**GLOSSARY**

**OF**

**COMMON**

**CHILD**

**SUPPORT**

**TERMS**

![](media/image1.png){width="0.68125in" height="0.75in"}

**U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES**

> **Administration for Children and Families**

**Office of Child Support Enforcement**

**PREFACE**

The purpose of the **Glossary of Common Child Support Terms** is to
provide a listing of acronyms and definitions of terms used by child
support workers. The Glossary is intended to be a reference tool to
those who are new to child support. It will serve to break down the
barriers of communication with other professional child support workers.
Communication among the caseworkers, state-to-state and nationwide, is a
major key to successfully processing cases and collecting payments for
child support. In addition, it will be a useful tool to both the
custodial and noncustodial parent in communicating with the caseworker
and the public at large who desire to understand child support better.

**Acronyms**

**ACF** Administration for Children and Families

**AFDC** Aid to Families with Dependent Children

**AT** Action Transmittal

**CCPA** Consumer Credit Protection Act

**CEJ** Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction

**CP** Custodial Party

**CSE** Child Support Enforcement

**CSENet** Child Support Enforcement Network

**DCL** Dear Colleague Letter

**DNA** DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid

**DOB** Date of Birth

**DOD** Department of Defense

**EDI** Electronic Data Interchange

**EFT** Electronic Funds Transfer

**E-IWO** Electronic Income Withholding Order

**EVS** Enumeration and Verification System

**FCR** Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders

**FEIN** Federal Employer Identification Number

**FFCCSOA** Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act

**FFP** Federal Financial Participation

**FIDM** Financial Institution Data Match

**FMS** Financial Management Service

**FOP** Federal Offset Program

**FPLS** Federal Parent Locator Service

**FRC** Foreign Reciprocating Country

**FSA** Family Support Act

**FVI** Family Violence Indicator

**GSA** Government Services Administration

**HHS** United States Department of Health and Human Services

**ICR** Interstate Case Reconciliation

**IM** Information Memorandum

**IRG** Intergovernmental Referral Guide

**IRS** Internal Revenue Service

**IV-A** Title IV-A of the Social Security Act

**IV-D** Title IV-D of the Social Security Act

**IV-E** Title IV-E of the Social Security Act

**IWO** Income Withholding Order

**MAO** Medical Assistance Only

**MSFI** Multistate Financial Institution

**MSFIDM** Multistate Financial Institution Data Match

**MSO** Monthly Support Obligation

**NACHA** National Automated Clearing House Association

**NCP** Noncustodial parent

**NDNH** National Directory of New Hires

**NH** New Hire

**NMSN** National Medical Support Notice

**NPRC** National Personnel Records Center

**NPRM** Notice of Proposed Rule Making

**OCSE** Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement

**OPM** Office of Personnel Management

**PF** Putative Father

**PIQ** Policy Interpretation Question

**PRWORA** Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act of 1996

**QW** Quarterly Wage

**RURESA** Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act

**SCHIP** State Child Health Insurance Program

**SCR** State Case Registry of Child Support Orders

**SDNH** State Directory of New Hires

**SDU** State Disbursement Unit

**SESA** State Employment Security Agency, now called "State Workforce
Agency"

**SPLS** State Parent Locator Service

**SSA** Social Security Administration

**SSN** Social Security Number

**SVES** State Verification Enumeration Service

**SWA** State Workforce Agency

**TANF** Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

**TCSE** Tribal Child Support Enforcement

**UDC** Undistributed Collections

**UI** Unemployment Insurance

**UIFSA** Uniform Interstate Family Support Act

**UPA** Uniform Parentage Act

**URA** Unreimbursed Public Assistance

**URESA** Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act

## Glossary

**Adjudication**

The entry of a judgment, decree, or order by a judge or other
decision-maker such as a master, referee, or hearing officer, based on
the evidence submitted by the parties.

**Administration for Children and Families (ACF)**

The agency in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that
houses the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE).

Administrative Offset--- The process of withholding all, or part, of
administrative payments (any non-tax related payment) that is paid by
the Federal government to a person or entity that owes an outstanding
delinquent non-tax debt to the government, and applying the funds to
reduce or satisfy the debt.

**Administrative Procedure**

A method by which support orders are made and enforced by an executive
agency rather than by courts and judges.

**Affidavit**

A written statement, usually notarized, that is signed under oath or by
affirmation.

**Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)**

Former entitlement program that made public assistance payments on
behalf of children who did not have the financial support of one of
their parents by reason of death, disability, or continued absence from
the home; known in many States as AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent
Children). Replaced with Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) under
the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
(PRWORA).

***(See also: Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act)***

# Alleged Father

A person who has been named as the father of a child born out of
wedlock, but who has not been legally determined to be the father. Also
referred to as putative father.

**Allowable Disposable Income**

This is the maximum amount available for child support withholding,
calculated by applying a State's limitations or the Consumer Credit
Protection Act (CCPA) limits to the noncustodial parent's disposable
income. (***See also*: *disposable income)***

**Arrearage**

Past due, unpaid child support owed by the noncustodial parent. If the
parent has arrearages, s/he is said to be \"in arrears.\" .

**Assignment of Support Rights**

The legal procedure by which a person receiving public assistance agrees
to turn over to the State or Tribe any right to child support, including
arrearages, paid by the noncustodial parent in exchange for receipt of a
cash assistance grant and other benefits. States and Tribes can then use
a portion of said child support to defray or recoup the public
assistance expenditure.

**Biological Father**

The man who provided the paternal genes of a child. The biological
father is sometimes referred to as the natural father.

**Burden of Proof**

The duty of a party to produce the greater weight of evidence on a point
at issue.

**Case**

A legal action. Also the group of people associated with a particular
child support order, court hearing and/or request for IV-D services.
This typically includes a Custodial Party (CP), dependent(s), and
Noncustodial parent (NCP) and/or Putative Father (PF). Every child
support case has a unique Case Identification (ID) number and, in
addition to names and identifying information about its members,
includes information such as CP and NCP wage data, court order details,
and NCP payment history.

