title IV of the Social Security Act [part A of this subchapter or this part] or be otherwise payable or reimbursable by the United States or any agency thereof.
"(f) If the Secretary determines, at the request of any State on the basis of information submitted by the State and such other information as may be available to the Secretary, that such State—
"(1) has placed in effect and is implementing objective standards for the determination and enforcement of child support obligations,
"(2) has established within the five years prior to the enactment of this Act [Aug. 16, 1984] a commission or council with substantially the same functions as the State Commissions provided for under this section, or
"(3) is making satisfactory progress toward fully effective child support enforcement and will continue to do so,
then such State shall not be required to establish a State Commission under this section and the preceding provisions of this section shall not apply."
Delayed Effective Date in Cases Requiring State Legislation
Section 176 of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§654a. Automated data processing
(a) In general
In order for a State to meet the requirements of this section, the State agency administering the State program under this part shall have in operation a single statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system which has the capability to perform the tasks specified in this section with the frequency and in the manner required by or under this part.
(b) Program management
The automated system required by this section shall perform such functions as the Secretary may specify relating to management of the State program under this part, including—
(1) controlling and accounting for use of Federal, State, and local funds in carrying out the program; and
(2) maintaining the data necessary to meet Federal reporting requirements under this part on a timely basis.
(c) Calculation of performance indicators
In order to enable the Secretary to determine the incentive payments and penalty adjustments required by
(1) use the automated system—
(A) to maintain the requisite data on State performance with respect to paternity establishment and child support enforcement in the State; and
(B) to calculate the paternity establishment percentage for the State for each fiscal year; and
(2) have in place systems controls to ensure the completeness and reliability of, and ready access to, the data described in paragraph (1)(A), and the accuracy of the calculations described in paragraph (1)(B).
(d) Information integrity and security
The State agency shall have in effect safeguards on the integrity, accuracy, and completeness of, access to, and use of data in the automated system required by this section, which shall include the following (in addition to such other safeguards as the Secretary may specify in regulations):
(1) Policies restricting access
Written policies concerning access to data by State agency personnel, and sharing of data with other persons, which—
(A) permit access to and use of data only to the extent necessary to carry out the State program under this part; and
(B) specify the data which may be used for particular program purposes, and the personnel permitted access to such data.
(2) Systems controls
Systems controls (such as passwords or blocking of fields) to ensure strict adherence to the policies described in paragraph (1).
(3) Monitoring of access
Routine monitoring of access to and use of the automated system, through methods such as audit trails and feedback mechanisms, to guard against and promptly identify unauthorized access or use.
(4) Training and information
Procedures to ensure that all personnel (including State and local agency staff and contractors) who may have access to or be required to use confidential program data are informed of applicable requirements and penalties (including those in section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), and are adequately trained in security procedures.
(5) Penalties
Administrative penalties (up to and including dismissal from employment) for unauthorized access to, or disclosure or use of, confidential data.
(e) State case registry
(1) Contents
The automated system required by this section shall include a registry (which shall be known as the "State case registry") that contains records with respect to—
(A) each case in which services are being provided by the State agency under the State plan approved under this part; and
(B) each support order established or modified in the State on or after October 1, 1998.
(2) Linking of local registries
The State case registry may be established by linking local case registries of support orders through an automated information network, subject to this section.
(3) Use of standardized data elements
Such records shall use standardized data elements for both parents (such as names, social security numbers and other uniform identification numbers, dates of birth, and case identification numbers), and contain such other information (such as on case status) as the Secretary may require.
(4) Payment records
Each case record in the State case registry with respect to which services are being provided under the State plan approved under this part and with respect to which a support order has been established shall include a record of—
(A) the amount of monthly (or other periodic) support owed under the order, and other amounts (including arrearages, interest or late payment penalties, and fees) due or overdue under the order;
(B) any amount described in subparagraph (A) that has been collected;
(C) the distribution of such collected amounts;
(D) the birth date and, beginning not later than October 1, 1999, the social security number, of any child for whom the order requires the provision of support; and
(E) the amount of any lien imposed with respect to the order pursuant to
(5) Updating and monitoring
The State agency operating the automated system required by this section shall promptly establish and update, maintain, and regularly monitor, case records in the State case registry with respect to which services are being provided under the State plan approved under this part, on the basis of—
(A) information on administrative actions and administrative and judicial proceedings and orders relating to paternity and support;
(B) information obtained from comparison with Federal, State, or local sources of information;
(C) information on support collections and distributions; and
(D) any other relevant information.
(f) Information comparisons and other disclosures of information
The State shall use the automated system required by this section to extract information from (at such times, and in such standardized format or formats, as may be required by the Secretary), to share and compare information with, and to receive information from, other data bases and information comparison services, in order to obtain (or provide) information necessary to enable the State agency (or the Secretary or other State or Federal agencies) to carry out this part, subject to section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Such information comparison activities shall include the following:
(1) Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders
Furnishing to the Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders established under
(2) Federal Parent Locator Service
Exchanging information with the Federal Parent Locator Service for the purposes specified in
(3) Temporary family assistance and medicaid agencies
Exchanging information with State agencies (of the State and of other States) administering programs funded under part A of this subchapter, programs operated under a State plan approved under subchapter XIX of this chapter, and other programs designated by the Secretary, as necessary to perform State agency responsibilities under this part and under such programs.
(4) Intrastate and interstate information comparisons
Exchanging information with other agencies of the State, agencies of other States, and interstate information networks, as necessary and appropriate to carry out (or assist other States to carry out) the purposes of this part.
(5) Private industry councils receiving welfare-to-work grants
Disclosing to a private industry council (as defined in
(g) Collection and distribution of support payments
(1) In general
The State shall use the automated system required by this section, to the maximum extent feasible, to assist and facilitate the collection and disbursement of support payments through the State disbursement unit operated under
(A) transmission of orders and notices to employers (and other debtors) for the withholding of income—
(i) within 2 business days after receipt of notice of, and the income source subject to, such withholding from a court, another State, an employer, the Federal Parent Locator Service, or another source recognized by the State; and
(ii) using uniform formats prescribed by the Secretary;
(B) ongoing monitoring to promptly identify failures to make timely payment of support; and
(C) automatic use of enforcement procedures (including procedures authorized pursuant to
(2) "Business day" defined
As used in paragraph (1), the term "business day" means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.
(h) Expedited administrative procedures
The automated system required by this section shall be used, to the maximum extent feasible, to implement the expedited administrative procedures required by
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §454A, as added and amended
References in Text
The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsecs. (d)(4) and (f), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Part A of this subchapter, referred to in subsec. (f)(3), (5), is classified to
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (f)(5).
1997—Subsec. (e)(4)(D).
1996—Subsecs. (e), (f).
Subsec. (g).
Subsec. (h).
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by section 312(c) of
Effective Date
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Regulations
Section 344(a)(3) of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§654b. Collection and disbursement of support payments
(a) State disbursement unit
(1) In general
In order for a State to meet the requirements of this section, the State agency must establish and operate a unit (which shall be known as the "State disbursement unit") for the collection and disbursement of payments under support orders—
(A) in all cases being enforced by the State pursuant to
(B) in all cases not being enforced by the State under this part in which the support order is initially issued in the State on or after January 1, 1994, and in which the income of the noncustodial parent is subject to withholding pursuant to
(2) Operation
The State disbursement unit shall be operated—
(A) directly by the State agency (or 2 or more State agencies under a regional cooperative agreement), or (to the extent appropriate) by a contractor responsible directly to the State agency; and
(B) except in cases described in paragraph (1)(B), in coordination with the automated system established by the State pursuant to
(3) Linking of local disbursement units
The State disbursement unit may be established by linking local disbursement units through an automated information network, subject to this section, if the Secretary agrees that the system will not cost more nor take more time to establish or operate than a centralized system. In addition, employers shall be given 1 location to which income withholding is sent.
(b) Required procedures
The State disbursement unit shall use automated procedures, electronic processes, and computer-driven technology to the maximum extent feasible, efficient, and economical, for the collection and disbursement of support payments, including procedures—
(1) for receipt of payments from parents, employers, and other States, and for disbursements to custodial parents and other obligees, the State agency, and the agencies of other States;
(2) for accurate identification of payments;
(3) to ensure prompt disbursement of the custodial parent's share of any payment; and
(4) to furnish to any parent, upon request, timely information on the current status of support payments under an order requiring payments to be made by or to the parent, except that in cases described in subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section, the State disbursement unit shall not be required to convert and maintain in automated form records of payments kept pursuant to
(c) Timing of disbursements
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the State disbursement unit shall distribute all amounts payable under
(2) Permissive retention of arrearages
The State disbursement unit may delay the distribution of collections toward arrearages until the resolution of any timely appeal with respect to such arrearages.
(d) "Business day" defined
As used in this section, the term "business day" means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §454B, as added
References in Text
For effective date of this section, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), see Effective Date note below.
Amendments
1997—Subsec. (c)(1).
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date
Section 312(d) of
"(1)
"(2)
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§655. Payments to States
(a) Amounts payable each quarter
(1) From the sums appropriated therefor, the Secretary shall pay to each State for each quarter an amount—
(A) equal to the percent specified in paragraph (2) of the total amounts expended by such State during such quarter for the operation of the plan approved under
(B) equal to the percent specified in paragraph (3) of the sums expended during such quarter that are attributable to the planning, design, development, installation or enhancement of an automatic data processing and information retrieval system (including in such sums the full cost of the hardware components of such system); and 1
(C) equal to 90 percent (rather than the percentage specified in subparagraph (A)) of so much of the sums expended during such quarter as are attributable to laboratory costs incurred in determining paternity, and
(D) equal to 66 percent of the sums expended by the State during the quarter for an alternative statewide system for which a waiver has been granted under
except that no amount shall be paid to any State on account of amounts expended to carry out an agreement which it has entered into pursuant to
(2) The percent applicable to quarters in a fiscal year for purposes of paragraph (1)(A) is—
(A) 70 percent for fiscal years 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987,
(B) 68 percent for fiscal years 1988 and 1989, and
(C) 66 percent for fiscal year 1990 and each fiscal year thereafter.
(3)(A) The Secretary shall pay to each State, for each quarter in fiscal years 1996 and 1997, 90 percent of so much of the State expenditures described in paragraph (1)(B) as the Secretary finds are for a system meeting the requirements specified in
(B)(i) The Secretary shall pay to each State or system described in clause (iii), for each quarter in fiscal years 1996 through 2001, the percentage specified in clause (ii) of so much of the State or system expenditures described in paragraph (1)(B) as the Secretary finds are for a system meeting the requirements of
(ii) The percentage specified in this clause is 80 percent.
(iii) For purposes of clause (i), a system described in this clause is a system that has been approved by the Secretary to receive enhanced funding pursuant to the Family Support Act of 1988 (
(4)(A)(i) If—
(I) the Secretary determines that a State plan under
(II) the State has submitted to the Secretary a corrective compliance plan that describes how, by when, and at what cost the State will achieve such compliance, which has been approved by the Secretary,
then the Secretary shall not disapprove the State plan under
(ii) All failures of a State during a fiscal year to comply with any of the requirements referred to in the same subparagraph of
(B) In this paragraph:
(i) The term "penalty amount" means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with a subparagraph of
(I) 4 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the first fiscal year in which such a failure by the State occurs (regardless of whether a penalty is imposed under this paragraph with respect to the failure);
(II) 8 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the second such fiscal year;
(III) 16 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the third such fiscal year;
(IV) 25 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the fourth such fiscal year; or
(V) 30 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the fifth or any subsequent such fiscal year.
(ii) The term "penalty base" means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with a subparagraph of
(C)(i) The Secretary shall waive a penalty under this paragraph for any failure of a State to comply with
(I) on or before August 1, 1998, the State has submitted to the Secretary a request that the Secretary certify the State as having met the requirements of such section;
(II) the Secretary subsequently provides the certification as a result of a timely review conducted pursuant to the request; and
(III) the State has not failed such a review.
(ii) If a State with respect to which a reduction is made under this paragraph for a fiscal year with respect to a failure to comply with a subparagraph of
(iii) The Secretary shall reduce the amount of any reduction that, in the absence of this clause, would be required to be made under this paragraph by reason of the failure of a State to achieve compliance with
(D) The Secretary may not impose a penalty under this paragraph against a State with respect to a failure to comply with
(5)(A)(i) If—
(I) the Secretary determines that a State plan under
(II) the State has submitted to the Secretary, not later than April 1, 2000, a corrective compliance plan that describes how, by when, and at what cost the State will achieve such compliance, which has been approved by the Secretary,
then the Secretary shall not disapprove the State plan under
(ii) All failures of a State during a fiscal year to comply with any of the requirements of
(B) In this paragraph:
(i) The term "penalty amount" means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of
(I) 4 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 1st fiscal year in which such a failure by the State occurs (regardless of whether a penalty is imposed in that fiscal year under this paragraph with respect to the failure), except as provided in subparagraph (C)(ii) of this paragraph;
(II) 8 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 2nd such fiscal year;
(III) 16 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 3rd such fiscal year;
(IV) 25 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 4th such fiscal year; or
(V) 30 percent of the penalty base, in the case of the 5th or any subsequent such fiscal year.
