The Child Support Services Division (CSSD) may use administrative and judicial enforcement  tools to collect  arrears (past  due child support payments) from non-custodial parents (NCP).  There are eleven (11) administrative and judicial tools in total.  The tools are:

What Steps are Involved?
CSSD submits cases through the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), the federal child support agency, to the Financial Management Services of the United States Department of Treasury.  Once the case becomes eligible for administrative offset or for federal tax offset.

 

Administrative offset
Administrative offset is a way that gives the CSSD the authority to intercept certain types of federal payments when arrears are at least $25.00.  The Department of Treasury will deduct 25% from the following types of federal payments:

Federal Tax Intercept
CSSD may submit your case to the Internal Revenue Services requesting that your arrears amount be intercepted if you owe:
TANF/Foster Care Arrears of at least $150.

      Federal taxes can now be intercepted for arrears owed for a child who is emancipated or is an adult.
Non-TANF/Medicaid Arrears of at least $500.

A NCP’s spouse whose taxes have been intercepted, may contact CSSD to request assistance with recouping some tax refund, if eligible. 

 

State Tax Intercept
CSSD will send the case information, which includes the arrears amount, to the DC Tax and Resolution Office to intercept the amount of arrears.

Cases with an arrears amount of $2,500.00 or more, will be submitted to the State Department to have the non-custodial parent’s passport revoked or denied for renewal.

 

The NCP must pay all of the arrears down to $0.00 in order to get the passport issued or renewed; unless the NCP can show that the travel is necessary for a medical emergency or funeral.

 

Lottery Intercepts
Cases with arrears amount of at least $599.00 will be submitted to the DC Lottery Board for lottery intercept.

 

When the arrears amount are at least $1,000.00, CSSD will send a letter to the NCP.  NCP has ten (10) days to respond before CSSD will send information about the arrears amount to the Credit Bureau Agencies.

 

In cases where the NCP has paid the arrears but the arrears amount is still being reported on their credit report, the  NCP may contact CSSD for assistance.

 

DMV Drivers’ License/Vehicle Registrations Revocation
CSSD will submit your case information to the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) to revoke NCP’s  driver’s license and/or vehicle registration, as a result of  child support arrears.
Cases with arrears are submitted to DMV when no payment has been received within sixty (60) days and there is no wage withholdings order (garnishment) on the case.

 

If a NCP accrues a certain amount of arrears and that person owns real or personal property in the District of Columbia, CSSD will file a lien on the property.  This means, if and when the property is ever sold, the CSSD lien must be paid before the NCP can take the proceeds from the sale.

 

Contempt Process
Civil and Criminal Contempt are 2 judicial enforcement tools that CSSD may use to seek payment for child support arrears.

 

Civil Contempt
CSSD may file a Motion to Show Cause Why the Non-Custodial Parent Should Not be Held in Contempt (Civil Contempt Motion), when the NCP fails to comply with instructions in the court order, such as pay your child support amount of $100 per month.  The court can order the NCP to pay a lump sum amount, scheduled payments or incarceration. 

 

Criminal Contempt
In cases where the non-custodial parent willfully disobeys the court’s order and all of the enforcement tools described in this brochure do not work, CSSD will file a criminal case to hold the non-custodial parent in criminal contempt.  If the court agrees with CSSD, the NCP may sentenced up one (1) year in jail, placed on probation, or fined.

 

Freeze & Seize Bank Account, Administrative Financial Institution Data Match (FIDM)
CSSD may use the Administrative Financial Institution Data Match (FIDM) enforcement tool to collect past-due child support.  FIDM allows CSSD to freeze and seize Non-Custodial Parent’s bank accounts where the Non-Custodial Parent: