Common Child Support Terms

First and foremost it is important to remember that child support orders are to help provide food, clothing, and shelter for your children. This does not mean supporting a lavish lifestyle for your ex. There are several circumstances that can arise once a support order has been established to qualify your case for review. This information is divided into two primary parts; information for those who do not currently have an established order for support and information for those who are seeking to reduce their current court ordered child support obligation. Let's begin with some basic terms common to child support orders and cases:

Arrearage – unpaid child support for past periods owed by a parent who is obligated to pay.

Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Agency – agency that exists in the 54 states and territories and several Native American tribes, established by title IV-D (Four-D) of the Social Security Act, to locate noncustodial parents, establish paternity and establish and enforce child support orders.

Child Support Enforcement Program – the Federal/state/local partnership established under Part D of the Social Security Act to locate parents, establish paternity and child support orders and to enforce those orders.

Consent agreement – voluntary written admission of paternity or responsibility for support.

Custodial Parent – person with legal custody and with whom the child lives; may be a parent, other relative, legal guardian (JPS) or someone else.

Default – failure of a defendant to appear, or file an answer or response in a civil case, after having been served with a summons and complaint.

Default judgment – decision made by the tribunal when the defendant fails to respond.

Defendant – person against whom a civil or criminal proceeding is begun.

Disposable Income – income remaining after subtracting mandatory deductions such as: Federal, state and local taxes; FICA and Medicare taxes; unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance; state employee retirement systems; additional deductions mandated by state law.

Enforcement – obtaining payment of a child support or medical support obligation.

Establishment – the process of determining paternity and/or obtaining a child support order.

Federal Income Tax Offset Program – a program under the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement which makes available to state CSE Agencies a route for s ecuring the tax refund of parents who have been certified as owing substantial amounts of child support.

Garnishment – a legal proceeding under which part of a person's wages and/or assets is withheld for payment of a debt.

Guidelines – a standard method for setting child support obligations based on the income of the parent(s) and other factors as determined by state law.

Immediate Income Withholding – automatic deductions from income which start as soon as the agreement for support is established.

Judgment – the official decision by the tribunal in authority on the rights and claims of the parties to an action.

Medical Support – legal provision for payment of medical and dental bills.

Noncustodial Parent – parent who does not have primary custody of a child.

Obligation – amount of money to be paid as support by the responsible parent and the manner by which it is to be paid.

Offset – amount of money taken from a parent's state or Federal income tax refund to satisfy a child support debt

Order – direction of a magistrate, judge or properly empowered administrative officer.

Plaintiff – person who brings an action, complains or sues in a civil case.

Wage Withholding – procedure by which automatic deductions are made from wages or income to pay some debt such as child support; may be voluntary or involuntary.

Support and Custody Ebooks

How to Win Child Custody