We would rather see parents voluntarily honor their responsibility to their children. But we will continue to use any method available to us to obtain what is rightfully owed to a child. Under the program, State Child Support Enforcement agencies report names of parents who are delinquent with their support payments and the overdue amount to the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement. These persons are notified in writing of the amount which would be withheld to cover their child support debt and of the procedures to contest if they believe the action is in error. Parents who have been notified of a potential offset may have their names deleted from the list by paying the full amount due, or at state option, by entering into an agreement to make periodic payments.
Child support is a message to a child.
Parents need to realize that their child support is more than a matter of dollars and cents, it is about the well-being and the future of their children. Approximately 697,000 parents in this category were affected. The Federal Income Tax Refund Offset Program can help identify the location, the employer and the assets of parents not meeting their legal and moral obligation to their children so that further enforcement action can be taken.