(See also: Child Support; IV-D Case; IV-A Case; IV-E Case)

**Central Registry**

A centralized unit, maintained by every State IV-D agency, that is
responsible for receiving, distributing, and responding to inquiries on
interstate IV-D cases. Tribal programs currently do not have a
centralized unit.

**Child Support**

Financial support paid by parents to help support a child or children of
whom they do not

have custody. Child support can be entered into voluntarily or ordered
by a court or a properly empowered administrative agency, depending on
state or tribal laws. Child support can involve:

-   **IV-A case:** A case in which a State provides public assistance
    under the State's IV-A Program, which is funded under Title IV-A of
    the Social Security Act where the child(ren) have been determined to
    be eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The
    children's support rights have been assigned to the State or Tribe,
    and a referral to the child support agency has been made.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **IV‑D case**: A case in which a State currently provides child
    support services as directed by the State or Tribal IV-D Program
    that is authorized by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. A IV-D
    case is comprised of:

-   a dependent child or children;

-   a custodial party who may be a caretaker relative or other
    custodian, including an entity such as a foster care agency; and

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   a non-custodial parent (NCP) or parents, a mother, a father , or a
    putative father,

> whose paternity has not been legally established.

-   **IV-E case: (**Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) A case in which
    a State currently provides benefits or services for foster care
    maintenance to children entitled to foster care maintenance under
    the State's IV-E Program authorized under Title IV-E of the Social
    Security Act. These cases are also eligible for IV-D services.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Non-IV-D case:** A case where the order is privately entered into
    and the CSE agency is not providing locate, enforcement, or
    collection services; often entered into during divorce proceedings.
    Non-IV-D cases are for payment processing only.

> **Current Assistance IV-D (Child Support) Case**
>
> A case where the children are: (1) recipients of Temporary Assistance
> for Needy Families (TANF) under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act
> or (2) entitled to Foster Care maintenance payments under Title IV-E
> of the Social Security Act. In addition, the children's support rights
> have been assigned by a caretaker relative to a State or Tribe, and a
> referral to the state or tribal IV-D agency has been made. Also a
> **TANF IV-D Case** or **Foster Care IV-D Case.**

# Never Assistance IV-D Case

> A case where the children are receiving services under the Title IV-D
> program, but are not currently determined to be eligible for and have
> not previously received assistance under Titles IV-A or IV-E of the
> Social Security Act. A child support case is set up when a person
> requests a child support office to help them get child support money.
> The case file will have important papers such as birth certificates,
> court orders, information on the absent parent, etc.
>
> A never assistance case includes cases where the family is receiving
> IV-D services as a result of a written application for IV-D services,
> including cases where the children are receiving state (not Title
> IV-E) foster care services, or a case in which they are Medicaid
> recipients not receiving additional assistance. Tribal and
> international cases are considered never assistance cases if the case
> status is unknown.

# Former Assistance IV-D Case

> A case where the children formerly received Title IV-A (AFDC or TANF)
> or Title IV-E Foster Care services.

**Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Agency**

Agency that exists in every State or Tribe to locate noncustodial
parents (NCPs) or putative fathers (PF), establish, enforce, and modify
child support orders, and collect and distribute child support money. It
is operated by the State, Tribal or local government according to the
Child Support Enforcement program guidelines as set forth in Title IV-D
of the Social Security Act. Also known as a "IV-D Agency".

# Child Support Order

The document that sets: (1) an amount of money that is to be provided by
a parent for the support of the parent's children and/or (2) the
responsibility to provide health insurance and/or medical support for
those children. This amount or responsibility must be established by
court order or administrative process, voluntary agreement (in States or
Tribes where such agreements are filed in the court or agency of the
administrative process as an order and are legally enforceable) or other
legal process. It may include a judgment for child support arrears.

# Child Support Pass-Through

Provision by which States can disburse part of a child support payment
collected on behalf of a public assistance recipient instead of keeping
the funds to reimburse the State and disregard the payment in
determining eligibility for assistance. Tribal programs also have a
choice in adopting pass-through. Also known as child support
"disregard."

***(See also: Public Assistance)***

**Complaint**

The formal written document filed in a court which sets forth the names
of the parties, the allegations, and the request for relief sought.
Sometimes called the initial pleading or petition.

**Consent Agreement**

Voluntary written admission of paternity or responsibility for child
support.

**Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA)**

Federal law that limits the amount that may be withheld from earnings to
satisfy child support obligations and other garnishments. State or
tribal law may further limit the amount that can be withheld from a
person's paycheck.

**Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction (CEJ)**

The authority that only one tribunal has to modify an order for support.

**Controlling Order**

The one order that must be used by all States and Tribes for enforcement
and modification actions from the present time forward. In cases
involving multiple orders issued prior to the enactment of UIFSA, UIFSA
provides rules for determining the controlling order, the one order to
be prospectively enforced. UIFSA does not apply to Tribes.

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)

Modification of the amount of a support obligation, based on the
economy's increasing or decreasing cost of the necessities of life, such
as food, shelter, and clothing.

**Criminal non-support**

Criminal charges that can be brought when an NCP willfully fails to pay
child support. There are criminal offenses for failure to support at
both the State and Federal levels.

Federal actions require some interstate activity.

-   **Child Support Recovery Act (CSRA) (1992)**

> This Act makes it a Federal crime to willfully fail to pay a past due
> child support obligation for a child living in another State. The past
> due child support obligation must be either greater than \$5,000 or
> must have remained unpaid for more than one year.

# Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act (DPPA) of 1998

A Federal law that imposes criminal penalties on parents who repeatedly
fail to support children living in another State or who flee across
state lines to avoid supporting them; the Deadbeat Parents Punishment
Act established felony violations for the willful failure to pay legal
child support obligations in interstate cases.

