How to find out if you are on child support

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Considering a Child Support Case?

Are you thinking about opening a child support case? Sometimes you can avoid court completely - see the whole process with helpful videos.

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Welcome to California Child Support Services

There are 47 child support agencies across California that establish and enforce child support and medical support orders. Either parent or any guardian of a child can open a child support case, whether or not there is an existing child support order, and a case is automatically opened when a child receives public assistance. All case services are handled at this county or regional level and all child support-related questions should be first routed to the agency in your county or region of residence.

Having a case with Child Support Services creates a record of all child support payments, provides a neutral go-between for parents, and can help both parents avoid court and assist with navigating the child support system. Child Support Services staff act in the public interest and do not represent either side of a child support case. A complete list of services provided can be found here; these services are provided at little or no cost.  

If you are thinking of opening a case, or have been named in a child support case, contact us right away. Your local agency can help both of you know what to expect, and will work with you to make the child support process as stress-free as possible.  We can even help you work out an agreement for child support and avoid court.

The 10 Steps of the Child Support Case Process*

*If you already have a court order for child support and need to have that order enforced, you must first open a case with Child Support Services.

Either parent can apply for support or open a child support services case, as can a child’s legal guardian. 

Before a child support order can be made, both parents of the child or children must be located.

The parent being asked to pay will be legally notified that they are named in a child support case.

If named in a case, you have the right to request proof of legal parentage and we will help you free of charge.

If both parents can agree on an amount, they can avoid court by filing a “Stipulated Agreement.”

A judge or commissioner reviews your information and decides on a child support amount. 

After a child support order is set, payments are scheduled to begin, usually by payroll deduction.

Parents who refuse to pay or delay paying their child support face enforcement actions and interest charges.

If either party has a change in circumstances after child support is set, they may qualify for “modification.”

There are many reasons why a child support case can be closed.  

Services We Offer | CA Child Support Services

CONSIDERING OPENING A CHILD SUPPORT CASE?

Any parent or guardian who pays or receives child support, whether or not he/she receives public assistance, can benefit from the information on this web site.

The section below outlines what Child Support Services can and cannot assist with, your legal relationship to your local child support agency, and your responsibilities as a participant.

• Services Provided by County and Regional Child Support Offices
• Services Not Provided by County and Regional Child Support Offices
• Your Legal Relationship with Your Local Office
• Legal Assistance Options
• Responsibilities of Parents Applying for or Receiving Support
• International Child Support Services 

Services Provided by County and Regional Child Support Offices 

County and regional child support agencies provide a variety of child support services to help parents fulfill their responsibilities to their child(ren).

These offices provide the following services:

• Establishing paternity (fatherhood)
• Locating parents
• Requesting child support orders from the court
• Requesting medical support orders from the court
• Enforcing child and spousal support orders
• Modifying child support orders
• Collecting and sending child support

Services Not Provided by County or Regional Child Support Offices

These offices do not:

• Handle custody or visitation matters
• Handle divorces
• Obtain or enforce restraining orders
• Establish spousal support orders

Your Legal Relationship with Your Local Child Support Agency

• Child Support Services agencies do not represent either the parent or the child(ren), and their attorneys are not your attorneys. Because you are not a legal client, the information you provide is not confidential under the client/attorney privilege.
• The information in your case may be discussed or disclosed to other public agencies that are authorized by law to receive such information, the other parent’s employer, and to the other parent or his/her attorney to the extent required by law.
• By law, child support agencies have the final decision on what child support enforcement actions will be taken. Parents have the right to seek legal advice from a private attorney or legal aid group at their own expense at any time.

Legal Assistance Options

In addition to local child support offices, Family Law Facilitators, private attorneys, and legal clinics can provide legal assistance in child support cases.

