Where a non-custodial parent is ordered to pay child support, payments should NOT be made directly to the custodial parent.
In most cases, the Court will instruct the payor (obligor) to send the child support payment to the Arizona Support Payment Clearinghouse. The payment will be recorded and a check issued to the payee (obligee).
If the payor is employed, the payments will eventually be processed by wage assignment. If the parent does not send payments through the support payment clearinghouse, the Court may consider those payments as “gifts” and may not credit those payments toward child support obligations.
Making payments to the support payment clearinghouse provides a permanent record.