**Custodial Parent (CP)**

The person who has primary care, custody, and control of the child(ren).
Can also be custodial party\-- a relative, or other person with legal
custody of the child(ren).

**Custody Order**

Legally binding determination that establishes with whom a child shall
live. The meaning of different types of custody terms (e.g., Joint
Custody, Shared Custody, Split Custody) varies from State to State and
Tribe to Tribe.

**Debt Check**

A program, developed by the Treasury Department\'s Financial Management
Service, which allows agencies and outside lenders to determine whether
applicants for Federal loans, loan insurance or loan guarantees owe
delinquent child support or delinquent non-tax debt to the Federal
government. Federal agencies are required to deny loans, loan insurance,
or loan guarantees to individuals who owe delinquent child support if
those debts have been referred to the [Treasury Offset Program
(TOP)](http://fms.treas.gov/debt/top.html) for administrative offset.

**Default**

The failure of a defendant to file an answer or appear in a civil case
within the prescribed time after having been properly served with a
summons and complaint. The tribunal hearing the case can enter an order
based on information presented without any challenge if the responding
party does not answer the claim or appear in court as requested. This is
called a default order. .

**Defendant**

The person against whom a civil or criminal proceeding is begun.

**Dependent**

A person who is under the care of a parent, relative or other caretaker
and cannot live on his/her own. Most children who are eligible to
receive child support must be dependents. The child ceases to be a
dependent when he or she reaches the "age of emancipation" as determined
by state or tribal law but, depending on the State 's or Tribe's
provisions, may remain eligible for child support for a period after he
or she is emancipated, or reaches the age of "majority."

**Disbursement**

The process of money being sent out to the custodial parent once child
support has been received; the paying out of collected child support
funds.

**Disposable Income**

The portion of an employee\'s earnings that remains after deductions
required by law (e.g., taxes, Social Security, FICA) and that is used to
determine the amount of an employee\'s pay subject to a garnishment,
attachment, or child support withholding order. Also, the money due an
employee after taxes and other required deductions.

(See also: Garnishment)

**Distribution**

The allocation of child support collected to the various types of debt
within a child support case, as specified in 45 CFR 302.51, (e.g.,
monthly support obligations, arrears, ordered arrears, etc.) 45 CFR
309.115 specifies procedures governing Tribal IV-D programs; the process
of how the total amount of child support payment is divided between all
those owed under the support orders, including reimbursement for public
assistance.

**DNA testing**

The analysis of human cells to facilitate the establishment of
paternity.

**Due Process**

The principle of fairness in legal proceedings so that a person has a
right to know what action is being taken and has an opportunity to be
heard.

**Electronic Disbursement**

Process by which a child support payment is electronically transmitted
to an account. The most common forms of electronic disbursement are
direct deposit to a bank or other financial institution or through an
electronic payment card (stored value card). The process when child
support payment or any other payments are sent to banks accounts by
computer systems.

**Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)**

Process by which money is transmitted electronically from one bank
account to another.

**Enforcement**

The application of remedies to obtain payment of a child or medical
support obligation contained in a child and/or spousal support order.
Examples of remedies include garnishment of wages, seizure of assets,
liens placed on assets, revocation of licenses (e.g., drivers, business,
medical, etc.), denial of U.S. passports, contempt of court proceedings,
etc. The processes that can be used to get payments from the non
custodial parent or to require compliance with some other provision of
the order.

**Emancipation**

A child ceases to be a dependent upon reaching the "age of majority" as
determined by State or tribal law, however, depending on the State's
provisions, may remain eligible for child support for a period after
emancipation. The age a person is no longer considered a minor (child)
under government laws. This law is different from State to State, and
Tribe to Tribe.

**Establishment**

The process of determining legal paternity and/or obtaining a court or
administrative order to put a child support obligation in place.

**Family Violence (FV) Indicator**

A designation that resides in the Federal Case Registry (FCR) placed on
a participant in a case or order by a State or Tribe that indicates a
person is associated with child abuse or domestic violence. It is used
to prevent disclosure of the location of a party and/or a child believed
by the State or Tribe to be at risk of family violence***.***

**Federal Case Registry (FCR)**

A national database of information on individuals in all IV-D cases, and
all non-IV-D orders entered or modified on or after October 1, 1998. The
FCR receives this case information on a daily basis from the State Case
Registry (SCR) located in every State, and proactively matches it with
previous submissions to the FCR and with employment information
contained in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH). Any successful
matches are returned to the appropriate State(s) for processing. The FCR
and the NDNH are both part of the expanded FPLS, which is maintained by
OCSE.

**Federal Financial Participation (FFP)**

The portion of a State's child support expenditures that are paid by a
Federal Government match. Most child support costs are matched two to
one. In other words, the Federal share of most child support costs is 66
percent.

# Federal Offset Program (FOP) 

The program that provides several enforcement tools for the collection
of past due child support from non-custodial parents (NCPs), including
Federal income tax refund and administrative offset, Passport Denial
Program, MSFIDM and Debt Check.

# Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) 

A computerized national location network operated by the Federal Office
of Child Support (OCSE) of the Administration for Children and Families
(ACF), within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). FPLS
obtains address and employer information, as well as data on child
support cases in every State, compares them and returns matches to the
appropriate States. This helps State and local child support enforcement
agencies locate noncustodial parents and putative fathers for the
purposes of establishing custody and visitation rights, establishing and
enforcing child support obligations, investigating parental kidnapping,
and processing adoption or foster care cases. The expanded FPLS includes
the Federal Case Registry (FCR) and the National Directory of New Hires
(NDNH).

# Federal Tax Refund Offset Program

The process that collects past due child support amounts from NCPs
through the interception of their Federal income tax refund.

Financial Institution Data Match (FIDM)

A process whereby information on accounts held by banks, savings & loan
companies, brokerage houses, and other financial institutions is matched
against those child support obligors who owe arrears (past-due support).

