How long will it take to get 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 Long Does It Take to Get Child Support Payments?

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When you’re a struggling single mother, sometimes child support is a wonderful option. It makes sense that it took two people to make a child, so two people should financially support the child.

However, it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes, a Child Support Agency needs to step in to make that happen. How long it takes to receive those payments can vary though.

It can take months to a year depending on the steps that need to be taken.  Personally, I’m a single mother with three amazing children. With those three amazing children come three very different child support scenarios!

What your situation is will help you determine when you will finally receive child support payments. Please keep in mind that this is based on my personal experience and research I’ve done.

For an accurate estimate of when you will be able to receive child support payments, contact your local child support enforcement agency. 

Table of Contents

• 1 How Long Does It Take To Start Receiving Child Support Payments?
• 2 Step One: Contact Your Local Child Support Agency
• 3 Step Two: Paternity
• 4 Step Three: Establish Support Order
• 5 Step 4: Receive Child Support Payments
  • 5.1 How Long Does It Take For Child Support Payments To Process?
• 6 Certain Steps Might Mean It Takes Longer For You To Receive Child Support
  • 6.1 Establishing Paternity Can Add Up To A Couple Of Months
  • 6. 2 The Other Person Can Appeal The Decision
  • 6.3 Backdated Child Support Takes Longer
• 7 What If The Other Parent Does Not Cooperate With Child Support?
  • 7.1 Single Mom Side Hustles
  • 7.2 Pick Up A Second Job
  • 7.3 Online Survey Sites
  • 7.4 Door Dash And Uber Eats
• 8 In Conclusion

How Long Does It Take To Start Receiving Child Support Payments?

This can vary from a month to a year. With my oldest, we had to establish paternity (the agency completed a paternity test), and I backdated the child support to the day she was born.

In my county, that means that it takes weeks longer for a child support order to be finalized. Once it does, it can take several weeks to start receiving it, and that’s only if both parties cooperate. 

My middle child’s father and I both cooperated with child support fully. It took a couple of months to start receiving child support payments. It took two weeks for me to receive the debit card that the payments would be deposited to as well.  

Then, we have the littlest. She is not biologically mine, but instead, I have third party legal custody. When I was granted temporary custody for the second time, the father was ordered to pay child support.

The judge determined the amount, and he was ordered to begin payments in four weeks. The paperwork was forwarded quickly to the CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency), and payments were prompt. 

As you can see, it varies. It depends on how cooperative the other parent is, whether you know where they work so that money can be deducted promptly from their paycheck and whether the court is involved.

Based on my experience, things that go through juvenile court can get done a bit quicker. Regardless, the sooner you start working through the steps to receive child support, the quicker you will start receiving payments. 

Step One: Contact Your Local Child Support Agency

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In order to receive child support, you’ll need to contact your local agency. Tell them that you would like to establish a child support case, and ask them what else you need to do.

They will ask you several questions, such as your name, your child’s social security number, birth date, etc. This information is necessary to establish a case, so it’s important to have the necessary documents next to you when you call. 

Step Two: Paternity

You do not always have to establish paternity on your own before opening a child support case.

Most agencies will complete a paternity test for you. If the father signed the birth certificate or the paternity affidavit at the hospital, this might also work in lieu of establishing paternity.

Make sure that you have these documents available so that the CSEA can make copies of them. When you do not have to complete a paternity test, it can speed things up quite a bit. 

Step Three: Establish Support Order

Some agencies will require that you go in front of a judge to do this. They will set a court date, and you will appear before the judge. Typically, a judge will ask about your current expenses.

This includes any expenses related to the child, such as extracurricular activities, prices for school uniforms yearly, etc. The judge will ask if either of you have any other children, and this will be calculated into child support as well.

People with more children are required to pay less support per child because they have to support more children. 

Other counties may complete the worksheet and calculations at the Child Support Office. They will ask the same questions and calculate the support in the same manner.

Whether you appear before a judge or complete the process at the agency often depends on the state and county that you reside in.

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Step 4: Receive Child Support Payments

After the child support order is established, you will begin to receive child support payments.

Most of the time, this is arranged so that the agency withdraws the money from the other parent’s paycheck. It is then sent to you via direct deposit or a child support card.

If you opt to receive this money via a child support card (these work exactly like a debit card), you will have to wait 1-2 weeks to receive your debit card in the mail.

