How long until i receive child support

Frequently Asked Questions | Division of Child Support Services

How do I apply for child support?
If you have custody, you may apply at the child support office in the county of your residence or online. A non-refundable processing fee of $25 is required in the form of a certified check or money order at the time of application.
I’ve submitted my application. How long will it take to establish a child support order?
Once the noncustodial parent has been located, the Department of Human Services Division of Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) has 90 days to establish a court order. The actual time varies, depending on local court availability and scheduling.
Do I need to apply for child support in order to receive a DNA test?
Yes. In order for a DNA test to be completed, there must be an open and active case with DCSS.
I have been ordered to pay child support. What do I do?
Don’t ignore the order. To view information on how to make a payment, visit the Family Support Registry. If you are employed, contact your local child support office to provide your employer information.
How is my child support amount decided?
In determining child support, DCSS follows the guidelines established by state law, O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15.
Once a child support order and income withholding in place, how long will it take before I receive a payment?
The first payment is sent to DCSS. If the noncustodial parent (NCP) is employed, please allow four to six weeks for DCSS to post payments received from the noncustodial parent’s place of employment.
Can I have my payment added to a prepaid card such as Walmart or American Express?
No. You will receive a Georgia EPPI card in the mail once the first payment is made and subsequent payments will be applied to the EPPI card, unless you have signed up for direct deposit.
How can I collect money for unpaid medical bills?
DCSS can only attempt to collect these amounts if a judgment for unpaid medical bills has been obtained. Please bring a certified copy of the judgment to your local child support office.
My payment is being held. Why is child support holding this money?
Occasionally, payments are held in escrow a minimum of 45 days to allow the NCP time to request a hearing if he/she disagrees with the collection. This is required by federal and state law. Call 1-844-694-2347 for more information.
How can I find out if a payment has been collected for my children?
Payment information is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
- On the DCSS Mobile App (Apple Store or Google Play).
- Customer Online Services
- By calling 1-844-694-2347 and accessing the automated information system.
How can get a copy of my payment history?
On the DCSS Mobile App (Apple Store or Google Play) or Customer Online Services
Is direct deposit available for checking and savings accounts?
Yes. You may sign up for direct deposit online. Please allow 10 business days for processing. You may download an application or request a form to be mailed to you by calling your local office. Please provide a copy of a voided check or deposit slip with your name and address printed on the front.
If my payment history shows a payment was made, will the money be in my bank account the same day?
No. DCSS bank transfers funds to your banking institution within 2 business days of the payment date (excluding weekends and holidays). Check with your banking institution to determine how long it takes for them to make the credit to your account.
What’s the best way to get information about my case?
The DCSS Mobile App or Customer Online Services. You can download the DCSS On the Go mobile app by scanning the QR code below. You may also try the Communications Center at 1-844-694-2347 to obtain the following information:
How do I change my Social Security number (SSN) or date of birth (DOB) on my case?
You will need to go to your local office to submit proof of your valid SSN or DOB. After validation, the agent will make the necessary changes to the system.
If I am dissatisfied with the agent working my case is there someone else I can speak with?
Yes. You may contact the agent’s supervisor, the supervisor’s manager or the region manager by calling 1-844-694-2347.

How A Child Support Case Works

Either parent can open a child support case, as can a child’s legal guardian. Having an order from a judge for child support to be paid does not automatically open a child support case.

To open a case in California, fill out the online application or visit your local child support agency – search agency locations with our map tool.

After an application is submitted, the applicant will be contacted by their local office to assist with the process of obtaining a child support order with the court.

There are many benefits to opening a child support case:

If you do not yet have an order, we provide assistance to both parents through all steps of the process.
In certain situations, we can help you avoid court completely.
Once you have an order, we keep official records, protecting both the payer and the recipient.
We can assist recipients with enforcement of the order.
We can help payers avoid or resolve negative enforcement actions if you are unable to pay.

See our instructional video below, “How To Open A Child Support Case” for more details on this process.

More Important Information

For information about changes in family status please see: FamiliesChange.ca.gov

Before a child support order can be made, both parents of the child need to be located. There is no guarantee they will be found, but the more information we have, such as the parent’s date of birth and Social Security Number, the easier it will be.

Watch our “Locating a Parent” Quick Tip video below for more detailed information about this step.

After the case is opened, the parent being asked to pay child support will be given a Summons and Complaint packet. This is legal notification that you have been named in a child support case.

You only have 30 days to respond, or a “default” child support order may be ordered by the judge without your financial situation being considered.

See our instructional video below, “I Received a Summons and Complaint – What Do I Do?” for more information about this very important package of documents.