(ii) The term "penalty base" means, with respect to a failure of a State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of
(C)(i) The Secretary shall waive all penalties imposed against a State under this paragraph for any failure of the State to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of
(ii) If a State with respect to which a reduction is required to be made under this paragraph with respect to a failure to comply with subparagraphs (A) and (B)(i) of
(D) The Secretary may not impose a penalty under this paragraph against a State for a fiscal year for which the amount otherwise payable to the State under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection is reduced under paragraph (4) of this subsection for failure to comply with
(b) Estimate of amounts payable; installment payments
(1) Prior to the beginning of each quarter, the Secretary shall estimate the amount to which a State will be entitled under subsection (a) of this section for such quarter, such estimates to be based on (A) a report filed by the State containing its estimate of the total sum to be expended in such quarter in accordance with the provisions of such subsection, and stating the amount appropriated or made available by the State and its political subdivisions for such expenditures in such quarter, and if such amount is less than the State's proportionate share of the total sum of such estimated expenditures, the source or sources from which the difference is expected to be derived, and (B) such other investigation as the Secretary may find necessary.
(2) Subject to subsection (d) of this section, the Secretary shall then pay, in such installments as he may determine, to the State the amount so estimated, reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayment or underpayment which the Secretary determines was made under this section to such State for any prior quarter and with respect to which adjustment has not already been made under this subsection.
(3) Upon the making of any estimate by the Secretary under this subsection, any appropriations available for payments under this section shall be deemed obligated.
(c) Repealed. Pub. L. 97–248, title I, §174(b), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 403
(d) State reports
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no amount shall be paid to any State under this section for any quarter, prior to the close of such quarter, unless for the period consisting of all prior quarters for which payment is authorized to be made to such State under subsection (a) of this section, there shall have been submitted by the State to the Secretary, with respect to each quarter in such period (other than the last two quarters in such period), a full and complete report (in such form and manner and containing such information as the Secretary shall prescribe or require) as to the amount of child support collected and disbursed and all expenditures with respect to which payment is authorized under subsection (a) of this section.
(e) Special project grants for interstate enforcement; appropriations
(1) In order to encourage and promote the development and use of more effective methods of enforcing support obligations under this part in cases where either the children on whose behalf the support is sought or their noncustodial parents do not reside in the State where such cases are filed, the Secretary is authorized to make grants, in such amounts and on such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, to States which propose to undertake new or innovative methods of support collection in such cases and which will use the proceeds of such grants to carry out special projects designed to demonstrate and test such methods.
(2) A grant under this subsection shall be made only upon a finding by the Secretary that the project involved is likely to be of significant assistance in carrying out the purpose of this subsection; and with respect to such project the Secretary may waive any of the requirements of this part which would otherwise be applicable, to such extent and for such period as the Secretary determines is necessary or desirable in order to enable the State to carry out the project.
(3) At the time of its application for a grant under this subsection the State shall submit to the Secretary a statement describing in reasonable detail the project for which the proceeds of the grant are to be used, and the State shall from time to time thereafter submit to the Secretary such reports with respect to the project as the Secretary may specify.
(4) Amounts expended by a State in carrying out a special project assisted under this section shall be considered, for purposes of
(5) There is authorized to be appropriated the sum of $7,000,000 for fiscal year 1985, $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1986, and $15,000,000 for each fiscal year thereafter, to be used by the Secretary in making grants under this subsection.
(f) Direct Federal funding to Indian tribes and tribal organizations
The Secretary may make direct payments under this part to an Indian tribe or tribal organization that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that it has the capacity to operate a child support enforcement program meeting the objectives of this part, including establishment of paternity, establishment, modification, and enforcement of support orders, and location of absent parents. The Secretary shall promulgate regulations establishing the requirements which must be met by an Indian tribe or tribal organization to be eligible for a grant under this subsection.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §455, as added
Amendment of Subsection (a)(4)(C)(iii)
(1) by striking "658a(b)(4)" and inserting "658(b)(4)";
(2) by striking "658a(b)(6)" and inserting "658(b)(6)"; and
(3) by striking "658a(b)(5)(B)" and inserting "658(b)(5)(B)".
References in Text
The Family Support Act of 1988, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iii), is
Section 5(a) of the Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1984, referred to in subsec. (e)(4), is section 5(a) of
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (a)(1)(B).
Subsec. (a)(5).
1998—Subsec. (a)(1)(D).
Subsec. (a)(4).
Subsec. (a)(4)(C)(iii).
1997—Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(i).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B)(iii).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (f).
1996—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(1)(B).
Subsec. (a)(3).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (e)(1).
1988—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(1)(C).
1984—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(3).
Subsec. (e).
1982—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (c).
1981—Subsec. (a).
1980—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsecs. (c), (d).
1977—Subsec. (a).
1976—Subsec. (a).
1975—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Effective Date of 1999 Amendments
Amendment by
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1998 Amendments
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
For effective date of amendment by
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Section 112(b) of
Section 123(c) of
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by section 4(a) of
Amendment by section 6(b) of
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Amendment by section 171(b)(2) of
Section 174(d) of
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1980 Amendments
Section 404(b) of
Amendment by section 405(a) of
Section 407(d) of
Section 2(b) of
Effective Date of 1975 Amendment
Amendment by
Temporary Limitation on Payments Under Special Federal Matching Rate
Section 344(b)(2) of
"(A)
"(B)
"(C)
"(i) the relative size of such State and system caseloads under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [this part]; and
"(ii) the level of automation needed to meet the automated data processing requirements of such part."
Payments to States for Certain Expenses Incurred During July 1975
Section 206 of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
1 So in original. The "; and" probably should be a comma.
§655a. Provision for reimbursement of expenses
For purposes of
(1) pursuant to
(2) by a State or local agency charged with the duty of carrying a State plan for child support approved under this part,
shall be considered to constitute expenses incurred in the administration of such State plan.
(
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section was not enacted as part of the Social Security Act which comprises this chapter.
Amendments
1998—Par. (1).
1996—
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by
§656. Support obligation as obligation to State; amount; discharge in bankruptcy
(a) Collection processes
(1) The support rights assigned to the State pursuant to
(2) The amount of such obligation shall be—
(A) the amount specified in a court order which covers the assigned support rights, or
(B) if there is no court order, an amount determined by the State in accordance with a formula approved by the Secretary.
(3) Any amounts collected from a noncustodial parent under the plan shall reduce, dollar for dollar, the amount of his obligation under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).
(b) Nondischargeability
A debt (as defined in
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §456, as added
Amendments
1997—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2)(B).
1996—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(3).
Subsec. (b).
1984—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(3).
1981—Subsec. (b).
1978—Subsec. (b).
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by section 5513(a)(3) of
Amendment by section 5556(d) of
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by section 108(c)(13) of
Amendment by section 374(b) of
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Effective Date of 1984 Amendments
Amendment by
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Section 2334(c) of
Effective Date of 1978 Amendment
Amendment by
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§657. Distribution of collected support
(a) In general
Subject to subsections (e) and (f) of this section, an amount collected on behalf of a family as support by a State pursuant to a plan approved under this part shall be distributed as follows:
(1) Families receiving assistance
In the case of a family receiving assistance from the State, the State shall—
(A) pay to the Federal Government the Federal share of the amount so collected; and
(B) retain, or distribute to the family, the State share of the amount so collected.
In no event shall the total of the amounts paid to the Federal Government and retained by the State exceed the total of the amounts that have been paid to the family as assistance by the State.
(2) Families that formerly received assistance
In the case of a family that formerly received assistance from the State:
(A) Current support payments
To the extent that the amount so collected does not exceed the amount required to be paid to the family for the month in which collected, the State shall distribute the amount so collected to the family.
(B) Payments of arrearages
To the extent that the amount so collected exceeds the amount required to be paid to the family for the month in which collected, the State shall distribute the amount so collected as follows:
(i) Distribution of arrearages that accrued after the family ceased to receive assistance
(I) Pre-October 1997
Except as provided in subclause (II), the provisions of this section as in effect and applied on the day before August 22, 1996 (other than subsection (b)(1) (as so in effect)), shall apply with respect to the distribution of support arrearages that—
(aa) accrued after the family ceased to receive assistance, and
(bb) are collected before October 1, 1997.
(II) Post-September 1997
With respect to the amount so collected on or after October 1, 1997 (or before such date, at the option of the State)—
(aa) In general
The State shall first distribute the amount so collected (other than any amount described in clause (iv)) to the family to the extent necessary to satisfy any support arrearages with respect to the family that accrued after the family ceased to receive assistance from the State.
(bb) Reimbursement of governments for assistance provided to the family
After the application of division (aa) and clause (ii)(II)(aa) with respect to the amount so collected, the State shall retain the State share of the amount so collected, and pay to the Federal Government the Federal share (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) of the amount so collected, but only to the extent necessary to reimburse amounts paid to the family as assistance by the State.
(cc) Distribution of the remainder to the family
To the extent that neither division (aa) nor division (bb) applies to the amount so collected, the State shall distribute the amount to the family.
(ii) Distribution of arrearages that accrued before the family received assistance
(I) Pre-October 2000
Except as provided in subclause (II), the provisions of this section as in effect and applied on the day before August 22, 1996 (other than subsection (b)(1) (as so in effect)), shall apply with respect to the distribution of support arrearages that—
(aa) accrued before the family received assistance, and
(bb) are collected before October 1, 2000.
(II) Post-September 2000
Unless, based on the report required by paragraph (5), the Congress determines otherwise, with respect to the amount so collected on or after October 1, 2000 (or before such date, at the option of the State)—
(aa) In general
The State shall first distribute the amount so collected (other than any amount described in clause (iv)) to the family to the extent necessary to satisfy any support arrearages with respect to the family that accrued before the family received assistance from the State.
(bb) Reimbursement of governments for assistance provided to the family
After the application of clause (i)(II)(aa) and division (aa) with respect to the amount so collected, the State shall retain the State share of the amount so collected, and pay to the Federal Government the Federal share (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) of the amount so collected, but only to the extent necessary to reimburse amounts paid to the family as assistance by the State.
(cc) Distribution of the remainder to the family
To the extent that neither division (aa) nor division (bb) applies to the amount so collected, the State shall distribute the amount to the family.
(iii) Distribution of arrearages that accrued while the family received assistance
In the case of a family described in this subparagraph, the provisions of paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to the distribution of support arrearages that accrued while the family received assistance.
(iv) Amounts collected pursuant to section 664
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any amount of support collected pursuant to
(v) Ordering rules for distributions
For purposes of this subparagraph, unless an earlier effective date is required by this section, effective October 1, 2000, the State shall treat any support arrearages collected, except for amounts collected pursuant to
(I) To the period after the family ceased to receive assistance.
(II) To the period before the family received assistance.
(III) To the period while the family was receiving assistance.
(3) Families that never received assistance
In the case of any other family, the State shall distribute the amount so collected to the family.
(4) Families under certain agreements
In the case of an amount collected for a family in accordance with a cooperative agreement under
(5) Study and report
Not later than October 1, 1999, the Secretary shall report to the Congress the Secretary's findings with respect to—
(A) whether the distribution of post-assistance arrearages to families has been effective in moving people off of welfare and keeping them off of welfare;
(B) whether early implementation of a pre-assistance arrearage program by some States has been effective in moving people off of welfare and keeping them off of welfare;
(C) what the overall impact has been of the amendments made by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 with respect to child support enforcement in moving people off of welfare and keeping them off of welfare; and
(D) based on the information and data the Secretary has obtained, what changes, if any, should be made in the policies related to the distribution of child support arrearages.
(6) State option for applicability
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, a State may elect to apply the rules described in clauses (i)(II), (ii)(II), and (v) of paragraph (2)(B) to support arrearages collected on and after October 1, 1998, and, if the State makes such an election, shall apply the provisions of this section, as in effect and applied on the day before August 22, 1996, other than subsection (b)(1) (as so in effect), to amounts collected before October 1, 1998.
(b) Continuation of assignments
Any rights to support obligations, assigned to a State as a condition of receiving assistance from the State under part A of this subchapter and in effect on September 30, 1997 (or such earlier date, on or after August 22, 1996, as the State may choose), shall remain assigned after such date.
(c) Definitions
As used in subsection (a) of this section:
(1) Assistance
The term "assistance from the State" means—
(A) assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter or under the State plan approved under part A of this subchapter (as in effect on the day before August 22, 1996); and
(B) foster care maintenance payments under the State plan approved under part E of this subchapter.
(2) Federal share
The term "Federal share" means that portion of the amount collected resulting from the application of the Federal medical assistance percentage in effect for the fiscal year in which the amount is distributed.
(3) Federal medical assistance percentage
The term "Federal medical assistance percentage" means—
(A) 75 percent, in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa; or
(B) the Federal medical assistance percentage (as defined in
(4) State share
The term "State share" means 100 percent minus the Federal share.