**Financial Management Service (FMS)**

Acting as the U.S. government\'s money manager, FMS provides centralized
payment, collection, and reporting services for the government, and
using a centralized process, collects delinquent debts (e.g., Federal
student, mortgage, or small business loans, Federal salary or benefit
overpayments, fines or penalties assessed by federal agencies) owed to
the United States government, as well as income tax debts owed to States
and overdue child support payments owed to custodial parents.

**Foreign Reciprocating Country**

A foreign country with which the United States has signed a bilateral
agreement ensuring reciprocity in child support enforcement.

**Foster Care**

A Federal-State-Tribal program that provides financial support to
people, families or institutions that are raising children that are not
their own.

**(*See also*: IV-E Case)**

**Full Faith and Credit**

# Doctrine under which a State or Tribe must honor an order or judgment entered in another State or Tribe and enforce it as if it were an order within its own territory, but may not modify the order unless properly petitioned to do so. This principle was specifically applied to child support orders in Federal law that took effect in 1994, under the Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act (FFCCSOA). 

# 

# Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act (FFCCSOA) requires States and federally funded Tribal child support enforcement agencies to enforce child support orders made by other States or Tribes if: the issuing State or Tribe's tribunal had subject matter jurisdiction to hear and resolve the matter and enter an order; the issuing State or Tribe's tribunal had personal jurisdiction over the parties; and reasonable notice and the opportunity to be heard was given to the parties. FFCCSOA also sets limits on State and Tribal authority to modify another State's or Tribe's child support orders in instances when: the State or Tribe seeking to modify the order has jurisdiction to do so and the tribunal that originally issued the order no longer has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the order either because the child and the parties to the case are no longer residents of the issuing State , or the parties to the case have filed written consent to transfer continuing exclusive jurisdiction to the tribunal seeking to make the modification. 

**Garnishment**

A legal proceeding under which part of a person\'s wages and/or assets
is withheld for payment of a debt. This term is usually used to specify
that an income or wage withholding is involuntary.

(See also: Income Withholding; Wage Withholding; Direct Income
Withholding; Immediate Wage Withholding)

**Genetic Testing**

Analysis of inherited factors to determine legal fatherhood or
paternity.

(See also: Legal Father; Paternity; Putative Fathers; DNA testing)

**Good Cause**

A legal reason for which a Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
recipient is excused from cooperating with the child support enforcement
process, such as past physical harm by the child's noncustodial parent.
It also includes situations where rape or incest resulted in the
conception of the child and situations where the mother is considering
placing the child for adoption.

(See also: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families; IV-A Case)

**Guidelines\--Child Support**

A standard method for setting child support obligations, using a
mathematical formula and based on the income of one or both parent(s)
and other factors determined by State or Tribal law. The Family Support
Act of 1988 requires States to use guidelines to determine the amount of
support for each family, unless they are rebutted by a written finding
that applying the guidelines would be inappropriate to the case.

(See also: Income; Disposable Income; Imputed Income)

**Imputed income**

Income that may be attributed to an individual who refuses to obtain
employment, chooses not to work for personal reasons, or chooses to earn
less than is typical for someone with the individual's training,
education and skill. An individual cannot be forced to work but the
court or decision-maker can attribute certain income levels to a person
based on the person's education or training, skill, and work history.
Some States consider assets, for example, if the obligor is
self-employed or owns real estate. This also may be the amount of income
the court/administrator determines that an obligor is capable of earning
if he/she does not appear at a hearing after proper service. Some will
also attribute income to a custodial parent who chooses to remain
unemployed.

***(See also: Disposable Income; Guidelines)***

**In-Kind Support**

Non-cash support payments, for example, food or clothing, provided to a
custodial parent or child in lieu of cash support payments.

**Income**

For child support purposes, any periodic form of payment to an
individual, regardless of source, including wages, salaries,
commissions, bonuses, worker\'s compensation, disability, pension, or
retirement program payments and interest; remuneration for work
performed or any payment made in lieu of remuneration for worked
performed, such as social security benefits or retirement pay.

**Income Withholding**

An order that requires an employer to withhold support from a
noncustodial parent's wages and transfer that withholding to the
appropriate agency (the Centralized Collection Unit, the State
Disbursement Unit or Tribal IV-D agency.) Sometimes referred to as a
wage withholding or garnishment.

> **Direct Income Withholding \--**
>
> A procedure, whereby an income withholding order from one State can be
> sent directly to the noncustodial parent\'s (NCP's) employer in
> another State , without the need to use the IV-D Agency or court
> system in the NCP's State .
>
> **Immediate Wage Withholding**
>
> An automatic deduction from income that starts as soon as the order
> for support is established and an income-withholding order/notice is
> received and implemented by the noncustodial parent's employer.

**Indian Tribe**

Any Indian or Alaskan Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or
community the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an
Indian Tribe and includes in the list of Federally-recognized Indian
Tribal governments.

**Initiating Jurisdiction**

The state, tribal or county court; or administrative agency, which sends
a request for action to another court or agency which can exercise legal
authority against a party to an action. In cases where a State is trying
to establish an initial child support order on behalf of a resident
custodial parent, and does not have Long-Arm Jurisdiction (i.e., cannot
legally claim personal jurisdiction over a person who is not a
resident), it must file a Two-State Action under the Uniform Interstate
Family Support Act (UIFSA) guidelines. (Tribes are not subject to
UIFSA.)

***(See also: Long Arm Jurisdiction; Two-State Action; Uniform
Interstate Family Support Act)***

**Intercept**

A method of securing child support by taking a portion of non-wage
payments made to a noncustodial parent. Non-wage payments subject to
interception include Federal tax refunds, State tax refunds,
unemployment benefits, and disability benefits.

(See also: Federal Tax Refund Offset Program)

Intergovernmental Referral Guide (IRG)

An online compilation of questions and answers where State and Tribal
Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agencies and the Federal Office of Child
Support Enforcement (OCSE) provide updated State and Tribal CSE
information.