Family Law Facilitators:

• California counties offer Family Law Facilitators to help parents and any other parties who have questions about family law issues including child support, spousal support, health insurance, and the availability of community resources to help families.
• A Family Law Facilitator can give you general information and help you prepare your own forms.
• Family Law Facilitator services are provided free of charge and are not connected with the Department of Child Support Services.
• The Family Law Facilitator is not your lawyer, cannot go to court with you, and is not responsible for the outcome of your case.
• The Family Law Facilitator is a neutral person who does not represent any party; therefore, he or she may also provide information and services to the other party in your case.
• Since there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Family Law Facilitator, communications are not confidential.
• You should consult with your own attorney if you want personalized advice or strategy, confidential conversation, or attorney representation in court.

Private Attorneys:

• A private attorney can provide personalized services to parents.
• Private attorneys can give as much time to a case as is necessary to do an effective job. The biggest drawback is expense.
• A private attorney will charge for the time required for personal interviews, telephone calls, legal research, court appearances, and the preparation of pleadings.
• If the person applying for child support cannot afford an attorney, the parent being asked to pay child support may be ordered to pay reasonable attorney fees and court costs. However, it is up to the judge to decide how much, if any, of the legal fees that parent may be ordered to pay.
• If, at any time, you retain a private attorney to enforce or modify the child support obligation, you must notify your local child support agency immediately and serve them a copy of any action to modify, and within 15 calendar days of its issuance, a copy of the new order.
• Private attorneys will not duplicate efforts or enforcement actions on your behalf. You must notify them in writing of your intent to file an enforcement action 30 days prior to doing so, and they must either notify you in writing in 30 days after receiving your notice of our consent or objection to that action.
• Local agencies will not object unless they are engaging in an ongoing enforcement action or investigation. You must also notify your local agency within 10 days of any change in custody, whether permanent or temporary.

Legal Clinics:

• Services offered by a legal clinic may cost less than those provided by a private attorney. Legal clinics may charge for services based on the actual time spent on a case or on a contingency fee basis.
• For more information about these services, look online or in the telephone book yellow pages under legal clinics or Legal Services, Attorneys (specializing in divorces, adoptions and family law) or under Attorney Referral Services.

Responsibilities of Parents or Guardians Applying for or Receiving Support

• Due to the volume of cases, it is important that both parents cooperate with us as a partner in working your case.
• It is your responsibility to notify the local office handling your case, in writing, if the minor child becomes emancipated or marries, or if the other parent or another person has or obtains custody of the child.
• Address changes should be reported promptly.
• You will be asked to fill out certain documents. Many of these must be signed under penalty of perjury. You must answer the questions on the forms truthfully. The decision to take legal action is based on the information that you provide. You may be prosecuted for perjury if you fill out these documents falsely.
• California Child Support Services reserves the right to take any appropriate legal action against a party who does not pay child support. Such actions may include contempt orders or arrest.
• Whether or not the family is receiving public assistance, your local child support agency has the legal responsibility and discretion to determine what court or enforcement techniques are to be used. Your caseworker needs your cooperation providing complete, accurate, and up-to-date information in order to do the best job. 
• If the applicant or support recipient fails to cooperate in these actions and to sign all necessary legal documents, the case may be closed. If the children in the case are receiving public assistance, a child support case is required and will remain open.  

ALREADY HAVE A CASE?

California Child Support Services has many programs in place for parents and guardians, especially to help parents paying child support fulfill their obligations without negative actions, or to help minimize those actions.  In every case, your local agency is there to talk to, explain things to you, and help the system work for you within the legal boundaries.  Here are several services you may need during the life of your case:

• Getting Suspended Licenses Released
• Changing Child Support Orders (Modification)
• Help for Incarcerated Parents
• Reducing Child Support Debt
• Wage and Health Insurance Coverage Assignments
• Ombudsperson Program
• International Child Support Services 

Changing Your Child Support Order (Modification)

• Either parent can request that the local child support agency review his or her case if they feel a change is necessary, known as a “modification. ” If you are the parent paying support and are having trouble making your payments, contact us right away to avoid potential enforcement actions.
• The amount of the child support order may be modified by increasing or decreasing the order or by requiring that health insurance for the child or children be provided.
• Based on financial and other information that both parents must provide, your local office will determine if a modification for a higher or lower amount is justified. Both parents will be informed of the decision.
• If the person receiving support allows the child(ren) to visit or live with the parent paying support on a long-term or permanent basis, that parent may request that the order be modified. 
• Learn more about requesting a modification here.