(d) Hold-harmless provision
If—
(1) the State share of amounts collected in the fiscal year which could be retained to reimburse the State for amounts paid to families as assistance by the State is less than the State share of such amounts collected in fiscal year 1995 (determined in accordance with this section as in effect on August 21, 1996); and
(2)(A) the State has distributed to families that include an adult receiving assistance under the program under part A of this subchapter at least 80 percent of the current support payments collected during the preceding fiscal year on behalf of such families, and the amounts distributed were disregarded in determining the amount or type of assistance provided under the program under part A of this subchapter; or
(B) the State has distributed to families that formerly received assistance under the program under part A of this subchapter the State share of the amounts collected pursuant to
then the State share otherwise determined for the fiscal year shall be increased by an amount equal to one-half of the amount (if any) by which the State share for fiscal year 1995 exceeds the State share for the fiscal year (determined without regard to this subsection).
(e) Gap payments not subject to distribution under this section
At State option, this section shall not apply to any amount collected on behalf of a family as support by the State (and paid to the family in addition to the amount of assistance otherwise payable to the family) pursuant to a plan approved under this part if such amount would have been paid to the family by the State under
(f) Amounts collected for child for whom foster care maintenance payments are made
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this section, amounts collected by a State as child support for months in any period on behalf of a child for whom a public agency is making foster care maintenance payments under part E of this subchapter—
(1) shall be retained by the State to the extent necessary to reimburse it for the foster care maintenance payments made with respect to the child during such period (with appropriate reimbursement of the Federal Government to the extent of its participation in the financing);
(2) shall be paid to the public agency responsible for supervising the placement of the child to the extent that the amounts collected exceed the foster care maintenance payments made with respect to the child during such period but not the amounts required by a court or administrative order to be paid as support on behalf of the child during such period; and the responsible agency may use the payments in the manner it determines will serve the best interests of the child, including setting such payments aside for the child's future needs or making all or a part thereof available to the person responsible for meeting the child's day-to-day needs; and
(3) shall be retained by the State, if any portion of the amounts collected remains after making the payments required under paragraphs (1) and (2), to the extent that such portion is necessary to reimburse the State (with appropriate reimbursement to the Federal Government to the extent of its participation in the financing) for any past foster care maintenance payments (or payments of assistance under the State program funded under part A of this subchapter) which were made with respect to the child (and with respect to which past collections have not previously been retained);
and any balance shall be paid to the State agency responsible for supervising the placement of the child, for use by such agency in accordance with paragraph (2).
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §457, as added
Amendment of Section
(1) in subsection (a), by substituting "subsections (d) and (e)" for "subsections (e) and (f)";
(2) by striking out subsection (d);
(3) in subsection (e), by striking out the second sentence; and
(4) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as (d) and (e), respectively.
References in Text
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, referred to in subsec. (a)(5)(C), is
Parts A and E of this subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (b), (c)(1), (d)(2), and (f), are classified to sections 601 et seq. and 670 et seq., respectively, of this title.
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (a)(2)(B)(i)(I).
Subsec. (a)(5)(C).
Subsecs. (a)(6), (c)(1)(A).
Subsec. (d).
1997—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2)(B)(i)(I), (ii)(I).
Subsec. (a)(2)(B)(ii)(II).
Subsec. (a)(4).
Subsec. (a)(5).
Subsec. (a)(6).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c)(2).
Subsec. (c)(3)(A).
Subsec. (c)(3)(B).
Subsec. (f).
1996—
1988—Subsec. (b)(1).
1987—Subsec. (c).
1986—Subsec. (b)(3).
Subsec. (c).
1984—Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (b)(3).
Subsec. (b)(4).
Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (c)(2).
Subsec. (d).
1981—Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c).
1977—Subsec. (c).
Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Amendment by section 401(j), (k) of
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Section 302(c) of
"(1)
"(2)
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Section 102(c) of
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Amendment by section 1883(b)(6) of
Section 1899(b) of
Effective Date of 1984 Amendments
Section 7(b) of
Amendment by section 11(a) of
Section 2646 of
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§658. Incentive payments to States
(a) Purpose; requirement; quarterly payments
In order to encourage and reward State child support enforcement programs which perform in a cost-effective and efficient manner to secure support for all children who have sought assistance in securing support, whether such children reside within the State or elsewhere and whether or not they are eligible for assistance under a program funded under part A of this subchapter, and regardless of the economic circumstances of their parents, the Secretary shall, from support collected which would otherwise represent the Federal share of assistance to families of noncustodial parents, pay to each State for each fiscal year, on a quarterly basis (as described in subsection (e) of this section) beginning with the quarter commencing October 1, 1985, an incentive payment in an amount determined under subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Incentive formula
(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), the incentive payment shall be equal to—
(A) 6 percent of the total amount of support collected under the plan during the fiscal year in cases in which the support obligation involved is assigned to the State pursuant to
(B) 6 percent of the total amount of support collected during the fiscal year in all other cases under this part (with such total amount for any fiscal year being hereafter referred to in this section as the State's "non-title IV–A collections" for that year).
(2) If subsection (c) of this section applies with respect to a State's title IV–A collections or non-title IV–A collections for any fiscal year, the percent specified in paragraph (1)(A) or (B) (with respect to such collections) shall be increased to the higher percent determined under such subsection (with respect to such collections) in determining the State's incentive payment under this subsection for that year.
(3) The dollar amount of the portion of the State's incentive payment for any fiscal year which is determined on the basis of its non-title IV–A collections under paragraph (1)(B) (after adjustment under subsection (c) of this section if applicable) shall in no case exceed—
(A) the dollar amount of the portion of such payment which is determined on the basis of its title IV–A collections under paragraph (1)(A) (after adjustment under subsection (c) of this section if applicable) in the case of fiscal year 1986 or 1987;
(B) 105 percent of such dollar amount in the case of fiscal year 1988;
(C) 110 percent of such dollar amount in the case of fiscal year 1989; or
(D) 115 percent of such dollar amount in the case of fiscal year 1990 or any fiscal year thereafter.
(4) The Secretary shall make such additional payments to the State under this part, for fiscal year 1986 or 1987, as may be necessary to assure that the total amount of payments under this section and
(c) Increase in percentage; laboratory costs
If the total amount of a State's title IV–A collections or non-title IV–A collections for any fiscal year bears a ratio to the total amount expended by the State in that year for the operation of its plan approved under
(1) 6.5 percent, plus
(2) one-half of 1 percent for each full two-tenths by which such ratio exceeds 1.4;
except that the percent so specified shall in no event be increased (for either title IV–A collections or non-title IV–A collections) to more than 10 percent. For purposes of the preceding sentence, laboratory costs incurred in determining paternity in any fiscal year may at the option of the State be excluded from the State's combined title IV–A/non-title IV–A administrative costs for that year.
(d) Support collected on behalf of individuals residing in another State
In computing incentive payments under this section, support which is collected by one State at the request of another State, including amounts collected under
(e) Estimates by Secretary; quarterly payments
The amounts of the incentive payments to be made to the various States under this section for any fiscal year shall be estimated by the Secretary at or before the beginning of such year on the basis of the best information available. The Secretary shall make such payments for such year, on a quarterly basis (with each quarterly payment being made no later than the beginning of the quarter involved), in the amounts so estimated, reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayments or underpayments which the Secretary determines were made under this section to the States involved for prior periods and with respect to which adjustment has not already been made under this subsection. Upon the making of any estimate by the Secretary under the preceding sentence, any appropriations available for payments under this section shall be deemed obligated.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §458, as added
Repeal of Section
References in Text
Part A of this subchapter, referred to in subsec. (a), is classified to
Title IV–A, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c), means part A of title IV of act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, which is classified generally to part A (§601 et seq.) of this subchapter.
Section 5(c)(2)(A) of the Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1984, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), is section 5(c)(2)(A) of
Amendments
1998—Subsecs. (a) to (c).
1997—Subsec. (d).
1996—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (b)(1)(A).
Subsec. (c).
1988—Subsec. (d).
1986—Subsec. (d).
1984—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c).
Subsecs. (d), (e).
1982—Subsec. (a).
1980—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (c).
1977—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Amendment by section 201(e)(1)(A) of
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Effective and Termination Dates of 1984 Amendment
Section 5(c)(1) of
Section 5(c)(2)(A) of
Effective Date of 1983 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1977 Amendment
Section 503(b) of
Development of New Incentive System
Construction of Reference to Section 657(b) of This Title
Section 5(c)(2)(B) of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§658a. Incentive payments to States
(a) In general
In addition to any other payment under this part, the Secretary shall, subject to subsection (f) of this section, make an incentive payment to each State for each fiscal year in an amount determined under subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Amount of incentive payment
(1) In general
The incentive payment for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the incentive payment pool for the fiscal year, multiplied by the State incentive payment share for the fiscal year.
(2) Incentive payment pool
(A) In general
In paragraph (1), the term "incentive payment pool" means—
(i) $422,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;
(ii) $429,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;
(iii) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;
(iv) $461,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
(v) $454,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(vi) $446,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(vii) $458,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(viii) $471,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(ix) $483,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
(x) for any succeeding fiscal year, the amount of the incentive payment pool for the fiscal year that precedes such succeeding fiscal year, multiplied by the percentage (if any) by which the CPI for such preceding fiscal year exceeds the CPI for the second preceding fiscal year.
(B) CPI
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the CPI for a fiscal year is the average of the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the fiscal year. As used in the preceding sentence, the term "Consumer Price Index" means the last Consumer Price Index for all-urban consumers published by the Department of Labor.
(3) State incentive payment share
In paragraph (1), the term "State incentive payment share" means, with respect to a fiscal year—
(A) the incentive base amount for the State for the fiscal year; divided by
(B) the sum of the incentive base amounts for all of the States for the fiscal year.
(4) Incentive base amount
In paragraph (3), the term "incentive base amount" means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year, the sum of the applicable percentages (determined in accordance with paragraph (6)) multiplied by the corresponding maximum incentive base amounts for the State for the fiscal year, with respect to each of the following measures of State performance for the fiscal year:
(A) The paternity establishment performance level.
(B) The support order performance level.
(C) The current payment performance level.
(D) The arrearage payment performance level.
(E) The cost-effectiveness performance level.
(5) Maximum incentive base amount
(A) In general
For purposes of paragraph (4), the maximum incentive base amount for a State for a fiscal year is—
(i) with respect to the performance measures described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (4), the State collections base for the fiscal year; and
(ii) with respect to the performance measures described in subparagraphs (D) and (E) of paragraph (4), 75 percent of the State collections base for the fiscal year.
(B) Data required to be complete and reliable
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the maximum incentive base amount for a State for a fiscal year with respect to a performance measure described in paragraph (4) is zero, unless the Secretary determines, on the basis of an audit performed under
(C) State collections base
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the State collections base for a fiscal year is equal to the sum of—
(i) 2 times the sum of—
(I) the total amount of support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part in cases in which the support obligation involved is required to be assigned to the State pursuant to part A or E of this subchapter or subchapter XIX of this chapter; and
(II) the total amount of support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part in cases in which the support obligation involved was so assigned but, at the time of collection, is not required to be so assigned; and
(ii) the total amount of support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part in all other cases.
(6) Determination of applicable percentages based on performance levels
(A) Paternity establishment
(i) Determination of paternity establishment performance level
The paternity establishment performance level for a State for a fiscal year is, at the option of the State, the IV–D paternity establishment percentage determined under
(ii) Determination of applicable percentage
The applicable percentage with respect to a State's paternity establishment performance level is as follows:
| If the paternity establishment performance level is: | The applicable percentage is: | |
|---|---|---|
| At least: | But less than: | |
| 80% | 100 | |
| 79% | 80% | 98 |
| 78% | 79% | 96 |
| 77% | 78% | 94 |
| 76% | 77% | 92 |
| 75% | 76% | 90 |
| 74% | 75% | 88 |
| 73% | 74% | 86 |
| 72% | 73% | 84 |
| 71% | 72% | 82 |
| 70% | 71% | 80 |
| 69% | 70% | 79 |
| 68% | 69% | 78 |
| 67% | 68% | 77 |
| 66% | 67% | 76 |
| 65% | 66% | 75 |
| 64% | 65% | 74 |
| 63% | 64% | 73 |
| 62% | 63% | 72 |
| 61% | 62% | 71 |
| 60% | 61% | 70 |
| 59% | 60% | 69 |
| 58% | 59% | 68 |
| 57% | 58% | 67 |
| 56% | 57% | 66 |
| 55% | 56% | 65 |
| 54% | 55% | 64 |
| 53% | 54% | 63 |
| 52% | 53% | 62 |
| 51% | 52% | 61 |
| 50% | 51% | 60 |
| 0% | 50% | 0. |
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the paternity establishment performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 50 percent but exceeds by at least 10 percentage points the paternity establishment performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the State's paternity establishment performance level is 50 percent.
(B) Establishment of child support orders
(i) Determination of support order performance level
The support order performance level for a State for a fiscal year is the percentage of the total number of cases under the State plan approved under this part in which there is a support order during the fiscal year.
