FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Certain enforcement, such as intercepting taxes, reporting to credit bureaus, and denying passports is automatic and continues until the past-due amount is paid in full. Other enforcement is suspended as long as you continue to make regular payments.
Contact your case worker to discuss your current situation. Child Support has tools available to assist you with getting your case on track including:
- Payment Plan – this can lead to suppression of interest charges.
- Review Order – as situations change the support amount can too.
- PRIDE – a program to assist with employment opportunities.
Parenting time and child support are rights of the child and are two separate issues. It is not okay for one parent to deny parenting time to the other. The Child Support program doesn't provide services relating to parenting time, but a family law attorney should be able to help.
- State Bar Association of North Dakota – can provide assistance obtaining an attorney.
- ND Supreme Court – has a Self Help Center which provides resources to parent who wish to represent themselves in North Dakota courts.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has many assistance programs available. Contact Social Services in the county where you live to see what's available for you.
Child Support has many resources available to locate parents including the Federal Parent Locator Service. Provide whatever information you have about the other parent to Child Support to assist in locating that parent. It’s very helpful if you provide the social security number.
Child Support can issue an income withholding order to the employer of the parent who pays support. Child Support can also do certain enforcement such as intercept tax refunds and report the past-due amount to credit bureaus. If we do not get payments, we may ask the jurisdiction where the other parent lives to assist with enforcement.
Support is due no later than the date the court ordered. Child Support will take increased enforcement actions the longer support goes unpaid.
Contact your case worker immediately. License suspension is an extreme enforcement action that Child Support takes very seriously. This action is only taken when other actions aren’t leading to payments. Your caseworker will explain what you need to do to avoid license suspension.
An unpaid child support balance doesn't get discharged when children turn 18 or when someone files for bankruptcy. The balance remains owing until it is paid in full.
When child support and spousal support are owed to the same parent and are part of the same court order, the payments for both must be processed by the State Disbursement Unit. Law requires child support payments to be processed by the State Disbursement Unit and spousal support is included in the definition of child support. Both child support and spousal support become assigned to the state if certain types of public benefits are paid out. Child Support does not have the authority to establish a spousal support obligation.