**Intergovernmental Cases**

Cases in which the dependent child and noncustodial parent (NCP) live in
different States, Tribes, Territories or Countries, or where two or more
agencies or tribunals are involved in some case activity, such as
enforcement. (Also called Interstate or Interjurisdictional Cases.)

# 

# International IV-D Case 

A case under the State's IV-D program received from, or referred to, a
foreign country that has entered into an agreement under section 459A of
the Social Security Act with the United States (a Foreign Reciprocating
Country or FRC) or a foreign country with which the State has entered a
reciprocal agreement. International cases also include IV-D cases in
which there is an application for services from an individual who
resides in a foreign country.

# Interstate 

An action that takes place involving two or more States, typically where
the order for support is in one State and one of the parties resides
elsewhere. Can also be between two Tribes or a State and a Tribe; also
called interjurisdictional or intergovernmental.

# 

# Interstate Case Reconciliation

An OCSE program that matches cases that two States may have in common,
identifies

missing or incorrect data, and provides corrected data back to the
States. The data

include case ID, case status, and participant information.

Interstate Central Registry

The unit in each State's IV-D agency that is responsible for receiving,
distributing and responding to inquiries on all incoming interstate IV-D
cases.

**Interstate IV-D Case**

A IV-D case in which the noncustodial parent lives and/or works in a
different State from the custodial parent and child(ren). Unless
otherwise specified, the term applies both to one State and two-State
interstate cases.

**Judgment**

The official decision or finding of a judge or administrative agency
hearing officer upon the respective rights and claims of the parties to
an action; also known as a decree or order. It may include the "findings
of fact and conclusions of law."

**Judicial Process**

The use of tribunals in determining child support legal obligations,
including paternity establishment, order establishment, enforcement, and
modifications of orders.

**Jurisdiction**

The legal authority which a court or administrative agency has over
particular persons and over certain types of cases, usually in a defined
geographical area. Also, a term used to signify a geographic location
such as a State or Tribe with a tribunal that exercises such authority.

(See also: Initiating Jurisdiction; Long Arm Jurisdiction; Two-State
Action)

**Legal Father**

A man who is recognized by law as the male parent of a child.

(See also: Putative Father; Paternity; Genetic Testing, DNA testing)

# Levy

The seizure, and possible subsequent sale, of assets, including personal
property, to satisfy a child support debt.

**Lien**

A claim upon property to prevent sale or transfer of that property until
a debt is satisfied.

**Litigation**

An action in which a controversy is brought before the court.

**Locate**

Process by which a party or putative father (PF) is found for the
purpose of establishing paternity, establishing and/or enforcing a child
support obligation, establishing custody and visitation rights,
processing adoption or foster care cases, and investigating parental
kidnapping.

# Locate Information

Data used to locate putative fathers (PFs), noncustodial parents (NCPs)
or custodial parents (CPs). May include their Social Security Number
(SSN), date of birth (DOB), residential address, and employer.

**Long-Arm Jurisdiction**

Legal provision that permits one State or Tribe to claim personal
jurisdiction over someone who lives in another State or Tribe. There
must be some meaningful connection between the person and the State,
Tribe or district that is asserting jurisdiction in order for a court or
agency to reach beyond its normal jurisdictional border. Also called
Extended Personal Jurisdiction.

(See also: Initiating Jurisdiction; Two-State Action; Uniform Interstate
Family Support Act)

**Medical Assistance Only (MAO)**

Form of public assistance administered by a State's IV-A program, which
provides benefits to recipients only in the form of medical, rather than
financial, assistance.

# Medical Coverage

Medical coverage is any health coverage provided for a child or
children, including: (1) private health insurance, (2) publicly-funded
health coverage, (3) cash medical support, or (4) payment of medical
bills (including dental or eye care). Medical coverage may be provided
by the custodial parent, noncustodial parent or other person, such as a
stepparent.

(See also: Medical Support)

**Medical Support**

Medical coverage provided for a child or children pursuant to an order.
This includes: (1) private health insurance, (2) publicly-funded health
coverage if a parent is ordered by a court or administrative process to
provide cash medical support payments to help pay the cost of Medicaid
or State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), (3) cash medical
support, including payment of health insurance premiums, and (4) payment
of medical bills (including dental or eye care). Indian Health Service
and Tricare are acceptable forms of medical support. Medical support may
be provided by the custodial parent, noncustodial parent or another
person, such as a stepparent.

(See also: Medical Coverage; National Medical Support Notice (NMSN))

**Motion**

An application to the court requesting an order or ruling in favor of
the party that is filing the motion. Motions are generally made in
reference to a pending action and may address a matter in the court's
discretion or concern a point of law.

**Monthly Support Obligation (MSO)**

The amount of money a non-custodial parent or party is required to pay
each month for child and/or spousal support.

**Multistate Employer**

A multistate employer conducts business in two or more States. As with
single-state employers, multistate employers are required by law to
report all new hires to the State Directory of New Hires (SDNH) operated
by their State government. However, unlike single-state employers, they
may report all of their new hires to the SDNH of only one State in which
they do business rather than to each of them.

**Multistate Financial Institution (MSFI)**

A financial institution conducting business in two or more States.

**Multistate Financial Institution Data Match (MSFIDM)**

Process by which delinquent child support obligors are matched with
accounts held in Financial Institutions (FI) doing business in more than
one State.

**National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA)**

The association that establishes the standards, rules, and procedures
that enable financial institutions to exchange payments on a national
basis. The Electronic Funds Transfer and the child support Electronic
Data Interchange formats are established by NACHA. NACHA also
establishes rules and procedures that govern use of the stored value
cards.

**National Directory of New Hires (NDNH)**

A national database containing New Hire (NH) and Quarterly Wage (QW)
data from every State Directory of New Hires (SDNH) and Federal agency
and Unemployment Insurance (UI) data from "State Workforce Agencies."
OCSE maintains the NDNH as part of the expanded FPLS. (Tribes can choose
to obtain access by agreements with a State.)

