How Do I Collect Current or Overdue Child Support?

Long Island parents on are required by law to support their children. Unfortunately, some custodial parents are frustrated by the fact that they have not been able to receive Child Support from the noncustodial parent. In many Long Island Family Court cases, the services of the Child Support Enforcement Bureau (CSEB) then become necessary. However, there are many parents who do not know of the CSEB, or, do not know why they are an important part of many Family Court cases.

What is the Child Support Enforcement Bureau?

CSEB has the legislative authority to collect overdue child support, also known as arrears.  The child support program provides custodial parents with assistance in obtaining financial support and medical insurance coverage for their children by locating parents, establishing paternity, establishing support orders, and collecting and distributing child support payments.

How Do I Collect Current or Overdue Child Support?

In order to seek current or overdue child support, there are two administrative procedures that can be utilized – either an income execution or unemployment insurance benefits. An income execution is a process by which payments are deducted from a noncustodial parent’s wages or other income by the noncustodial parent’s employer or income payor. Alternatively, if the noncustodial parent is receiving unemployment insurance from the New York State Department of Labor, payments can be automatically deducted from those benefits.

How Can I Collect Overdue Payments?

To collect solely overdue child support payments, there are many different options for the custodial parent:

• If a noncustodial parent owes arrears, the custodial parent can request CSEB intercept the noncustodial parent’s income tax refund or lottery winnings, have his or her driver’s license suspended, or have his or her passport application denied.
• The name of a nonpaying noncustodial parent can be given to the major consumer credit reporting agencies, resulting in the noncustodial parent having difficulty obtaining a loan or other forms of credit until the arrears are paid.
• Liens can also be filed against a nonpaying parent’s real estate or personal injury claims or awards.
• Finally, the name of a nonpaying parent can be sent to the Department of Taxation and Finance. The Department can then apply specific tax collection remedies to collect the overdue support payments.

Medical Support Enforcement

In addition to child support, the CSEB also deals with medical insurance for children. When a court order for child support directs the noncustodial parent to provide health insurance, a National Medical Support Notice is sent to that parent’s employer. This notice requires the employer to obtain the necessary health insurance on behalf of the noncustodial parent’s dependent child(ren).

Have More Questions About Collecting Overdue Child Support? Contact Us

If you have further questions regarding child support and the collection of arrears, we can help. Contact our Long Island Divorce & Family Law firm at 631-923-1910 to set up your free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.