(ii) Determination of applicable percentage
The applicable percentage with respect to a State's support order performance level is as follows:
| If the support order performance level is: | The applicable percentage is: | |
|---|---|---|
| At least: | But less than: | |
| 80% | 100 | |
| 79% | 80% | 98 |
| 78% | 79% | 96 |
| 77% | 78% | 94 |
| 76% | 77% | 92 |
| 75% | 76% | 90 |
| 74% | 75% | 88 |
| 73% | 74% | 86 |
| 72% | 73% | 84 |
| 71% | 72% | 82 |
| 70% | 71% | 80 |
| 69% | 70% | 79 |
| 68% | 69% | 78 |
| 67% | 68% | 77 |
| 66% | 67% | 76 |
| 65% | 66% | 75 |
| 64% | 65% | 74 |
| 63% | 64% | 73 |
| 62% | 63% | 72 |
| 61% | 62% | 71 |
| 60% | 61% | 70 |
| 59% | 60% | 69 |
| 58% | 59% | 68 |
| 57% | 58% | 67 |
| 56% | 57% | 66 |
| 55% | 56% | 65 |
| 54% | 55% | 64 |
| 53% | 54% | 63 |
| 52% | 53% | 62 |
| 51% | 52% | 61 |
| 50% | 51% | 60 |
| 0% | 50% | 0. |
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the support order performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 50 percent but exceeds by at least 5 percentage points the support order performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the State's support order performance level is 50 percent.
(C) Collections on current child support due
(i) Determination of current payment performance level
The current payment performance level for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the total amount of current support collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part divided by the total amount of current support owed during the fiscal year in all cases under the State plan, expressed as a percentage.
(ii) Determination of applicable percentage
The applicable percentage with respect to a State's current payment performance level is as follows:
| If the current payment performance level is: | The applicable percentage is: | |
|---|---|---|
| At least: | But less than: | |
| 80% | 100 | |
| 79% | 80% | 98 |
| 78% | 79% | 96 |
| 77% | 78% | 94 |
| 76% | 77% | 92 |
| 75% | 76% | 90 |
| 74% | 75% | 88 |
| 73% | 74% | 86 |
| 72% | 73% | 84 |
| 71% | 72% | 82 |
| 70% | 71% | 80 |
| 69% | 70% | 79 |
| 68% | 69% | 78 |
| 67% | 68% | 77 |
| 66% | 67% | 76 |
| 65% | 66% | 75 |
| 64% | 65% | 74 |
| 63% | 64% | 73 |
| 62% | 63% | 72 |
| 61% | 62% | 71 |
| 60% | 61% | 70 |
| 59% | 60% | 69 |
| 58% | 59% | 68 |
| 57% | 58% | 67 |
| 56% | 57% | 66 |
| 55% | 56% | 65 |
| 54% | 55% | 64 |
| 53% | 54% | 63 |
| 52% | 53% | 62 |
| 51% | 52% | 61 |
| 50% | 51% | 60 |
| 49% | 50% | 59 |
| 48% | 49% | 58 |
| 47% | 48% | 57 |
| 46% | 47% | 56 |
| 45% | 46% | 55 |
| 44% | 45% | 54 |
| 43% | 44% | 53 |
| 42% | 43% | 52 |
| 41% | 42% | 51 |
| 40% | 41% | 50 |
| 0% | 40% | 0. |
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the current payment performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 40 percent but exceeds by at least 5 percentage points the current payment performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the State's current payment performance level is 50 percent.
(D) Collections on child support arrearages
(i) Determination of arrearage payment performance level
The arrearage payment performance level for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the total number of cases under the State plan approved under this part in which payments of past-due child support were received during the fiscal year and part or all of the payments were distributed to the family to whom the past-due child support was owed (or, if all past-due child support owed to the family was, at the time of receipt, subject to an assignment to the State, part or all of the payments were retained by the State) divided by the total number of cases under the State plan in which there is past-due child support, expressed as a percentage.
(ii) Determination of applicable percentage
The applicable percentage with respect to a State's arrearage payment performance level is as follows:
| If the arrearage payment performance level is: | The applicable percentage is: | |
|---|---|---|
| At least: | But less than: | |
| 80% | 100 | |
| 79% | 80% | 98 |
| 78% | 79% | 96 |
| 77% | 78% | 94 |
| 76% | 77% | 92 |
| 75% | 76% | 90 |
| 74% | 75% | 88 |
| 73% | 74% | 86 |
| 72% | 73% | 84 |
| 71% | 72% | 82 |
| 70% | 71% | 80 |
| 69% | 70% | 79 |
| 68% | 69% | 78 |
| 67% | 68% | 77 |
| 66% | 67% | 76 |
| 65% | 66% | 75 |
| 64% | 65% | 74 |
| 63% | 64% | 73 |
| 62% | 63% | 72 |
| 61% | 62% | 71 |
| 60% | 61% | 70 |
| 59% | 60% | 69 |
| 58% | 59% | 68 |
| 57% | 58% | 67 |
| 56% | 57% | 66 |
| 55% | 56% | 65 |
| 54% | 55% | 64 |
| 53% | 54% | 63 |
| 52% | 53% | 62 |
| 51% | 52% | 61 |
| 50% | 51% | 60 |
| 49% | 50% | 59 |
| 48% | 49% | 58 |
| 47% | 48% | 57 |
| 46% | 47% | 56 |
| 45% | 46% | 55 |
| 44% | 45% | 54 |
| 43% | 44% | 53 |
| 42% | 43% | 52 |
| 41% | 42% | 51 |
| 40% | 41% | 50 |
| 0% | 40% | 0. |
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the arrearage payment performance level of a State for a fiscal year is less than 40 percent but exceeds by at least 5 percentage points the arrearage payment performance level of the State for the immediately preceding fiscal year, then the applicable percentage with respect to the State's arrearage payment performance level is 50 percent.
(E) Cost-effectiveness
(i) Determination of cost-effectiveness performance level
The cost-effectiveness performance level for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the total amount collected during the fiscal year under the State plan approved under this part divided by the total amount expended during the fiscal year under the State plan, expressed as a ratio.
(ii) Determination of applicable percentage
The applicable percentage with respect to a State's cost-effectiveness performance level is as follows:
| If the cost-effectiveness performance level is: | The applicable percentage is: | |
|---|---|---|
| At least: | But less than: | |
| 5.00 | 100 | |
| 4.50 | 4.99 | 90 |
| 4.00 | 4.50 | 80 |
| 3.50 | 4.00 | 70 |
| 3.00 | 3.50 | 60 |
| 2.50 | 3.00 | 50 |
| 2.00 | 2.50 | 40 |
| 0.00 | 2.00 | 0. |
(c) Treatment of interstate collections
In computing incentive payments under this section, support which is collected by a State at the request of another State shall be treated as having been collected in full by both States, and any amounts expended by a State in carrying out a special project assisted under
(d) Administrative provisions
The amounts of the incentive payments to be made to the States under this section for a fiscal year shall be estimated by the Secretary at/or before the beginning of the fiscal year on the basis of the best information available. The Secretary shall make the payments for the fiscal year, on a quarterly basis (with each quarterly payment being made no later than the beginning of the quarter involved), in the amounts so estimated, reduced or increased to the extent of any overpayments or underpayments which the Secretary determines were made under this section to the States involved for prior periods and with respect to which adjustment has not already been made under this subsection. Upon the making of any estimate by the Secretary under the preceding sentence, any appropriations available for payments under this section are deemed obligated.
(e) Regulations
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary governing the calculation of incentive payments under this section, including directions for excluding from the calculations certain closed cases and cases over which the States do not have jurisdiction.
(f) Reinvestment
A State to which a payment is made under this section shall expend the full amount of the payment to supplement, and not supplant, other funds used by the State—
(1) to carry out the State plan approved under this part; or
(2) for any activity (including cost-effective contracts with local agencies) approved by the Secretary, whether or not the expenditures for the activity are eligible for reimbursement under this part, which may contribute to improving the effectiveness or efficiency of the State program operated under this part.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §458A, as added
Renumbering of Section
References in Text
Parts A and E of this subchapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(5)(C)(i)(I), are classified to sections 601 et seq. and 670 et seq., respectively, of this title.
Effective Date
Regulations
Transition Rule
"(1) for fiscal year 2000, the Secretary shall reduce by one-third the amount otherwise payable to a State under section 458 of the Social Security Act [
"(2) for fiscal year 2001, the Secretary shall reduce by two-thirds the amount otherwise payable to a State under section 458 of the Social Security Act, and shall reduce by one-third the amount otherwise payable to a State under section 458A of such Act."
Studies
"(1)
"(A)
"(B)
"(i)
"(ii)
"(iii)
"(2)
"(A)
"(B)
[
§659. Consent by United States to income withholding, garnishment, and similar proceedings for enforcement of child support and alimony obligations
(a) Consent to support enforcement
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including
(b) Consent to requirements applicable to private person
With respect to notice to withhold income pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b) of
(c) Designation of agent; response to notice or process
(1) Designation of agent
The head of each agency subject to this section shall—
(A) designate an agent or agents to receive orders and accept service of process in matters relating to child support or alimony; and
(B) annually publish in the Federal Register the designation of the agent or agents, identified by title or position, mailing address, and telephone number.
(2) Response to notice or process
If an agent designated pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection receives notice pursuant to State procedures in effect pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b) of
(A) as soon as possible (but not later than 15 days) thereafter, send written notice of the notice or service (together with a copy of the notice or service) to the individual at the duty station or last-known home address of the individual;
(B) within 30 days (or such longer period as may be prescribed by applicable State law) after receipt of a notice pursuant to such State procedures, comply with all applicable provisions of
(C) within 30 days (or such longer period as may be prescribed by applicable State law) after effective service of any other such order, process, or interrogatory, withhold available sums in response to the order or process, or answer the interrogatory.
(d) Priority of claims
If a governmental entity specified in subsection (a) of this section receives notice or is served with process, as provided in this section, concerning amounts owed by an individual to more than 1 person—
(1) support collection under
(2) allocation of moneys due or payable to an individual among claimants under
(3) such moneys as remain after compliance with paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be available to satisfy any other such processes on a first-come, first-served basis, with any such process being satisfied out of such moneys as remain after the satisfaction of all such processes which have been previously served.
(e) No requirement to vary pay cycles
A governmental entity that is affected by legal process served for the enforcement of an individual's child support or alimony payment obligations shall not be required to vary its normal pay and disbursement cycle in order to comply with the legal process.
(f) Relief from liability
(1) Neither the United States, nor the government of the District of Columbia, nor any disbursing officer shall be liable with respect to any payment made from moneys due or payable from the United States to any individual pursuant to legal process regular on its face, if the payment is made in accordance with this section and the regulations issued to carry out this section.
(2) No Federal employee whose duties include taking actions necessary to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) of this section with regard to any individual shall be subject under any law to any disciplinary action or civil or criminal liability or penalty for, or on account of, any disclosure of information made by the employee in connection with the carrying out of such actions.
(g) Regulations
Authority to promulgate regulations for the implementation of this section shall, insofar as this section applies to moneys due from (or payable by)—
(1) the United States (other than the legislative or judicial branches of the Federal Government) or the government of the District of Columbia, be vested in the President (or the designee of the President);
(2) the legislative branch of the Federal Government, be vested jointly in the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (or their designees),1 and
(3) the judicial branch of the Federal Government, be vested in the Chief Justice of the United States (or the designee of the Chief Justice).
(h) Moneys subject to process
(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), moneys payable to an individual which are considered to be based upon remuneration for employment, for purposes of this section—
(A) consist of—
(i) compensation payable for personal services of the individual, whether the compensation is denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, pay, allowances, or otherwise (including severance pay, sick pay, and incentive pay);
(ii) periodic benefits (including a periodic benefit as defined in
(I) under the insurance system established by subchapter II of this chapter;
(II) under any other system or fund established by the United States which provides for the payment of pensions, retirement or retired pay, annuities, dependents' or survivors' benefits, or similar amounts payable on account of personal services performed by the individual or any other individual;
(III) as compensation for death under any Federal program;
(IV) under any Federal program established to provide "black lung" benefits; or
(V) by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as compensation for a service-connected disability paid by the Secretary to a former member of the Armed Forces who is in receipt of retired or retainer pay if the former member has waived a portion of the retired or retainer pay in order to receive such compensation;
(iii) worker's compensation benefits paid or payable under Federal or State law;
(iv) benefits paid or payable under the Railroad Retirement System,2 and
(v) special benefits for certain World War II veterans payable under subchapter VIII of this chapter; but
(B) do not include any payment—
(i) by way of reimbursement or otherwise, to defray expenses incurred by the individual in carrying out duties associated with the employment of the individual;
(ii) as allowances for members of the uniformed services payable pursuant to
(iii) of periodic benefits under title 38, except as provided in subparagraph (A)(ii)(V).
