Division of
CHILD SUPPORT
ENFORCEMENT
5 | Handbook for Parents
ARREARAGE:
The total amount of overdue
child support obligations that
remain unpaid.
ARREARS OBLIGATION:
The periodic amount established
in a court order that is to be paid
toward any support arrearage
that accumulates.
CHILD SUPPORT:
Financial support paid by parents
to help support a child(ren)
that they do not have physical
custody of (the child does not
live with them). Child support
can be entered into voluntarily or
ordered by a court.
CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES:
A standard method for
determining the amount of
child support obligations, using
a mathematical formula and
based on the income of the
parent responsible for payment
and other factors determined by
state or tribal law.
CONTEMPT OF COURT:
Willfully refusing to do what the
court has ordered you to do.
CUSTODIAL PARENT:
The person with whom the
child(ren) is primarily residing
and/or who is responsible for
the care of the child(ren). Also
referred to as the parent who
receives support or the parent
who is owed support.
DELINQUENCY:
Child and/or spousal support
payments that are ordered by a
court to be paid by a parent for
the support of a child or spouse
or former spouse with whom the
child(ren) is living. Child and/or
spousal support obligations are
considered delinquent if they
have remained unpaid for at least
30 days after payment is due.
DOMESTIC/FAMILY VIOLENCE:
A pattern of abusive and
controlling behaviors that a
person uses against a current
or former intimate partner. It
can include physical, sexual,
emotional, and economic abuse.
GOOD CAUSE:
Reason for which a custodial
parent is excused from
cooperating in establishing
paternity or in securing child
support, such as past physical
harm or emotional abuse,
including threats of harm or
physical abuse, by the child’s
other parent. In certain instances,
it may be determined that it is not
in the best interest of the child to
pursue child support.
INCOME WITHHOLDING ORDER:
An order that requires an
employer to withhold an amount
of support from a parent’s income
and transfer that withholding to
the appropriate agency for child
support. This it is sometimes
referred to as wage withholding
or garnishment.
MODIFICATION:
A change in a child support order
that aects the amount, scope,
or duration of the child support
order and modies, replaces,
supersedes, or otherwise is made
subsequent to the child
support order.
NONCUSTODIAL PARENT OR
PARENT RESPONSIBLE FOR
SUPPORT:
The parent with whom the
child(ren) does not primarily
reside. More often this parent
will be referred to as the parent
who pays support, the parent
who owes support, or the parent
responsible for payment.
PATERNITY :
The legal establishment of a
father for a child, either by court
determination, administrative
process, tribal custom or
voluntary acknowledgment.
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE:
Includes, but is not limited to,
programs such as TANF, SNAP,
and Medicaid, also includes Title
IV-E foster care recipients.
SUPPORT ORDER:
A judgment, decree or order,
whether temporary, nal or
subject to modication for child
support, spousal support and/
or medical support, issued by
a court or an administrative
agency of competent jurisdiction
or a stipulated agreement signed
by a judge. The support order
may also provide for arrears
or reimbursement and may
include related costs and fees,
interest and penalties, income
withholding, attorney fees, and
other relief.
Before you begin, here is a list of denitions that will help you with this handbook:
DEFINITIONS