Incarcerated Parents

• If the parent paying support is or will be incarcerated for 60 consecutive days or more, he or she may request to lower the current support order by submitting a completed Incarcerated Parent’s Request to Review Child Support (English | Spanish) with attachments to the local child support agency.
• If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact your caseworker.
• The Incarcerated Parent’s Request to Review Child Support form is also available in your institution’s Law Library.

Wage & Health Insurance Assignments

• All orders for child support must include a “wage and earnings assignment” requiring the payer’s employer to deduct support payments from his or her salary or wages.
• An order to deduct health insurance premiums for the child(ren) may also be ordered.

Ombudsperson Program

• All local child support agencies provide an individual who is available to help you resolve issues with your child support case, explain your rights and responsibilities, and tell you the ways you can get child support services.
• The services are offered free of charge.
• This Ombudsperson can also help resolve customer inquiries or disputes related to child support services.
• The Ombudsperson responds to inquiries from parents, guardians, employers, other agencies and the public.
• The Ombudsperson’s responsibilities are to:
  1. Help you resolve child support inquiries/disputes or make recommendations to solve them prior to filing a complaint.
  2. Assist you in understanding the complaint process before, during, and after the complaint is filed.
  3. Assist you in preparing for a State Hearing.
• Check your local child support agency website for contact information for your Ombudsperson.
• The Ombudsperson cannot be your representative and will not give you legal advice. For assistance with legal issues, please see the Family Law Facilitator section on our website.
• You can also refer to our Customer Service page for statewide complaint resolution information.

More Important Information

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

How to find out child support debt by last name - check child support debt online

There are several ways to see the amount of child support debt. To do this, you can contact the MFC or come to an appointment with a bailiff. In addition, you can find out the debt by last name via the Internet. To do this, you need to use the main website of the FSSP, the State Services portal or the State Payment service.

State payment

State payment online service offers the easiest and fastest way to find out the amount of alimony debt from yourself or another individual. The service does not require registration. To start checking:

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";

3. Next, enter the code from the picture and wait for the verification results.

The service will check the FSSP database and provide information about the amount owed by a particular person.

With the help of "Gosoplata" you can not only find out, but also immediately pay the debt using any bank card.

The service has the following benefits:

• Instant payment of legal, tax and other debts;
• Simple and intuitive interface;
• Convenient mobile application;
• Payment information is automatically transferred to databases;
• All transmitted data is securely encrypted;
• Payment receipt is sent to the payer's e-mail immediately after the payment is made.

FSSP website

To find out the debt for alimony through the official website of the FSSP, you need:

1. Go to the site at the link: fssp.gov.ru;
2. In the site menu, select the "Service" section, the "Database of Enforcement Proceedings" category;

3. Next, you need to fill in all the fields marked with an asterisk (*):
   1. Territorial bodies;
   2. Last name, first name;
4. Click the "Find" button to start checking. Next, the system will ask you to enter the code from the picture to confirm that the request is made by a person and not a robot.

If several debtors have the same first and last name, you need to enter the middle name and date of birth for a more accurate search.

As a result of the search, you will see a table where all the necessary information will be presented:

• amount of debt and enforcement fee;
• production number;
• court order number;
• territorial subdivision of the FSSP;
• surname and phone numbers of the bailiff.

On the main website of the bailiff service, you can not only find out the debt for alimony, but also pay it. If necessary, you can pay the debt online through the State Services portal or generate a receipt and pay it through any bank.