(2) Certain amounts excluded
In determining the amount of any moneys due from, or payable by, the United States to any individual, there shall be excluded amounts which—
(A) are owed by the individual to the United States;
(B) are required by law to be, and are, deducted from the remuneration or other payment involved, including Federal employment taxes, and fines and forfeitures ordered by court-martial;
(C) are properly withheld for Federal, State, or local income tax purposes, if the withholding of the amounts is authorized or required by law and if amounts withheld are not greater than would be the case if the individual claimed all dependents to which he was entitled (the withholding of additional amounts pursuant to section 3402(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 may be permitted only when the individual presents evidence of a tax obligation which supports the additional withholding);
(D) are deducted as health insurance premiums;
(E) are deducted as normal retirement contributions (not including amounts deducted for supplementary coverage); or
(F) are deducted as normal life insurance premiums from salary or other remuneration for employment (not including amounts deducted for supplementary coverage).
(i) Definitions
For purposes of this section—
(1) United States
The term "United States" includes any department, agency, or instrumentality of the legislative, judicial, or executive branch of the Federal Government, the United States Postal Service, the Postal Rate Commission, any Federal corporation created by an Act of Congress that is wholly owned by the Federal Government, and the governments of the territories and possessions of the United States.
(2) Child support
The term "child support", when used in reference to the legal obligations of an individual to provide such support, means amounts required to be paid under a judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction, for the support and maintenance of a child, including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing State, or a child and the parent with whom the child is living, which provides for monetary support, health care, arrearages or reimbursement, and which may include other related costs and fees, interest and penalties, income withholding, attorney's fees, and other relief.
(3) Alimony
(A) In general
The term "alimony", when used in reference to the legal obligations of an individual to provide the same, means periodic payments of funds for the support and maintenance of the spouse (or former spouse) of the individual, and (subject to and in accordance with State law) includes separate maintenance, alimony pendente lite, maintenance, and spousal support, and includes attorney's fees, interest, and court costs when and to the extent that the same are expressly made recoverable as such pursuant to a decree, order, or judgment issued in accordance with applicable State law by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(B) Exceptions
Such term does not include—
(i) any child support; or
(ii) any payment or transfer of property or its value by an individual to the spouse or a former spouse of the individual in compliance with any community property settlement, equitable distribution of property, or other division of property between spouses or former spouses.
(4) Private person
The term "private person" means a person who does not have sovereign or other special immunity or privilege which causes the person not to be subject to legal process.
(5) Legal process
The term "legal process" means any writ, order, summons, or other similar process in the nature of garnishment—
(A) which is issued by—
(i) a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction in any State, territory, or possession of the United States;
(ii) a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction in any foreign country with which the United States has entered into an agreement which requires the United States to honor the process; or
(iii) an authorized official pursuant to an order of such a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction or pursuant to State or local law; and
(B) which is directed to, and the purpose of which is to compel, a governmental entity which holds moneys which are otherwise payable to an individual to make a payment from the moneys to another party in order to satisfy a legal obligation of the individual to provide child support or make alimony payments.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §459, as added
References in Text
The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (h)(2)(C), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (h)(1)(A)(v).
1997—Subsec. (c)(2)(C).
Subsec. (h)(1).
Subsec. (h)(1)(A)(i).
Subsec. (h)(1)(A)(iii).
Subsec. (h)(1)(A)(iv).
Subsec. (h)(1)(B)(iii).
1996—
1983—Subsec. (a).
1977—Subsec. (a).
Subsecs. (b) to (f).
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Section 362(d) of
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Pilot Program on Alternative Notice of Receipt of Legal Process for Garnishment of Federal Pay for Child Support and Alimony
For provisions relating to pilot program on alternative notice procedures for withholding or garnishment of pay for payment of child support and alimony under this section, see section 1061 of
Executive Order No. 11881
Ex. Ord. No. 11881, Oct. 3, 1975, 40 F.R. 46291, which related to the delegation of authority to issue regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this section, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12105, Dec. 19, 1978, 43 F.R. 59465, set out as a note below.
Ex. Ord. No. 12105. Delegation of Authority To Promulgate Regulations
Ex. Ord. No. 12105, Dec. 19, 1978, 43 F.R. 59465, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 461(a)(1) of the Social Security Act, as added by Section 501(c) of the Tax Reduction and Simplification Act of 1977 (
1–1. Delegation of Authority
1–101. The Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense with respect to members of the armed forces, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to employees of the Government thereof, is authorized to promulgate regulations for the uniform implementation of Section 459 of the Social Security Act, as amended (
1–102. The regulations promulgated by the Office of Personnel Management pursuant to this Order shall:
(a) Be applicable to the Executive branch of the Government as defined in Section 461(a)(1) of the Act (
(b) Require the appropriate officials of the Executive branch of the Government to take the actions prescribed by Sections 461(b)(1), 461(b)(3)(A) and 461(c) of the Act (
(c) Require the appropriate officials of the Executive branch of the Government to issue such rules, regulations and directives as are necessary to implement the regulations of the Office of Personnel Management.
1–2. Revocations
1–201. Executive Order No. 11881 of October 3, 1975 is revoked.
1–202. All regulations, directives, or actions taken by the Office of Personnel Management pursuant to Executive Order No. 11881 of October 3, 1975 shall remain in effect until modified, superseded or revoked by the Office of Personnel Management pursuant to this Order.
Jimmy Carter.
Ex. Ord. No. 12953. Actions Required of all Executive Agencies To Facilitate Payment of Child Support
Ex. Ord. No. 12953, Feb. 27, 1995, 60 F.R. 11013, provided:
Children need and deserve the emotional and financial support of both their parents.
The Federal Government requires States and, through them, public and private employers to take actions necessary to ensure that monies in payment of child support obligations are withheld and transferred to the child's caretaker in an efficient and expeditious manner.
The Federal Government, through its civilian employees and Uniformed Services members, is the Nation's largest single employer and as such should set an example of leadership and encouragement in ensuring that all children are properly supported.
NOW, THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including
PART I—PURPOSE
(b) Requires all Federal agencies, including the Uniformed Services, to cooperate fully in efforts to establish paternity and child support orders and to enforce the collection of child and medical support in all situations where such actions may be required.
(c) Requires each Federal agency, including the Uniformed Services, to provide information to its employees and members about actions that they should take and services that are available to ensure that their children are provided the support to which they are legally entitled.
PART 2—DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this order:
PART 3—IMMEDIATE ACTIONS TO ENSURE CHILDREN ARE SUPPORTED BY THEIR PARENTS
(b) Beginning no later than July 1, 1995, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) shall publish annually in the Federal Register the list of agents (and their addresses) designated to receive service of withholding notices for Federal employees.
(b) All Federal agencies shall inform current and prospective employees that crossmatches are routinely made between Federal personnel records and State records on individuals who owe child support, and inform employees how to initiate voluntary wage withholding requests.
PART 4—ADDITIONAL ACTIONS
(b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, DOD shall submit to OMB a report based on this review. The report shall recommend additional policy, regulatory and legislative changes that would improve and enhance the Federal Government's commitment to ensuring parental support for all children.
(i) any changes that would be needed to ensure that Federal employees comply with child support orders that require them to provide health insurance coverage for their children;
(ii) changes needed to ensure that more accurate and up-to-date data about civilian and uniformed personnel who are being sought in conjunction with State paternity or child support actions can be obtained from Federal agencies and their payroll and personnel records, to improve efforts to locate noncustodial parents and their income and assets;
(iii) changes needed for selecting Federal agencies to test and evaluate new approaches to the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations;
(iv) proposals to improve service of process for civilian employees and members of the Uniformed Services stationed outside the United States, including the possibility of serving process by certified mail in establishment and enforcement cases or of designating an agent for service of process that would have the same effect and bind employees to the same extent as actual service upon the employees;
(v) strategies to facilitate compliance with Federal and State child support requirements by quasi-governmental agencies, advisory groups, and commissions; and
(vi) analysis of whether compliance with support orders should be a factor used in defining suitability for Federal employment.
(b) The recommendations are due within 180 days of the date of this order. The recommendations are to be submitted in writing to the Office of Management and Budget.
This order is not intended to require any action that would compromise the defense or national security interest of the United States.
William J. Clinton.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
1 So in original. The comma probably should be a semicolon.
2 So in original. The comma probably should be a semicolon.
§659a. International support enforcement
(a) Authority for declarations
(1) Declaration
The Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, is authorized to declare any foreign country (or a political subdivision thereof) to be a foreign reciprocating country if the foreign country has established, or undertakes to establish, procedures for the establishment and enforcement of duties of support owed to obligees who are residents of the United States, and such procedures are substantially in conformity with the standards prescribed under subsection (b) of this section.
(2) Revocation
A declaration with respect to a foreign country made pursuant to paragraph (1) may be revoked if the Secretaries of State and Health and Human Services determine that—
(A) the procedures established by the foreign country regarding the establishment and enforcement of duties of support have been so changed, or the foreign country's implementation of such procedures is so unsatisfactory, that such procedures do not meet the criteria for such a declaration; or
(B) continued operation of the declaration is not consistent with the purposes of this part.
(3) Form of declaration
A declaration under paragraph (1) may be made in the form of an international agreement, in connection with an international agreement or corresponding foreign declaration, or on a unilateral basis.
(b) Standards for foreign support enforcement procedures
(1) Mandatory elements
Support enforcement procedures of a foreign country which may be the subject of a declaration pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section shall include the following elements:
(A) The foreign country (or political subdivision thereof) has in effect procedures, available to residents of the United States—
(i) for establishment of paternity, and for establishment of orders of support for children and custodial parents; and
(ii) for enforcement of orders to provide support to children and custodial parents, including procedures for collection and appropriate distribution of support payments under such orders.
(B) The procedures described in subparagraph (A), including legal and administrative assistance, are provided to residents of the United States at no cost.
(C) An agency of the foreign country is designated as a Central Authority responsible for—
(i) facilitating support enforcement in cases involving residents of the foreign country and residents of the United States; and
(ii) ensuring compliance with the standards established pursuant to this subsection.
(2) Additional elements
The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of State, in consultation with the States, may establish such additional standards as may be considered necessary to further the purposes of this section.
(c) Designation of United States Central Authority
It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to facilitate support enforcement in cases involving residents of the United States and residents of foreign countries that are the subject of a declaration under this section, by activities including—
(1) development of uniform forms and procedures for use in such cases;
(2) notification of foreign reciprocating countries of the State of residence of individuals sought for support enforcement purposes, on the basis of information provided by the Federal Parent Locator Service; and
(3) such other oversight, assistance, and coordination activities as the Secretary may find necessary and appropriate.
(d) Effect on other laws
States may enter into reciprocal arrangements for the establishment and enforcement of support obligations with foreign countries that are not the subject of a declaration pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, to the extent consistent with Federal law.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §459A, as added
Effective Date
For effective date of section, see section 395(a)–(c) of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§660. Civil action to enforce child support obligations; jurisdiction of district courts
The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction, without regard to any amount in controversy, to hear and determine any civil action certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §460, as added
Amendments
1984—
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by
§§661, 662. Repealed. Pub. L. 104–193, title III, §362(b)(1), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2246
Section 661, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §461, as added May 23, 1977,
Section 662, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §462, as added May 23, 1977,
Effective Date of Repeal
Repeal effective 6 months after Aug. 22, 1996, see section 362(d) of
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
§663. Use of Federal Parent Locator Service in connection with enforcement or determination of child custody in cases of parental kidnaping of child
(a) Agreements with States for use of Federal Parent Locator Service
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with every State under which the services of the Federal Parent Locator Service established under
(1) enforcing any State or Federal law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child; or
(2) making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination.
(b) Requests from authorized persons for information
An agreement entered into under subsection (a) of this section shall provide that the State agency described in
(1) enforcing any State or Federal law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child; or
(2) making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination.
(c) Information which may be disclosed
Information authorized to be provided by the Secretary under subsection (a), (b), (e), or (f) of this section shall be subject to the same conditions with respect to disclosure as information authorized to be provided under
(d) "Custody or visitation determination" and "authorized person" defined
For purposes of this section—
(1) the term "custody or visitation determination" means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for the custody or visitation of a child, and includes permanent and temporary orders, and initial orders and modification;
(2) the term "authorized person" means—
(A) any agent or attorney of any State having an agreement under this section, who has the duty or authority under the law of such State to enforce a child custody or visitation determination;
(B) any court having jurisdiction to make or enforce such a child custody or visitation determination, or any agent of such court; and
(C) any agent or attorney of the United States, or of a State having an agreement under this section, who has the duty or authority to investigate, enforce, or bring a prosecution with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child.
(e) Agreement on use of Federal Parent Locator Service with United States Central Authority under Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the Central Authority designated by the President in accordance with
(f) Agreement to assist in locating missing children under Federal Parent Locator Service
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the Attorney General of the United States, under which the services of the Federal Parent Locator Service established under
(1) enforcing any State or Federal law with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child, or
(2) making or enforcing a child custody or visitation determination.
The Federal Parent Locator Service shall charge no fees for services requested pursuant to this subsection.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §463, as added
Amendments
1997—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (d)(1).
Subsec. (d)(2)(A), (B).
Subsec. (f)(2).
1996—Subsec. (a).
Subsecs. (b), (c).
Subsecs. (e), (f).
1994—Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (f).
1988—Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (e).