The direct deposit is much quicker. You’ll need your account number, routing number, and sometimes an empty deposit slip to set up a direct deposit.

Most payments will post to your bank account earlier than they will to your debit card, so it’s important to keep that in mind when deciding. 

It can take anywhere from two weeks to two months for the child support order to make it’s a way through the agency and for them to begin sending you child support.

Some agencies are able to do this quicker than others due to having fewer cases. If you would like a closer timeline, it’s important to ask the child support agency in the county that you reside in. 

How Long Does It Take For Child Support Payments To Process?

Typically, child support payments will process and be sent to you within a week. Sometimes, it can take two weeks. However, that is not something you can depend on.

In my county, they have up to 14 business days to process payments. Some weeks, there is no child support payment, but I will receive two payments the following week. 

Contacting your child support agency can tell you whether a payment was received and is being processed through. They can usually look this up on the computer.

If you and your child’s other parent are on good terms, you can simply ask them if it was taken out of their paycheck too. 

Certain Steps Might Mean It Takes Longer For You To Receive Child Support

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While the above process is typically how things go, there are other steps that can mean it will take longer for you to receive payments.

It’s important to still cooperate with child support as you will receive your child support payments eventually, but don’t count on them being sent to you within a week or two, especially if you encounter one of these situations.  

Establishing Paternity Can Add Up To A Couple Of Months

If paternity must be established by the agency, this can add a couple of months to when you’ll receive child support payments.

This is because first, the agency has to arrange the paternity test. Then, both you and the other potential parent must take the test. Next, they must wait for the results before moving forward. 

The Other Person Can Appeal The Decision

If the other parent disagrees with the amount, they have the right to appeal the decision. In my county, this involves another meeting with the agency. Then, a second appeal calls for an appearance before the judge.

Each appeal means that you have to wait for another date to appear either at the agency or in court, and then go through the process of going over the calculations again. It can add two months or longer to the process. 

Backdated Child Support Takes Longer

As a general rule of thumb, backdating child support means that you will wait at least a few extra weeks to receive support. You do have the option to backdate child support to the day the child was born, the day the order was filed, etc.

However, if you’re in a hurry to receive child support payments, it might be better to simply say you would like it to start from the day of the support order. Consider your own financial decision to make the right decision for your household. 

What If The Other Parent Does Not Cooperate With Child Support?

If the other parent refuses to cooperate with a child support enforcement agency, you can trust that it will be a lengthy process. The child support agency will have to track down the other parent.

They might have to find out where they work, and if they’re working under the table it can be impossible to determine an actual amount that they earn, so they will have to go on their word. 

Don’t lose hope, though! Child support agencies have ways to deal with these things. It might sound a bit harsh, but they can send a letter stating that a person can go to jail if they do not cooperate with child support.

Then, when the person calls child support stating that they have received the letter, this counts as address verification. (They must be able to receive mail at the address specified if they returned the phone call…)

Keep cooperating with your local child support agency, and trust that you’ll get through the process eventually. If the other parent is impossible to locate, for the time being, don’t forget that you can backdate child support.

Them being uncooperative does not mean that they are not legally obligated to support their child. It only means that it will take a little bit longer. 

Single Mom Side Hustles

If you’re in a rush for child support, chances are that you need the extra cash. As single parents, we could all use the extra money. In my particular situation, I’ve learned long ago not to be dependent on child support.

(The littlest one’s dad only pays $18 a week, for example.) Keep cooperating with child support, even if you have an uncooperative parent, and it will pay off eventually.

In the meantime, it’s time to find a side hustle to get by. There are more options than you realize!

Pick Up A Second Job

There are plenty of jobs that will work around your schedule. Fast food, restaurant jobs, and department stores often employ people that only work one or two days per week.

Some factories also hire weekend shifts to avoid having other employees work seven days per week. If you have child care, this is a great option for a stable second income.

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Online Survey Sites

Sites like Swagbucks and InBox dollars might not pay you minimum wage, but they require so little effort it doesn’t matter. You can shop through the websites and earn cashback.

Earning a few bucks for watching commercials can easily be accomplished while watching a movie with your kids. It’s not the most profitable option, but it’s a few dollars you didn’t have before and it’s really easy. 