If you have been served with a Summons and Complaint, and you do not believe you are legally responsible for the child or children you are being asked to pay child support for, you have the right to request proof and we will assist you free of charge. This is either DNA testing to determine parentage (which is more than 99% accurate), or proof that the parents were legally married at the time of the child’s birth.

If you do not request proof, you can still be assigned legal parentage without your consent.

If you would like to avoid going to court, some local agencies offer “Family Meetings” that allow both individuals to meet with a child support caseworker, either together or separately. If both parents can agree on an amount, their signed document becomes the “Stipulated Agreement,” which is filed with the court.

This option may not be offered in all child support offices.

For more on the benefits of this, see our “Family Meetings” instructional video below.

If there is no Stipulated Agreement, a court date will be set. The judge will review the financial and other relevant information from both parties and decide on an appropriate amount of child support to be ordered.

If either parent can get medical insurance, the court will consider that cost in deciding the amount of child support ordered.

Below, our instructional video “How Does the Court Determine a Child Support Amount” includes more information on this decision, which becomes the official child support order.

After a child support order is set, payments are scheduled to begin. There are many options for payment but if the parent ordered to pay is employed, their employer will be required to make those payments by withholding the funds from their paycheck. This is mandated under Federal law for child support orders and does not imply a failure to pay.

All payments are recorded and this can provide security for the parent paying support in case there is any disagreement.

A child support order is a legal court order. Parents who refuse to pay or delay paying their child support face enforcement actions that can include:

Suspension of their driver’s license or passport
Revocation of professional and occupational licenses
Bank and property liens
Interception of tax refunds
Interception of lottery winnings

Also, by California state law, unpaid court orders get charged 10% interest.

As a last resort, civil contempt charges may also be filed. If you have trouble paying your child support, talk to your local agency right away. There are programs available to help parents who are trying in good faith to pay their support.

For more on the consequences of unpaid child support, see our instructional video, “My Driver’s License has been suspended due to child support. How can I get a release?”

If either parent or guardian has a change in circumstances after a child support order is set, which could be losing a job, changing jobs, or a change in custody or visitation, the order may qualify for modification.

Your local agency or the Family Law Facilitator at your county courthouse can assist with this.

There are many reasons why a child support case can be closed. The usual one is that the youngest child reaches the age of 18, is no longer a full-time high school student, and no past-due balances are owed. At that time both parents are notified by the child support agency, and the case stays open for 60 days after this notification.

All records are maintained for at least four years and four months in accordance with federal law.

For more information about the Child Support Process, visit and follow our YouTube channel:

For more information on changing family status please see: FamiliesChange.ca.gov

The question is, how much will I get child support for my older child now?

Hello. I have such a situation. The ex-husband paid alimony for two children 33%, the court determined the place of residence of the child with the father, respectively, the ex-husband filed for alimony against me, they decided I should pay 1/4 for this child. But the father also filed for the release of him from part of the payment of alimony in relation to the same child, the court ruled to release him from 1/6 . .. the question is, how much will I receive alimony for the older child now?

February 16, 2:22 pm , Svetlana, st. Volga

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Child Benefit in Germany Kindergeld

Child benefit in Germany. Payment amounts. Who is paid, up to what age, how to apply.

Conditions for obtaining Kindergeld

In Germany, parents of children under 18, and in some cases of adults, are paid an allowance - child money Kindergeld . Germans and foreigners receive payments regardless of citizenship. The main thing is to fulfill the conditions for receiving funds.

The basis for applying for child money in Germany is the presence of children. It doesn't matter if it's a child or an adopted one. It is important that the children live permanently with the recipient of the money. If, for example, grandparents living in Germany constantly look after their grandson and the child is officially registered at the place of residence, it will not be the parents, but the guardians who will receive the children's money. Foster parents or guardians receive benefits, regardless of the degree of kinship, if they have taken children home for a long time. For example, in the event of the loss of parents, the eldest adult child takes custody of the younger ones and receives Kindergeld.

The allowance is paid to one person. If the parents are divorced, the father or mother, with whom the children live permanently, receives financial assistance. You cannot divide the amount into parts. It is permitted to legally order the other parent to share the allowance if, as a result of a divorce, the children officially live alternately with the father or mother. When a child lives with his father for one week a month, and for three weeks with his mother, the mother receives the money in full, but the father can claim 25% from the ex-wife.

The allowance is issued to children under the age of 19. If the child is 18, cash assistance is paid until the month in which they turn 19. And in some cases, they continue to receive benefits even further up to the age of 25! For example, they pay children's volunteers at voluntary work or the military. You can't get child money in the service. At the end of voluntary service, up to three years are "subtracted" from the age to offset the period of volunteering. If former volunteers or the military continue their education, parents receive child support regardless of the age of the children.