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
For effective date of amendment by
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Section 214(c) of
Effective Date
Section 9(d) of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§664. Collection of past-due support from Federal tax refunds
(a) Procedures applicable; distribution
(1) Upon receiving notice from a State agency administering a plan approved under this part that a named individual owes past-due support which has been assigned to such State pursuant to section 608(a)(3) or
(2)(A) Upon receiving notice from a State agency administering a plan approved under this part that a named individual owes past-due support (as that term is defined for purposes of this paragraph under subsection (c) of this section) which such State has agreed to collect under
(B) This paragraph shall apply only with respect to refunds payable under section 6402 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 after December 31, 1985.
(3)(A) Prior to notifying the Secretary of the Treasury under paragraph (1) or (2) that an individual owes past-due support, the State shall send notice to such individual that a withholding will be made from any refund otherwise payable to such individual. The notice shall also (i) instruct the individual owing the past-due support of the steps which may be taken to contest the State's determination that past-due support is owed or the amount of the past-due support, and (ii) provide information, as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services by regulation in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, with respect to procedures to be followed, in the case of a joint return, to protect the share of the refund which may be payable to another person.
(B) If the Secretary of the Treasury determines that an amount should be withheld under paragraph (1) or (2), and that the refund from which it should be withheld is based upon a joint return, the Secretary of the Treasury shall notify the State that the withholding is being made from a refund based upon a joint return, and shall furnish to the State the names and addresses of each taxpayer filing such joint return. In the case of a withholding under paragraph (2), the State may delay distribution of the amount withheld until the State has been notified by the Secretary of the Treasury that the other person filing the joint return has received his or her proper share of the refund, but such delay may not exceed six months.
(C) If the other person filing the joint return with the named individual owing the past-due support takes appropriate action to secure his or her proper share of a refund from which a withholding was made under paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay such share to such other person. The Secretary of the Treasury shall deduct the amount of such payment from amounts subsequently payable to the State agency to which the amount originally withheld from such refund was paid.
(D) In any case in which an amount was withheld under paragraph (1) or (2) and paid to a State, and the State subsequently determines that the amount certified as past-due support was in excess of the amount actually owed at the time the amount withheld is to be distributed to or on behalf of the child, the State shall pay the excess amount withheld to the named individual thought to have owed the past-due support (or, in the case of amounts withheld on the basis of a joint return, jointly to the parties filing such return).
(b) Regulations; contents, etc.
(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall issue regulations, approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, prescribing the time or times at which States must submit notices of past-due support, the manner in which such notices must be submitted, and the necessary information that must be contained in or accompany the notices. The regulations shall be consistent with the provisions of subsection (a)(3) of this section, shall specify the minimum amount of past-due support to which the offset procedure established by subsection (a) of this section may be applied, and the fee that a State must pay to reimburse the Secretary of the Treasury for the full cost of applying the offset procedure, and shall provide that the Secretary of the Treasury will advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services, not less frequently than annually, of the States which have furnished notices of past-due support under subsection (a) of this section, the number of cases in each State with respect to which such notices have been furnished, the amount of support sought to be collected under this subsection by each State, and the amount of such collections actually made in the case of each State. Any fee paid to the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to this subsection may be used to reimburse appropriations which bore all or part of the cost of applying such procedure.
(2) In the case of withholdings made under subsection (a)(2) of this section, the regulations promulgated pursuant to this subsection shall include the following requirements:
(A) The withholding shall apply only in the case where the State determines that the amount of the past-due support which will be owed at the time the withholding is to be made, based upon the pattern of payment of support and other enforcement actions being pursued to collect the past-due support, is equal to or greater than $500. The State may limit the $500 threshold amount to amounts of past-due support accrued since the time that the State first began to enforce the child support order involved under the State plan, and may limit the application of the withholding to past-due support accrued since such time.
(B) The fee which the Secretary of the Treasury may impose to cover the costs of the withholding and notification may not exceed $25 per case submitted.
(c) "Past-due support" defined
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), as used in this part the term "past-due support" means the amount of a delinquency, determined under a court order, or an order of an administrative process established under State law, for support and maintenance of a child, or of a child and the parent with whom the child is living.
(2) For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of this section, the term "past-due support" means only past-due support owed to or on behalf of a qualified child (or a qualified child and the parent with whom the child is living if the same support order includes support for the child and the parent).
(3) For purposes of paragraph (2), the term "qualified child" means a child—
(A) who is a minor; or
(B)(i) who, while a minor, was determined to be disabled under subchapter II or XVI of this chapter; and
(ii) for whom an order of support is in force.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §464, as added
References in Text
The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Amendments
1997—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2)(A).
1996—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2)(A).
1990—Subsec. (a)(2)(B).
Subsec. (c)(2).
Subsec. (c)(3).
1986—Subsec. (a)(2)(B).
Subsec. (b)(2)(A).
1984—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (c)(1).
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by section 5513(a)(4) of
Amendment by sections 5531(b) and 5532(i)(1) of
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by
For provisions relating to effective date of title III of
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Section 5011(c) of
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by section 11(d) of
Amendment by section 21(a)–(c) of
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1981, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 2336 of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§665. Allotments from pay for child and spousal support owed by members of uniformed services on active duty
(a) Mandatory allotment; notice upon failure to make; amount of allotment; adjustment or discontinuance; consultation
(1) In any case in which child support payments or child and spousal support payments are owed by a member of one of the uniformed services (as defined in
(2) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subsection, no action shall be taken to require an allotment from the pay and allowances of any member of one of the uniformed services under such provisions (A) until such member has had a consultation with a judge advocate of the service involved (as defined in
(b) "Authorized person" defined
For purposes of this section the term "authorized person" with respect to any member of the uniformed services means—
(1) any agent or attorney of a State having in effect a plan approved under this part who has the duty or authority under such plan to seek to recover any amounts owed by such member as child or child and spousal support (including, when authorized under the State plan, any official of a political subdivision); and
(2) the court which has authority to issue an order against such member for the support and maintenance of a child, or any agent of such court.
(c) Regulations
The Secretary of Defense, in the case of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the Secretary concerned (as defined in
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §465, as added
Effective Date
Section 172(b) of
1 So in original. Probably should be "section".
§666. Requirement of statutorily prescribed procedures to improve effectiveness of child support enforcement
(a) Types of procedures required
In order to satisfy
(1)(A) Procedures described in subsection (b) of this section for the withholding from income of amounts payable as support in cases subject to enforcement under the State plan.
(B) Procedures under which the income of a person with a support obligation imposed by a support order issued (or modified) in the State before January 1, 1994, if not otherwise subject to withholding under subsection (b) of this section, shall become subject to withholding as provided in subsection (b) of this section if arrearages occur, without the need for a judicial or administrative hearing.
(2) Expedited administrative and judicial procedures (including the procedures specified in subsection (c) of this section) for establishing paternity and for establishing, modifying, and enforcing support obligations. The Secretary may waive the provisions of this paragraph with respect to one or more political subdivisions within the State on the basis of the effectiveness and timeliness of support order issuance and enforcement or paternity establishment within the political subdivision (in accordance with the general rule for exemptions under subsection (d) of this section).
(3) Procedures under which the State child support enforcement agency shall request, and the State shall provide, that for the purpose of enforcing a support order under any State plan approved under this part—
(A) any refund of State income tax which would otherwise be payable to a noncustodial parent will be reduced, after notice has been sent to that noncustodial parent of the proposed reduction and the procedures to be followed to contest it (and after full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State), by the amount of any overdue support owed by such noncustodial parent;
(B) the amount by which such refund is reduced shall be distributed in accordance with
(C) notice of the noncustodial parent's social security account number (or numbers, if he has more than one such number) and home address shall be furnished to the State agency requesting the refund offset, and to the State agency enforcing the order.
(4)
(A) liens arise by operation of law against real and personal property for amounts of overdue support owed by a noncustodial parent who resides or owns property in the State; and
(B) the State accords full faith and credit to liens described in subparagraph (A) arising in another State, when the State agency, party, or other entity seeking to enforce such a lien complies with the procedural rules relating to recording or serving liens that arise within the State, except that such rules may not require judicial notice or hearing prior to the enforcement of such a lien.
(5)
(A)
(i) Procedures which permit the establishment of the paternity of a child at any time before the child attains 18 years of age.
(ii) As of August 16, 1984, clause (i) shall also apply to a child for whom paternity has not been established or for whom a paternity action was brought but dismissed because a statute of limitations of less than 18 years was then in effect in the State.
(B)
(i)
(I) alleging paternity, and setting forth facts establishing a reasonable possibility of the requisite sexual contact between the parties; or
(II) denying paternity, and setting forth facts establishing a reasonable possibility of the nonexistence of sexual contact between the parties.
(ii)
(I) to pay costs of such tests, subject to recoupment (if the State so elects) from the alleged father if paternity is established; and
(II) to obtain additional testing in any case if an original test result is contested, upon request and advance payment by the contestant.
(C)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(I)
(II)
(aa)
(bb)
(iv)
(D)
(i)
(I) the father and mother have signed a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity; or
(II) a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction has issued an adjudication of paternity.
Nothing in this clause shall preclude a State agency from obtaining an admission of paternity from the father for submission in a judicial or administrative proceeding, or prohibit the issuance of an order in a judicial or administrative proceeding which bases a legal finding of paternity on an admission of paternity by the father and any other additional showing required by State law.
(ii)
(I) 60 days; or
(II) the date of an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the child (including a proceeding to establish a support order) in which the signatory is a party.
(iii)
(E)
(F)
(i) requiring the admission into evidence, for purposes of establishing paternity, of the results of any genetic test that is—
(I) of a type generally acknowledged as reliable by accreditation bodies designated by the Secretary; and
(II) performed by a laboratory approved by such an accreditation body;
(ii) requiring an objection to genetic testing results to be made in writing not later than a specified number of days before any hearing at which the results may be introduced into evidence (or, at State option, not later than a specified number of days after receipt of the results); and
(iii) making the test results admissible as evidence of paternity without the need for foundation testimony or other proof of authenticity or accuracy, unless objection is made.
(G)
(H)
(I)
(J)
(K)
(L)
(M)
(6) Procedures which require that a noncustodial parent give security, post a bond, or give some other guarantee to secure payment of overdue support, after notice has been sent to such noncustodial parent of the proposed action and of the procedures to be followed to contest it (and after full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State).
(7)
(A)
(B)
(i) only after such parent has been afforded all due process required under State law, including notice and a reasonable opportunity to contest the accuracy of such information; and
(ii) only to an entity that has furnished evidence satisfactory to the State that the entity is a consumer reporting agency (as so defined).
(8)(A) Procedures under which all child support orders not described in subparagraph (B) will include provision for withholding from income, in order to assure that withholding as a means of collecting child support is available if arrearages occur without the necessity of filing application for services under this part.
(B) Procedures under which all child support orders which are initially issued in the State on or after January 1, 1994, and are not being enforced under this part will include the following requirements:
(i) The income of a noncustodial parent shall be subject to withholding, regardless of whether support payments by such parent are in arrears, on the effective date of the order; except that such income shall not be subject to withholding under this clause in any case where (I) one of the parties demonstrates, and the court (or administrative process) finds, that there is good cause not to require immediate income withholding, or (II) a written agreement is reached between both parties which provides for an alternative arrangement.
(ii) The requirements of subsection (b)(1) of this section (which shall apply in the case of each noncustodial parent against whom a support order is or has been issued or modified in the State, without regard to whether the order is being enforced under the State plan).
(iii) The requirements of paragraphs (2), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), and (10) of subsection (b) of this section, where applicable.
(iv) Withholding from income of amounts payable as support must be carried out in full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State.
(9) Procedures which require that any payment or installment of support under any child support order, whether ordered through the State judicial system or through the expedited processes required by paragraph (2), is (on and after the date it is due)—
(A) a judgment by operation of law, with the full force, effect, and attributes of a judgment of the State, including the ability to be enforced,
(B) entitled as a judgment to full faith and credit in such State and in any other State, and
(C) not subject to retroactive modification by such State or by any other State;
except that such procedures may permit modification with respect to any period during which there is pending a petition for modification, but only from the date that notice of such petition has been given, either directly or through the appropriate agent, to the obligee or (where the obligee is the petitioner) to the obligor.
(10)
(A) 3-
(i)
(I) review and, if appropriate, adjust the order in accordance with the guidelines established pursuant to
(II) apply a cost-of-living adjustment to the order in accordance with a formula developed by the State; or
(III) use automated methods (including automated comparisons with wage or State income tax data) to identify orders eligible for review, conduct the review, identify orders eligible for adjustment, and apply the appropriate adjustment to the orders eligible for adjustment under any threshold that may be established by the State.
(ii)
(iii)
(B)
(C)
(11) Procedures under which a State must give full faith and credit to a determination of paternity made by any other State, whether established through voluntary acknowledgment or through administrative or judicial processes.
(12)
(13)
(A) any applicant for a professional license, driver's license, occupational license, recreational license, or marriage license be recorded on the application;
(B) any individual who is subject to a divorce decree, support order, or paternity determination or acknowledgment be placed in the records relating to the matter; and
(C) any individual who has died be placed in the records relating to the death and be recorded on the death certificate.
For purposes of subparagraph (A), if a State allows the use of a number other than the social security number to be used on the face of the document while the social security number is kept on file at the agency, the State shall so advise any applicants.