Door Dash And Uber Eats

Food delivery options like Door Dash are continuing to increase in popularity. The market estimates that they will remain a popular option long after the pandemic is over.

One great thing about these for single parents is that you can take your children with you! When picking up orders from restaurants, you can run through the drive-through instead of going inside the restaurant where available.

You also don’t have to go inside a customer’s home, so you’ll always be within eyesight of your little one. 

In Conclusion

It can take two months or longer to begin receiving child support payments. If the other person switches jobs or is uncooperative, it can take significantly longer.

Child support is not always reliable enough to replace the second income in the household either. While you’re waiting, consider trying out jobs that you can do with your kids or from home to make a little bit of extra money.

Even if you quit once you start receiving child support, they will be a nice option to fall back on if you catch yourself facing hard times in the future.  

Amber Dixon

My name is Amber Dixon. I am a mother to three wonderful children, and recently welcomed a beautiful grandson into the world as well as into my home. I've learned a great deal about raising children through my own experiences as a mother, but also from several other places. While working at a daycare full time, I learned about childhood development, teaching children, and more. Through earning degrees in Social Work, I was educated about human development, including a great deal about children and childhood development. My education and experience combined have taught me a lot about children of every stage and age, and I hope that I can help you on your journey to becoming the best parent that you can be!

How long is the Application for Alimony Considered?

(‘Electronic journal ‘Azbuka Prava’, 2021) As a general rule, the case of collecting alimony must be considered by the district court before the expiration of a month from the date of application was received by the court. Depending on the complexity of the case, the term for its consideration may be extended by no more than a month.

How long does it take for the court to process an application for alimony?

Terms of consideration application for recovery child support established by law. The duration of the proceedings depends on the method of collection. Application for court order is considered within 10 days. Statement of claim - at least 30 days.

How long to wait after applying for child support?

The term for consideration of cases on the recovery of alimony is 1 month from the date of filing a claim with the court + the period for the entry into force of the decision of the court of first instance.

How quickly does the court order child support?

An application for the recovery of alimony is submitted to the world court - a decision is made within two months. According to the Supreme Court , in 99% of cases the claims of the plaintiff are satisfied.

How long does a child support order take?

An application for court order for the recovery of alimony the world court considers within five days from the date of receipt of the application without summoning the parties to court (Article 126 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation). Based on the results of consideration of the application, court order for the recovery of alimony .

How long after filing a lawsuit?

How long after filing a claim is a court session scheduled After filing a claim with a court how long does it take to wait for a court session? After the transfer of appeals to the court , the terms for accepting claims for proceedings under the Civil Procedure Code are 5 days. In most cases, this interval is not violated.

How long does it take to process a claim in court?

The total time for proceedings under the simplified system is from one to two months from the date of filing a claim. The exact period depends on the time spent by the court on sending correspondence, including the statement of claim to the defendant. The procedure itself takes no more than 20 days .

How do I know when the child support will arrive?

How to find out debt for alimony last name?

1. Go to the State Payments website;
2. Enter the last name, first name and patronymic of the debtor, his date of birth and region of residence. Click "Check";

When do child support payments start?

As a general rule, the court awards maintenance in favor of the plaintiff and his child from the date of filing of the claim. Not from the date of the issuance of a judicial act or its entry into force, but precisely from the moment the court office received a claim for the forced collection of funds for the maintenance of children. nine0007

When will the first child support be received?

Can I apply for maintenance for the past period?

dated 02.07.2021) Alimony for the past period may be collected within a three-year period from the date of applying to the court, if the court has established that before applying to the court measures were taken to obtain funds for maintenance, but alimony was not received due to the evasion of the person obliged to pay alimony from their payment.

How much child support does the father have to pay? nine0009

The legislation provides for the shared principle of calculating the amount of alimony . The percentage of the salary withheld for the benefit of one child is 25%. For two children, 1/3 of the salary is transferred. For three or more - half of the income received.

How do I know if I was sued for child support?

You can find out that filed for alimony in court upon receipt of a letter with a copy of the statement of claim for the recovery of alimony . If for some reason such a letter was not received, then subsequently the court will send the defendant a ruling on the place and time of the court session. nine0007

How long to wait for a court order?

Court order is issued within five days from the date of receipt of the application for its issuance to the court. Order is issued without judicial proceedings and summoning the parties to hear their explanations. Order is made on a special form in two copies, which are signed by the judge.