(See also: New Hire Data; Quarterly Wage Date; Unemployment Insurance
Claim Data)

**National Medical Support Notice (NMSN)**

The form sent to employers from the State child support enforcement
agency ordering the employer and its health care plan administrator to
enroll a noncustodial parent's child in health care coverage when such
coverage is available through the employer and required as part of a
child support order. When properly completed, the NMSN constitutes a
Qualified Medical Child Support Order, a document necessary for health
care plans to enroll dependents who are not residing with the covered
parent. The NMSN is designed to simplify the work of employers and plan
administrators by providing uniform documents requesting health care
coverage.

# New Hire (NH) Reporting 

Program under which employers submit data on a new employee within 20
days of hire to the State Directory of New Hires (SDNH) in the State in
which they do business. Minimum information must include the employee's
name, address, and Social Security Number (SSN), as well as the
employer's name, address, and Federal Employer Identification Number
(FEIN). Some States request additional data. Multistate employers have
the option of reporting all of their newly hired employees to only one
State in which they do business. The data are then submitted to the
National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), and compared against child
support order information contained in the Federal Case Registry (FCR)
for possible enforcement of child support obligations by wage
garnishment. New hire data may also be used at the state level by other
agencies to detect fraud, for example, to find new hires that have been
receiving unemployment insurance or other public benefits for which they
may no longer be eligible. Federal agencies report the data directly to
the NDNH. . (Tribal programs can have access to NDNH data per agreement
with a State.)

(See also: State Directory of New Hires; National Directory of New
Hires)

**Noncustodial Parent (NCP)**

The parent who does not have primary care, custody, or control of the
child, and who may have an obligation to pay child support. Also
referred to as the obligor.

(See also: Custodial Party; obligor)

**Non-IV-D Orders**

A child support order handled by a private attorney or parties
representing themselves as opposed to an order where the action was
brought by the State /local child support enforcement (IV-D) agency. A
non IV-D order is one where the State:

1)  Is not currently providing service under the State's Title IV-A,
    Title IV-D,

> Title IV-E, or Title XIX programs.

2)  Has not previously provided State services under any of these
    programs.

3)  Has no current application or applicable fee for services paid by
    either parent.

Non-IV-D orders established or modified in the State on or after October
1, 1998 must be included in the State Case Registry (SCR) for
transmission to the Federal Case Registry (FCR) and wage-withholding
payments on non IV-D cases must be made through the State Disbursement
Unit (SDU). A non-IV-D case is usually entered into a State child
support system for the purpose of payment processing only.

A non-IV-D case becomes a IV-D case when a parent applies for IV-D
services and pays the application fee, or when the custodial parent
begins receiving Title IV-A services for the benefit of the child(ren).

# Nondisclosure Finding

A finding that the health, safety, or liberty of a party or child would
be unreasonably put at risk by the disclosure of identifying
information. Interstate petitions must include certain identifying
information regarding the parties and child(ren) unless a tribunal makes
a nondisclosure finding by ordering that the address or identifying
information not be disclosed. In such cases the finding would be
identified by a Family Violence Indicator (FVI). The procedures for
obtaining a nondisclosure finding vary from State to State.

**Obligation**

The amount of money to be paid as support by a parent or spouse in the
form of financial support for the child support, medical support, or
spousal support.

**Obligee**

The person, State or tribal agency, or other entity to which child
support is owed (also referred to as custodial party when the money is
owed to the person with primary custody of the child).

**Obligor**

The person who is obligated to pay child support (also referred to as
the noncustodial parent or NCP).

**Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE)**

The Federal agency responsible for the administration of the Child
Support Enforcement program. Created by Title IV-D of the Social
Security Act in 1975, OCSE is responsible for the development of child
support policy; oversight, evaluation, and audits of State and Tribal
Child Support Enforcement programs; and providing technical assistance
and training to those programs. OCSE operates the Federal Parent Locator
Service, which includes the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) and
the Federal Case Registry (FCR). OCSE is part of the Administration for
Children and Families (ACF), which is within the Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS).

The following documents provide guidance, information, and direction to
State and Tribal child support enforcement programs:

> **Action Transmittal (AT)**
>
> Document sent out by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement,
> which instructs state or federally funded tribal Child Support
> Enforcement programs on the actions they must take to comply with new
> and amended Federal laws. Has basis in Federal law and regulation.

**Dear Colleague Letter (DCL)**

> Letter sent out to those in the child support community, and
> interested partners, that conveys information on child support
> enforcement program activities.

**Information Memorandum (IM)**

> Document that provides State and Tribal child support enforcement
> agencies with information on program practices that can be useful to
> program improvement.
>
> **Policy Interpretation Question (PIQ)**
>
> An official reply by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement
> (OCSE) to an inquiry submitted by a State or tribal Child Support
> Enforcement agency concerning application of policy. Although
> questions often arise from a specific practice or situation, the
> responses are official statements of OCSE policy on the issue.

The Federal government, through the child support program, shares the
cost of the State program with **FFP, Federal financial participation.**

**Offset**

The process of reducing funds that are paid by the Federal government to
an obligor and applying the funds toward the balance of the delinquent
debt. Also, the amount of money that is intercepted from an obligor's
State or Federal income tax refund, or from an administrative payment,
such as Federal retirement benefits, in order to satisfy a child support
debt..

**Order**

A legally binding decision that sets forth the responsibilities of the
parties to an action. It can include a determination of parentage and a
support obligation, and set forth other rights of the parties. It can be
issued by a judge, master or other administrative entity authorized to
enter orders. It can also be a consent agreement between the parties
that has been ratified by an appropriate official.

**Order/Notice to Withhold Child Support**

The form to be used by all States that standardizes the information used
to request income withholding for child support by an employer from a
noncustodial parent's earnings.