(14)
(A)
(i) the State shall use high-volume automated administrative enforcement, to the same extent as used for intrastate cases, in response to a request made by another State to enforce support orders, and shall promptly report the results of such enforcement procedure to the requesting State;
(ii) the State may, by electronic or other means, transmit to another State a request for assistance in enforcing support orders through high-volume, automated administrative enforcement, which request—
(I) shall include such information as will enable the State to which the request is transmitted to compare the information about the cases to the information in the data bases of the State; and
(II) shall constitute a certification by the requesting State—
(aa) of the amount of support under an order the payment of which is in arrears; and
(bb) that the requesting State has complied with all procedural due process requirements applicable to each case;
(iii) if the State provides assistance to another State pursuant to this paragraph with respect to a case, neither State shall consider the case to be transferred to the caseload of such other State; and
(iv) the State shall maintain records of—
(I) the number of such requests for assistance received by the State;
(II) the number of cases for which the State collected support in response to such a request; and
(III) the amount of such collected support.
(B)
(15)
(A) pay such support in accordance with a plan approved by the court, or, at the option of the State, a plan approved by the State agency administering the State program under this part; or
(B) if the individual is subject to such a plan and is not incapacitated, participate in such work activities (as defined in
(16)
(17)
(A)
(i) to develop and operate, in coordination with such financial institutions, and the Federal Parent Locator Service in the case of financial institutions doing business in two or more States, a data match system, using automated data exchanges to the maximum extent feasible, in which each such financial institution is required to provide for each calendar quarter the name, record address, social security number or other taxpayer identification number, and other identifying information for each noncustodial parent who maintains an account at such institution and who owes past-due support, as identified by the State by name and social security number or other taxpayer identification number; and
(ii) in response to a notice of lien or levy, encumber or surrender, as the case may be, assets held by such institution on behalf of any noncustodial parent who is subject to a child support lien pursuant to paragraph (4).
(B)
(C)
(i) for any disclosure of information to the State agency under subparagraph (A)(i);
(ii) for encumbering or surrendering any assets held by such financial institution in response to a notice of lien or levy issued by the State agency as provided for in subparagraph (A)(ii); or
(iii) for any other action taken in good faith to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (A).
(D)
(i)
(ii)
(18)
(19)
Notwithstanding
(b) Withholding from income of amounts payable as support
The procedures referred to in subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section (relating to the withholding from income of amounts payable as support) must provide for the following:
(1) In the case of each noncustodial parent against whom a support order is or has been issued or modified in the State, and is being enforced under the State plan, so much of such parent's income must be withheld, in accordance with the succeeding provisions of this subsection, as is necessary to comply with the order and provide for the payment of any fee to the employer which may be required under paragraph (6)(A), up to the maximum amount permitted under
(2) Such withholding must be provided without the necessity of any application therefor in the case of a child (whether or not eligible for assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter) with respect to whom services are already being provided under the State plan under this part, and must be provided in accordance with this subsection on the basis of an application for services under the State plan in the case of any other child in whose behalf a support order has been issued or modified in the State. In either case such withholding must occur without the need for any amendment to the support order involved or for any further action (other than those actions required under this part) by the court or other entity which issued such order.
(3)(A) The income of a noncustodial parent shall be subject to such withholding, regardless of whether support payments by such parent are in arrears, in the case of a support order being enforced under this part that is issued or modified on or after the first day of the 25th month beginning after October 13, 1988, on the effective date of the order; except that such income shall not be subject to such withholding under this subparagraph in any case where (i) one of the parties demonstrates, and the court (or administrative process) finds, that there is good cause not to require immediate income withholding, or (ii) a written agreement is reached between both parties which provides for an alternative arrangement.
(B) The income of a noncustodial parent shall become subject to such withholding, in the case of income not subject to withholding under subparagraph (A), on the date on which the payments which the noncustodial parent has failed to make under a support order are at least equal to the support payable for one month or, if earlier, and without regard to whether there is an arrearage, the earliest of—
(i) the date as of which the noncustodial parent requests that such withholding begin,
(ii) the date as of which the custodial parent requests that such withholding begin, if the State determines, in accordance with such procedures and standards as it may establish, that the request should be approved, or
(iii) such earlier date as the State may select.
(4)(A) Such withholding must be carried out in full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State, and the State must send notice to each noncustodial parent to whom paragraph (1) applies—
(i) that the withholding has commenced; and
(ii) of the procedures to follow if the noncustodial parent desires to contest such withholding on the grounds that the withholding or the amount withheld is improper due to a mistake of fact.
(B) The notice under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall include the information provided to the employer under paragraph (6)(A).
(5) Such withholding must be administered by the State through the State disbursement unit established pursuant to
(6)(A)(i) The employer of any noncustodial parent to whom paragraph (1) applies, upon being given notice as described in clause (ii), must be required to withhold from such noncustodial parent's income the amount specified by such notice (which may include a fee, established by the State, to be paid to the employer unless waived by such employer) and pay such amount (after deducting and retaining any portion thereof which represents the fee so established) to the State disbursement unit within 7 business days after the date the amount would (but for this subsection) have been paid or credited to the employee, for distribution in accordance with this part. The employer shall withhold funds as directed in the notice, except that when an employer receives an income withholding order issued by another State, the employer shall apply the income withholding law of the State of the obligor's principal place of employment in determining—
(I) the employer's fee for processing an income withholding order;
(II) the maximum amount permitted to be withheld from the obligor's income;
(III) the time periods within which the employer must implement the income withholding order and forward the child support payment;
(IV) the priorities for withholding and allocating income withheld for multiple child support obligees; and
(V) any withholding terms or conditions not specified in the order.
An employer who complies with an income withholding notice that is regular on its face shall not be subject to civil liability to any individual or agency for conduct in compliance with the notice.
(ii) The notice given to the employer shall be in a standard format prescribed by the Secretary, and contain only such information as may be necessary for the employer to comply with the withholding order.
(iii) As used in this subparagraph, the term "business day" means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.
(B) Methods must be established by the State to simplify the withholding process for employers to the greatest extent possible, including permitting any employer to combine all withheld amounts into a single payment to each appropriate agency or entity (with the portion thereof which is attributable to each individual employee being separately designated).
(C) The employer must be held liable to the State for any amount which such employer fails to withhold from income due an employee following receipt by such employer of proper notice under subparagraph (A), but such employer shall not be required to vary the normal pay and disbursement cycles in order to comply with this paragraph.
(D) Provision must be made for the imposition of a fine against any employer who—
(i) discharges from employment, refuses to employ, or takes disciplinary action against any noncustodial parent subject to income withholding required by this subsection because of the existence of such withholding and the obligations or additional obligations which it imposes upon the employer; or
(ii) fails to withhold support from income or to pay such amounts to the State disbursement unit in accordance with this subsection.
(7) Support collection under this subsection must be given priority over any other legal process under State law against the same income.
(8) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section and this subsection, the term "income" means any periodic form of payment due to an individual, regardless of source, including wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, worker's compensation, disability, payments pursuant to a pension or retirement program, and interest.
(9) The State must extend its withholding system under this subsection so that such system will include withholding from income derived within such State in cases where the applicable support orders were issued in other States, in order to assure that child support owed by noncustodial parents in such State or any other State will be collected without regard to the residence of the child for whom the support is payable or of such child's custodial parent.
(10) Provision must be made for terminating withholding.
(11) Procedures under which the agency administering the State plan approved under this part may execute a withholding order without advance notice to the obligor, including issuing the withholding order through electronic means.
(c) Expedited procedures
The procedures specified in this subsection are the following:
(1) Administrative action by State agency
Procedures which give the State agency the authority to take the following actions relating to establishment of paternity or to establishment, modification, or enforcement of support orders, without the necessity of obtaining an order from any other judicial or administrative tribunal, and to recognize and enforce the authority of State agencies of other States to take the following actions:
(A) Genetic testing
To order genetic testing for the purpose of paternity establishment as provided in subsection (a)(5) of this section.
(B) Financial or other information
To subpoena any financial or other information needed to establish, modify, or enforce a support order, and to impose penalties for failure to respond to such a subpoena.
(C) Response to State agency request
To require all entities in the State (including for-profit, nonprofit, and governmental employers) to provide promptly, in response to a request by the State agency of that or any other State administering a program under this part, information on the employment, compensation, and benefits of any individual employed by such entity as an employee or contractor, and to sanction failure to respond to any such request.
(D) Access to information contained in certain records
To obtain access, subject to safeguards on privacy and information security, and subject to the nonliability of entities that afford such access under this subparagraph, to information contained in the following records (including automated access, in the case of records maintained in automated data bases):
(i) Records of other State and local government agencies, including—
(I) vital statistics (including records of marriage, birth, and divorce);
(II) State and local tax and revenue records (including information on residence address, employer, income and assets);
(III) records concerning real and titled personal property;
(IV) records of occupational and professional licenses, and records concerning the ownership and control of corporations, partnerships, and other business entities;
(V) employment security records;
(VI) records of agencies administering public assistance programs;
(VII) records of the motor vehicle department; and
(VIII) corrections records.
(ii) Certain records held by private entities with respect to individuals who owe or are owed support (or against or with respect to whom a support obligation is sought), consisting of—
(I) the names and addresses of such individuals and the names and addresses of the employers of such individuals, as appearing in customer records of public utilities and cable television companies, pursuant to an administrative subpoena authorized by subparagraph (B); and
(II) information (including information on assets and liabilities) on such individuals held by financial institutions.
(E) Change in payee
In cases in which support is subject to an assignment in order to comply with a requirement imposed pursuant to part A of this subchapter, part E of this subchapter, or
(F) Income withholding
To order income withholding in accordance with subsections (a)(1)(A) and (b) of this section.
(G) Securing assets
In cases in which there is a support arrearage, to secure assets to satisfy any current support obligation and the arrearage by—
(i) intercepting or seizing periodic or lump-sum payments from—
(I) a State or local agency, including unemployment compensation, workers' compensation, and other benefits; and
(II) judgments, settlements, and lotteries;
(ii) attaching and seizing assets of the obligor held in financial institutions;
(iii) attaching public and private retirement funds; and
(iv) imposing liens in accordance with subsection (a)(4) of this section and, in appropriate cases, to force sale of property and distribution of proceeds.
(H) Increase monthly payments
For the purpose of securing overdue support, to increase the amount of monthly support payments to include amounts for arrearages, subject to such conditions or limitations as the State may provide.
Such procedures shall be subject to due process safeguards, including (as appropriate) requirements for notice, opportunity to contest the action, and opportunity for an appeal on the record to an independent administrative or judicial tribunal.
(2) Substantive and procedural rules
The expedited procedures required under subsection (a)(2) of this section shall include the following rules and authority, applicable with respect to all proceedings to establish paternity or to establish, modify, or enforce support orders:
(A) Locator information; presumptions concerning notice
Procedures under which—
(i) each party to any paternity or child support proceeding is required (subject to privacy safeguards) to file with the State case registry upon entry of an order, and to update as appropriate, information on location and identity of the party, including social security number, residential and mailing addresses, telephone number, driver's license number, and name, address, and telephone number of employer; and
(ii) in any subsequent child support enforcement action between the parties, upon sufficient showing that diligent effort has been made to ascertain the location of such a party, the court or administrative agency of competent jurisdiction shall deem State due process requirements for notice and service of process to be met with respect to the party, upon delivery of written notice to the most recent residential or employer address filed with the State case registry pursuant to clause (i).
(B) Statewide jurisdiction
Procedures under which—
(i) the State agency and any administrative or judicial tribunal with authority to hear child support and paternity cases exerts statewide jurisdiction over the parties; and
(ii) in a State in which orders are issued by courts or administrative tribunals, a case may be transferred between local jurisdictions in the State without need for any additional filing by the petitioner, or service of process upon the respondent, to retain jurisdiction over the parties.
(3) Coordination with ERISA
Notwithstanding subsection (d) of section 514 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [
(d) Exemption of States
If a State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary, through the presentation to the Secretary of such data pertaining to caseloads, processing times, administrative costs, and average support collections, and such other data or estimates as the Secretary may specify, that the enactment of any law or the use of any procedure or procedures required by or pursuant to this section will not increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the State child support enforcement program, the Secretary may exempt the State, subject to the Secretary's continuing review and to termination of the exemption should circumstances change, from the requirement to enact the law or use the procedure or procedures involved.