Public services

To find out the amount of alimony arrears through the Gosuslug portal, you must first register.

Attention! The search for accruals is carried out according to the data from your personal account.

To see if you have a legal debt, log into your personal account and follow these steps:

1. Select the "Services" section, then the "Authorities" subsection and the "FSSP of Russia" category;

2. Next, open the "Territorial authorities" tab and select the name of the desired department from the list;

3. Select the electronic service “Providing information…”;

4. Next, select the service "Law Debt";

5. Click "Get Service";

You can pay your debt in several ways:

• With any bank card;
• Through Google Pay or Samsung Pay;
• Using an electronic wallet WebMoney, Qiwi, Yandex.Money;
• From a mobile phone account.

You can also generate a receipt and pay it at the bank or at the post office.

How quickly will an entry in the FSSP database be deleted?

If you have fully or partially paid the child support debt, the entry in the Database will be deleted or changed no earlier than 3-7 working days from the date of payment. This is due to the fact that first the funds go to the account of the bailiff unit, and then to the account of the claimant. It takes at least 3 days to process and transfer funds. If the workload is high, it can take up to 7 days to delete or change an entry.

If you have any additional questions, you can personally contact the territorial division of the FSSP. You can make an appointment for a personal appointment through the official website of the bailiff service - fssp.gov.ru.

Kontselidze Ednary Emzarievich Legal Expert

How to find out the child support debt by last name

Published: 03/22/2019

Alimony debt is formed in case of untimely/incomplete/lack of payment of alimony. Not always the debtor deliberately evades payment. In some cases, the reasons may be:

⦁ lack of information from the payer about the location of the recipient, or its change;

⦁ errors in the accounting department of the payer's employer;

⦁ unforeseen situations and other reasons.

In order to avoid unpleasant situations, especially before traveling abroad, it is better to check the child support debt.

There are two ways to find out the debt on alimony :

1. Personally, at the district bailiff's office.

2. Online via the Internet.

In order to find out the amount of the debt by the first method, you need to personally contact the bailiff department at the place of residence. You can find the address and other contact information on the website of the Federal Bailiff Service http://fssprus.ru/osp. You can read more about this in the article "How to find a bailiff".

In the district department of bailiffs, you can get a decision on the calculation of the debt by applying for it on the reception day with a document proving your identity. Only a participant in enforcement proceedings (a debtor, a recoverer, or a person acting on their behalf by proxy) has the right to receive such a decision.

There are several ways to check the child support debt online by last name.

1. Use the portal of public services of the Russian Federation https://www.gosuslugi.ru/10003

You will need to log in to the portal (a verified account on the public services portal is required), fill out an application electronically, wait for the application to be verified and registered, and receive response information in your personal account.

2. Use the Internet service to search for debts in the database of the Federal Bailiffs Service of Russia https://oplata-fssp.ru, which contains all the debts of citizens to the FSSP of Russia. You only need to enter your last name, first name, patronymic, date of birth, and indicate the region in which you live.

Undoubtedly, this method is the most simple and convenient. You will receive information immediately after the results of the check in the "Data Bank of Enforcement Proceedings". An additional advantage of this method is that you can immediately pay off the debt discovered during the check.

3. If you know the number of enforcement proceedings or a writ of execution, you can use them to find out the debt using the appropriate service on the FSSP website http://fssprus.ru/iss/ip.

In the "Data Bank of Enforcement Proceedings" on the site, it is also possible to search by the name of the debtor.

It is important to remember that the record of the debt in the "Data Bank of Enforcement Proceedings" of the FSSP will be deleted or changed (in case of incomplete repayment of part of the debt) within 3 - 7 days from the date of payment. Information about existing debts in newly initiated enforcement proceedings may also be entered into databases with a delay, so the presence of debts should be checked immediately before going abroad.

Restriction on leaving the Russian Federation is not the only trouble that can be encountered in the event of unfulfilled obligations on enforcement proceedings.

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