(See also: Direct Income Withholding; Income Withholding; Garnishment

# 

# Passport Denial Program

Program created by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 that is operated under the auspices
of the Federal Offset Program (FOP). Under the Passport Denial Program,
cases in which an obligor owes child support arrearages that are greater
than the Federally mandated threshold and are submitted to the FOP are
forwarded to the U.S. Department of State, which flags the obligor's
name and refuses to issue a passport in the event he or she applies for
one. After the obligor makes arrangements to satisfy the arrears, States
can notify OCSE to request the State Department remove him/her from the
program. This program is automatic, meaning that any obligor who is
eligible will be submitted to the State Department unless the State
submitting the case for Tax Refund Offset specifically excludes him/her
from the Passport Denial Program. (Tribes can choose to have access
based on an agreement with the State.)

***(See also: Federal Offset Program)***

**Paternity**

The legal establishment of fatherhood for a child, either by court
determination, administrative process, tribal custom or voluntary
acknowledgment. A *paternity acknowledgment* involves the legal
establishment of fatherhood for a child through a voluntary
acknowledgment signed by both parents as part of an in-hospital or other
acknowledgement service.

**Payee**

Person or organization in whose name child support money is paid.

**Payor**

Person who makes a payment, usually noncustodial parents or someone
acting on their behalf.

**Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
1996 (PRWORA)---**

Legislation that provides a number of requirements for employers, public
licensing agencies, financial institutions, as well as State , Tribal
and Federal child support agencies, to assist in the location of
noncustodial parents and the establishment, enforcement, and collection
of child support. This legislation created the New Hire Reporting
program and the State and Federal Case Registries. Otherwise known as
Welfare Reform.

***(See also: Aid to Families with Dependent Children)***

**Petitioner**

The person, State or Tribal agency initiating a petition or motion.

**Plaintiff**

A person who brings an action; the party who complains or sues in a
civil case.

**Pleadings**

Statements or allegations, presented in logical and legal form, which
constitute a plaintiff's cause of action or a defendant's grounds of
defense.

**Presumption of Paternity**

A rule of law which permits a court to assume a man is the father of a
child if certain facts exist. This rule may be rebutted by presenting
factual information which shows the man could not be the father.

**Private Case**

Known as a non-IV-D case, it is a support case where the custodial party
to whom child support is owed is not receiving IV-A benefits or IV-D
services.

**Proactive Matching**

Process in which child support case data newly submitted to the Federal
Case Registry (FCR) is automatically compared with previous submissions,
as well as with the employment data in the National Directory of New
Hires (NDNH). The resulting locate information is then returned to the
appropriate State(s) for processing.

**Proceeding**

The conduct of business before a judge or administrative hearing
officer.

**Public Assistance**

Benefits granted from State, tribal or Federal programs to aid eligible
recipients (eligibility requirements vary between particular programs).
Applicants for certain types of public assistance (e.g., Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families or TANF) are automatically referred to
their State or tribal IV-D agency, which will identify and locate the
noncustodial parent, establish paternity, and, where appropriate, obtain
child support payments. This allows the State or Tribe to recoup or
defray some of its public assistance expenditures with funds from the
noncustodial parent **and may enable the custodial party to become
self-sufficient.**

**Putative Father (PF)**

The person alleged to be the father of the child but who has not yet
been medically or legally declared to be the legal father.

(See also: Legal Father; Paternity; Genetic Testing)

**Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO)**

An order, decree, or judgment, including approval of a settlement
agreement, issued by a court or administrative agency of competent
jurisdiction that provides for medical support for a child of a
participant under a group health plan. A QMSCO must contain specific
information to meet the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act (ERISA) which allows a plan administrator to enroll a child
in the parent's health plan. The National Medical Support Notice (NMSN),
when properly completed, is a QMSCO.

**Quarterly Wage (QW) Data**

Data on all employees that must be submitted by employers on a quarterly
basis to the State Workforce Agency in the State in which they operate.
The data is then submitted to the National Directory of New Hires
(NDNH). Minimum information must include the employee's name, address,
Social Security Number (SSN), wage amount, and the reporting period as
well as the employer's name, address, and Federal Employer
Identification Number (FEIN). The data are then compared against child
support order information contained in the Federal Case Registry (FCR)
for possible enforcement of child support obligations by wage
garnishment. Federal Agencies report the data directly to the NDNH.

(See also: National Directory of New Hires)

**Quasi-Judicial**

A framework or procedure under the auspices of a State's judicial branch
or tribal court in which court officers other than judges process,
establish, enforce and modify support orders, usually subject to
judicial review. The court officer may be a magistrate, a clerk, master,
or court examiner. He or she may or may not have to be an attorney,
depending on the State or tribal law.

**Reciprocity**

The process by which one jurisdiction grants certain privileges to
another jurisdiction on the condition that it receives the same
privileges.

**Recognized Order**

The controlling order as identified by applying the rules of the Full
Faith and Credit for Child Supports Orders Act (FFCCSOA) used for
enforcement from the present time forward. ***(See Full Faith and
Credit)***

**Referral**

Request sent to a IV-D agency from another jurisdiction or a non-IV-D
agent or agency asking that a child support case be established.

# Registration 

The formal filing process by which an order of one jurisdiction is
recognized in another jurisdiction. After registration, an action can be
taken in a tribunal of the responding jurisdiction as if the order was
issued in that jurisdiction. An order may be registered for enforcement,
for modification, or both.

**Respondent**

The party answering a petition or motion.

**Responding Jurisdiction**

The court or administrative agency with authority over a noncustodial
parent or child support order on which an initiating jurisdiction has
requested action.

**Review and Adjustment**

Periodic process in which current information is obtained from both
parties in a child support case and evaluated to decide if a support
order needs to be adjusted.

**Service of Process**

The actual delivery of legal paperwork that requires a person to respond
or appear to that person or his/her agent.

**Service by Publication**

Service of process accomplished by publishing a notice in a newspaper or
by posting it on a bulletin board of a courthouse or other public
facility, after a court determines that other means of service are
impractical or have been unsuccessful. This method of service is not
available in every jurisdiction.