(e) "Overdue support" defined
For purposes of this section, the term "overdue support" means the amount of a delinquency pursuant to an obligation determined under a court order, or an order of an administrative process established under State law, for support and maintenance of a minor child which is owed to or on behalf of such child, or for support and maintenance of the noncustodial parent's spouse (or former spouse) with whom the child is living if and to the extent that spousal support (with respect to such spouse or former spouse) would be included for purposes of
(f) Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
In order to satisfy
(g) Laws voiding fraudulent transfers
In order to satisfy
(1)(A) the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act of 1981;
(B) the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act of 1984; or
(C) another law, specifying indicia of fraud which create a prima facie case that a debtor transferred income or property to avoid payment to a child support creditor, which the Secretary finds affords comparable rights to child support creditors; and
(2) procedures under which, in any case in which the State knows of a transfer by a child support debtor with respect to which such a prima facie case is established, the State must—
(A) seek to void such transfer; or
(B) obtain a settlement in the best interests of the child support creditor.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §466, as added
Amendment of Subsection (a)(19)
(19) HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.—Procedures under which—
(A) effective as provided in section 401(c)(3) of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998, all child support orders enforced pursuant to this part which include a provision for the health care coverage of the child are enforced, where appropriate, through the use of the National Medical Support Notice promulgated pursuant to section 401(b) of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998 (and referred to in section 609(a)(5)(C) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [
(B) unless alternative coverage is allowed for in any order of the court (or other entity issuing the child support order), in any case in which a noncustodial parent is required under the child support order to provide such health care coverage and the employer of such noncustodial parent is known to the State agency—
(i) the State agency uses the National Medical Support Notice to transfer notice of the provision for the health care coverage of the child to the employer;
(ii) within 20 business days after the date of the National Medical Support Notice, the employer is required to transfer the Notice, excluding the severable employer withholding notice described in section 401(b)(2)(C) of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998, to the appropriate plan providing any such health care coverage for which the child is eligible;
(iii) in any case in which the noncustodial parent is a newly hired employee entered in the State Directory of New Hires pursuant to
(iv) in any case in which the employment of the noncustodial parent with any employer who has received a National Medical Support Notice is terminated, such employer is required to notify the State agency of such termination; and
(C) any liability of the noncustodial parent to such plan for employee contributions which are required under such plan for enrollment of the child is effectively subject to appropriate enforcement, unless the noncustodial parent contests such enforcement based on a mistake of fact.
References in Text
Parts A and E of this subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(10)(A)(i), (15), (18), (b)(2), and (c)(1)(E), are classified to sections 601 et seq. and 670 et seq., respectively, of this title.
Codification
October 13, 1988, referred to in subsec. (b)(3)(A), was in the original "the date of enactment of this paragraph", which was translated as meaning the date of enactment of
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (a)(7)(A).
Subsec. (b)(6)(A)(i).
Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(i).
1998—Subsec. (a)(14)(B).
Subsec. (a)(17)(A)(i).
1997—Subsec. (a)(1)(B).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B).
Subsec. (a)(5)(C)(i).
Subsec. (a)(13).
Subsec. (a)(13)(A).
Subsec. (a)(14).
Subsec. (a)(15).
Subsec. (a)(16).
Subsec. (c)(1)(E).
Subsec. (c)(1)(F).
Subsec. (c)(1)(G).
Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(i).
Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(ii).
Subsec. (f).
1996—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(3)(A).
Subsec. (a)(3)(B).
(a)(3)(C).
Subsec. (a)(4).
Subsec. (a)(5).
Subsec. (a)(6).
Subsec. (a)(7).
Subsec. (a)(8)(A).
Subsec. (a)(8)(B)(i).
Subsec. (a)(8)(B)(ii).
Subsec. (a)(10).
Subsec. (a)(12).
Subsec. (a)(13).
Subsec. (a)(14).
Subsec. (a)(15).
Subsec. (a)(16).
Subsec. (a)(17).
Subsec. (a)(18).
Subsec. (a)(19).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (b)(3)(A).
Subsec. (b)(3)(B).
Subsec. (b)(3)(B)(i).
Subsec. (b)(4).
"(A) Such withholding must be carried out in full compliance with all procedural due process requirements of the State, and (subject to subparagraph (B)) the State must send advance notice to each absent parent to whom paragraph (1) applies regarding the proposed withholding and the procedures such absent parent should follow if he or she desires to contest such withholding on the grounds that withholding (including the amount to be withheld) is not proper in the case involved because of mistakes of fact. If the absent parent contests such withholding on those grounds, the State shall determine whether such withholding will actually occur, shall (within no more than 45 days after the provision of such advance notice) inform such parent of whether or not withholding will occur and (if so) of the date on which it is to begin, and shall furnish such parent with the information contained in any notice given to the employer under paragraph (6)(A) with respect to such withholding.
"(B) The requirement of advance notice set forth in the first sentence of subparagraph (A) shall not apply in the case of any State which has a system of income withholding for child support purposes in effect on August 16, 1984, if such system provides on that date, and continues to provide, such procedures as may be necessary to meet the procedural due process requirements of State law."
Subsec. (b)(5).
Subsec. (b)(6)(A)(i).
Subsec. (b)(6)(A)(ii).
Subsec. (b)(6)(A)(iii).
Subsec. (b)(6)(C).
Subsec. (b)(6)(D).
Subsec. (b)(7).
Subsec. (b)(8).
Subsec. (b)(9).
Subsec. (b)(11).
Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (e).
Subsec. (f).
Subsec. (g).
1994—Subsec. (a)(7).
Subsec. (a)(7)(C).
1993—Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(5)(C) to (H).
Subsec. (a)(11).
1988—Subsec. (a)(5).
Subsec. (a)(5)(A).
Subsec. (a)(8).
Subsec. (a)(10).
Subsec. (b)(3).
"(A) the date on which the payments which the absent parent has failed to make under such order are at least equal to the support payable for one month,
"(B) the date as of which the absent parent requests that such withholding begin, or
"(C) such earlier date as the State may select."
1986—Subsec. (a)(9).
Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Amendment by section 401(c)(1) of
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by section 108(c)(14), (15) of
For effective date of amendments by title III of
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Section 212(b) of
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1988 Amendments
Section 8105 of
Section 101(d) of
"(1) The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall become effective on the first day of the 25th month beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 13, 1988].
"(2) The amendments made by subsection (b) [amending this section] shall become effective on January 1, 1994.
"(3) Subsection (c) [set out below] shall become effective on the date of the enactment of this Act."
Section 103(f) of
Amendment by section 111(b) of
Amendment by section 111(e) of
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Section 9103(b) of
"(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall become effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1986].
"(2) In the case of a State with respect to which the Secretary of Health and Human Services has determined that State legislation is required in order to conform the State plan approved under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [this part] to the requirements imposed by the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section], the State plan shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the requirements of such part solely by reason of its failure to meet the requirements imposed by such amendment prior to the beginning of the fourth month beginning after the end of the first session of the State legislature which ends on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1986]. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term 'session' means a regular, special, budget, or other session of a State legislature."
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1985, except that subsec. (e) effective with respect to support owed for any month beginning after Aug. 16, 1984, see section 3(g) of
Study on Making Immediate Income Withholding Mandatory in All Cases
Section 101(c) of
Study of Impact of Extending Periodic Review Requirements to All Other Cases
Section 103(d) of
Demonstration Projects for Evaluating Model Procedures for Reviewing Child Support Awards
Section 103(e) of
Commission on Interstate Child Support
Section 126 of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§667. State guidelines for child support awards
(a) Establishment of guidelines; method
Each State, as a condition for having its State plan approved under this part, must establish guidelines for child support award amounts within the State. The guidelines may be established by law or by judicial or administrative action, and shall be reviewed at least once every 4 years to ensure that their application results in the determination of appropriate child support award amounts.
(b) Availability of guidelines; rebuttable presumption
(1) The guidelines established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be made available to all judges and other officials who have the power to determine child support awards within such State.
(2) There shall be a rebuttable presumption, in any judicial or administrative proceeding for the award of child support, that the amount of the award which would result from the application of such guidelines is the correct amount of child support to be awarded. A written finding or specific finding on the record that the application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case, as determined under criteria established by the State, shall be sufficient to rebut the presumption in that case.
(c) Technical assistance to States; State to furnish Secretary with copies
The Secretary shall furnish technical assistance to the States for establishing the guidelines, and each State shall furnish the Secretary with copies of its guidelines.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §467, as added
Amendments
1988—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date
Section 18(b) of
Study of Child-Rearing Costs
Section 128 of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§668. Encouragement of States to adopt civil procedure for establishing paternity in contested cases
In the administration of the child support enforcement program under this part, each State is encouraged to establish and implement a civil procedure for establishing paternity in contested cases.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §468, as added
Amendments
1996—
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
For effective date of amendment by
§669. Collection and reporting of child support enforcement data
(a) In general
With respect to each type of service described in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall collect and maintain up-to-date statistics, by State, and on a fiscal year basis, on—
(1) the number of cases in the caseload of the State agency administering the plan approved under this part in which the service is needed; and
(2) the number of such cases in which the service has actually been provided.
(b) Types of services
The statistics required by subsection (a) of this section shall be separately stated with respect to paternity establishment services and child support obligation establishment services.
(c) Types of service recipients
The statistics required by subsection (a) of this section shall be separately stated with respect to—
(1) recipients of assistance under a State program funded under part A of this subchapter or of payments or services under a State plan approved under part E of this subchapter; and
(2) individuals who are not such recipients.
(d) Rule of interpretation
For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of this section, a service has actually been provided when the task described by the service has been accomplished.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §469, as added
References in Text
Parts A and E of this subchapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), are classified to sections 601 et seq. and 670 et seq., respectively, of this title.
Amendments
1998—
1996—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b)(2), (4).
1988—Subsec. (a).
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by section 108(c)(16) of
For effective date of amendment by section 395(d)(2)(E) of
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Section 8105 of
§669a. Nonliability for financial institutions providing financial records to State child support enforcement agencies in child support cases
(a) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal or State law, a financial institution shall not be liable under any Federal or State law to any person for disclosing any financial record of an individual to a State child support enforcement agency attempting to establish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation of such individual, or for disclosing any such record to the Federal Parent Locator Service pursuant to
(b) Prohibition of disclosure of financial record obtained by State child support enforcement agency
A State child support enforcement agency which obtains a financial record of an individual from a financial institution pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may disclose such financial record only for the purpose of, and to the extent necessary in, establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation of such individual.
(c) Civil damages for unauthorized disclosure
(1) Disclosure by State officer or employee
If any person knowingly, or by reason of negligence, discloses a financial record of an individual in violation of subsection (b) of this section, such individual may bring a civil action for damages against such person in a district court of the United States.
(2) No liability for good faith but erroneous interpretation
No liability shall arise under this subsection with respect to any disclosure which results from a good faith, but erroneous, interpretation of subsection (b) of this section.
(3) Damages
In any action brought under paragraph (1), upon a finding of liability on the part of the defendant, the defendant shall be liable to the plaintiff in an amount equal to the sum of—
(A) the greater of—
(i) $1,000 for each act of unauthorized disclosure of a financial record with respect to which such defendant is found liable; or
(ii) the sum of—
(I) the actual damages sustained by the plaintiff as a result of such unauthorized disclosure; plus
(II) in the case of a willful disclosure or a disclosure which is the result of gross negligence, punitive damages; plus
(B) the costs (including attorney's fees) of the action.
(d) Definitions
For purposes of this section—
(1) Financial institution
The term "financial institution" means—
(A) a depository institution, as defined in
(B) an institution-affiliated party, as defined in
(C) any Federal credit union or State credit union, as defined in
(D) any benefit association, insurance company, safe deposit company, money-market mutual fund, or similar entity authorized to do business in the State.
(2) Financial record
The term "financial record" has the meaning given such term in
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §469A, as added
Amendments
1998—Subsec. (a).
Effective Date
For effective date of section, see section 395(a)–(c) of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in
§669b. Grants to States for access and visitation programs
(a) In general
The Administration for Children and Families shall make grants under this section to enable States to establish and administer programs to support and facilitate noncustodial parents' access to and visitation of their children, by means of activities including mediation (both voluntary and mandatory), counseling, education, development of parenting plans, visitation enforcement (including monitoring, supervision and neutral drop-off and pickup), and development of guidelines for visitation and alternative custody arrangements.
(b) Amount of grant
The amount of the grant to be made to a State under this section for a fiscal year shall be an amount equal to the lesser of—
(1) 90 percent of State expenditures during the fiscal year for activities described in subsection (a) of this section; or
(2) the allotment of the State under subsection (c) of this section for the fiscal year.
(c) Allotments to States
(1) In general
The allotment of a State for a fiscal year is the amount that bears the same ratio to $10,000,000 for grants under this section for the fiscal year as the number of children in the State living with only 1 biological parent bears to the total number of such children in all States.
(2) Minimum allotment
The Administration for Children and Families shall adjust allotments to States under paragraph (1) as necessary to ensure that no State is allotted less than—
(A) $50,000 for fiscal year 1997 or 1998; or
(B) $100,000 for any succeeding fiscal year.
(d) No supplantation of State expenditures for similar activities
A State to which a grant is made under this section may not use the grant to supplant expenditures by the State for activities specified in subsection (a) of this section, but shall use the grant to supplement such expenditures at a level at least equal to the level of such expenditures for fiscal year 1995.
(e) State administration
Each State to which a grant is made under this section—
(1) may administer State programs funded with the grant, directly or through grants to or contracts with courts, local public agencies, or nonprofit private entities;
(2) shall not be required to operate such programs on a statewide basis; and
(3) shall monitor, evaluate, and report on such programs in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §469B, as added
Effective Date
For effective date of section, see section 395(a)–(c) of