Having obtained a profession, but not immediately finding a job due to the lack of appropriate jobs, it is allowed to continue to receive Kindergeld up to the full 25. If there are jobs on the labor market, but the child fails to get a job, children pay "only" up to 21 inclusive, in fact, up to 22 years, subject to the official registration of the child as unemployed.

Child money is not paid to children over 18 who consistently work more than 20 hours per week. For example, a young man studies and works. It may turn out that Kindergeld will not be paid if it turns out that he works more than the prescribed 20-hour week. How much parents earn does not matter.

Disabled children unable to care for themselves are paid up to and including 25. If, upon reaching the age of 26, the disabled person is in parental care, Kindergeld... are paid further.

The above applies only to single "children". With the conclusion of marriage, childhood ends, married and married in Germany do not pay help for themselves, with very rare exceptions, when "children" under 25 have no income, study and live with their parents.

Child allowance while studying

If children study at a university after graduation, Kindergeld are paid further. It is allowed to take a break between studies and going to the first job up to 4 months. The term of study is fixed in the contract with the educational institution. If the child regularly attends classes and shows a desire to acquire a profession, the child allowance is paid until the expiration of the study contract.

Parents also receive a monthly allowance for children undergoing Ausbildung. Allowed to write off up to 924 € per year as a tax deduction if the child is studying abroad.

Training is also considered to be a language course while working as an Au-pair that lasts more than 10 hours per week, or studying at a college abroad. In addition, child allowance is paid for four months between two types of study, such as school and university. The income of the child does not matter, only the length of the working day, which cannot exceed 20 hours per week. Mini-work in this case is not taken into account.

Regulations for Immigrants

Child benefit in Germany is paid from the moment of obtaining a residence permit - Niederlassungs- or Aufenthaltserlaubnis, parent and child.

Refugees apply for a kindergeld after receiving status, but this amount is deducted from unemployment benefits.

The family registers at their place of residence in order to contact the Familienkasse. If for some reason it was not possible to issue children's money immediately, the "accumulated" amount will be included in the first payment, but a maximum of 6 months before the application is submitted. For the months between arrival and obtaining a residence permit, according to the law, they are not required to pay. But officials sometimes do not know the law or feel sorry for foreigners. There are no legal grounds to insist on payments for the period lived before the issuance of a residence permit.

Citizenship does not matter, parents who live in Germany permanently are paid. You can receive the allowance as long as one of the parents has a valid residence permit in Germany. If, for example, your work visa has expired, Kindergeld payments will stop automatically. When renewing your residence permit, be sure to notify the Familienkasse of the new periods of validity of the residence permit.

Do not pay parents who came to Germany to study. Students cover the costs of children on their own.

Process for applying for child benefit in Germany

The Familienkasse, which belongs to the Federal Recruitment Agency Bundesagentur fur Arbeit, is responsible for the German child benefit. Requests for receiving children's money and processing of the application of parents pass only through the cashier.

If the conditions for obtaining Kindergeld are met, an application must be submitted to the branch of the "Family Fund" nearest to the place of residence or at the city hall. An application can be submitted in writing or electronically if a digital signature is issued in the form of an Elster certificate. Download application forms and relevant forms from the Arbeitsagentur website.

Detail of a request for child benefit in Germany

Child payments in Germany are made to the current account once a month. See the Familienkasse website for the exact date. The day of the transfer depends on the last digit in the number assigned to each recipient. If there are several children in the family, then the amount is transferred at once.

Child benefit amount in Germany

Finally, the most interesting part of the article about the child allowance in Germany. From 2023 the amount is 250€. Previously, different amounts were paid for the first, third and subsequent children, but now there is no difference in the number of children.

Benefits are regularly indexed to the euro inflation rate. In the last year, payments have increased by 31€ per month.

Child benefit in Germany is regularly increased

Responsibilities of parents receiving Kindergeld

Receiving child money imposes certain obligations on the recipient.

The recipient of the Kindergeld is obliged to inform the Familienkasse that:

he or his spouse enters the civil service for more than 6 months;
spouse also applied for child benefit;
he or his spouse goes to work abroad;
the child goes to live abroad;
he receives educational assistance from abroad;
divorce begins;
he or the children change their place of residence;
the child died or went missing;
the current account number has changed.

Children's money is an important element of state social support in Germany

If the children are over 18, the beneficiary must report that:

children started to earn money on their own;
children's education ended, interrupted or the place of study changed;
began serving in the army or as a volunteer;
previously unemployed child found a job;
married or divorced;
children had their offspring.

In case of violation of the rules, the recipient of the benefit must not only pay Kindergeld, which he received illegally, but also pay a large fine. In some cases, legal proceedings with penalties up to imprisonment on charges of tax evasion are not excluded. So it's better to be overdressed than underdressed. Notify the Family Cashier about changes from the list above.