**Show Cause**

An order directing a person to appear and bring forth any evidence as to
why the remedies requested should not be granted. A show cause order is
usually based on a motion and affidavit asking for relief.

**Spousal Support**

Court ordered support of a spouse or ex-spouse; also referred to as
maintenance or alimony.

**State Case Registry (SCR)**

A database maintained by each State that contains information on
individuals in child support cases. Information submitted to the SCR is
transmitted to the Federal Case Registry, where it is compared to cases
submitted to the FCR by other States, as well as the employment data in
the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH). Any matches found are
returned to the appropriate States for processing.

(See also: Federal Case Registry; IV-D Case; Non-IV-D Order)

**State Directory of New Hires (SDNH)**

A database maintained by each State, which contains information about
individuals submitted by their employer within 20 days of the hire date.
The data are transmitted to the NDNH, where they are compared to the
employment data from other States as well as child support data in the
Federal Case Registry (FCR). Any matches found are returned to the
appropriate States for processing.

(See also: National Directory of New Hires; New Hire Reporting Program)

**State Disbursement Unit (SDU)**

The single site in most States where all child support payments should
be sent and are processed.

(See also: Centralized Collection Unit)

**State Parent Locator Service (SPLS)**

A service provided by the State IV-D Child Support Enforcement Agencies
to locate parents in order to establish and enforce child support
obligations, visitation, and custody orders or to establish paternity.
This information is accessible to Tribes per an agreement made with a
State.

# State/Tribal IV-D Case 

A case under the State's IV-D program received from, or sent to, a
tribal IV-D program for case processing.

# State Workforce Agencies (SWA)

Agencies in each State that process unemployment insurance claims and
maintain databases of employment information and quarterly wage data
submitted by employers. Formerly called State Employment Security
Agencies (SESAs).

**Statute of Limitations**

The cutoff point on the length of time a person has to take a legal
action.

# Stored Value Card 

A form of electronic disbursement in which the child support payment is
electronically transmitted to the Custodial Party via a debit card. Also
referred to as Electronic Payment Card.

**Subpoena**

A process issued by a court compelling a witness to appear at a judicial
proceeding. Sometimes the process will also direct the witness to bring
documentary evidence to the court.

**Summons**

A notice to a defendant that an action against him or her has been
commenced in the court and that a judgment will be issued against him or
her if the complaint is not answered within a certain time.

**Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)**

Time-limited public assistance payments made to poor families, based on
Title IV-A of the Social Security Act. TANF replaced Aid to Families
with Dependent Children (AFDC\-- otherwise known as welfare) when the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)
was signed into law in 1996. The program provides parents with job
preparation, work, and support services to help them become
self-sufficient. Applicants for TANF benefits are automatically referred
to their State or tribal IV-D agency in order to establish paternity and
child support for their children from the noncustodial parent. This
allows the State or Tribe to recoup or defray some of its public
assistance expenditures with funds from the noncustodial parent.

(See also: Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act; Good Cause)

**Third Party Liability**

The responsibility that an entity, other than the parties to an action
(CP and NCP, usually the parents), has to the State provider of health
care coverage for reimbursement.

**Tribal IV-A Program**

A TANF program administered by a Federally recognized Indian Tribe or
Tribal organization. (Tribal TANF).

**Tribal IV-D Program**

A Child Support Enforcement program administered by a Federally
recognized Indian Tribe or Tribal organization **and funded under title
IV-D of the Social Security Act.**

**Tribe**

Any Indian or Alaskan Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or
community the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an
Indian Tribe and includes in the list of Federally-recognized Indian
Tribal governments**.**

**(*See also*: Indian Tribe)**

**Tribunal**

The court, administrative agency, or quasi-judicial agency authorized to
establish or modify support orders or to determine parentage.

**Two-State Action**

Action a State must file under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
(UIFSA) when it does not have Long Arm Jurisdiction (i.e., cannot
legally claim personal jurisdiction over a noncustodial parent who lives
in another State). This usually occurs in cases where a State is trying
to establish paternity or an initial child support order on behalf of a
custodial party.

***(See also: Initiating Jurisdiction; Uniform Interstate Family Support
Act)***

**Unclaimed Funds**

Support payment that cannot be disbursed because the identity of the
payor or the case information is unknown, or the address of the payee is
unknown.

**Undistributed Collections (UDC)**

Child support payments that have been collected by child support
agencies but have not yet been sent to custodial parents or other
government agencies or returned to noncustodial parents.

**Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)**

Law enacted by all States that provides mechanisms for establishing and
enforcing child support obligations in interstate cases (when a
noncustodial parent lives in a different State from his/her child and
the custodial party). Among the law's provisions is the ability of State
IV-D agencies to send withholding orders to employers across State
lines. (UIFSA does not apply to Tribes.)

(See also: Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction; Two-State Action; Long Arm
Jurisdiction: Direct Income Withholding)

**Unreimbursed Public Assistance (UPA)**

The cumulative amount of money paid to the family for all months which
has not been repaid by assigned child support payments collected.

**Wage Assignment**

A voluntary agreement by an employee to transfer (or assign) portions of
future wage payments to pay certain debts, such as child support.

**Wage Attachment**

An involuntary transfer of a portion of an employee\'s wage payment to
satisfy a debt. In some States this term is used interchangeably with
Wage or Income Withholding; in other states there are distinctions
between an attachment and withholding. The most common terms used are
Wage or Income Withholding.

(See also: Wage Withholding; Income Withholding)

**Wage Withholding**

A procedure by which scheduled deductions are automatically made from
wages or income to pay an obligation, such as child support. . The
provision dictates that an employer must withhold support from a
noncustodial parent\'s wages and transfer that withholding to the
appropriate agency (the Centralized Collection Unit or State
Disbursement Unit). Also known as income withholding.

(See also: Income Withholding; Direct Income Withholding; Garnishment)