Supporting Families: Collecting Delinquent Child Support Obligations
Federal Agencies Ordered to Withhold Payments for Delinquent Child Support
What it does
Agencies must set up and use procedures to withhold federal payments and deny federal loan assistance to collect delinquent child support.
Real-world impact
- Federal payments to people owing child support can be reduced or stopped.
- Individuals who owe child support may be denied federal loans or loan guarantees.
- Agencies must match payment records with child support records, increasing data sharing.
Topics
Summary
This order directs the federal government to help collect overdue child support by using administrative offsets—holding back or reducing federal payments to people who owe child support. The Treasury Secretary must create and implement offset procedures, with the Health and Human Services Secretary and other agencies providing information and cooperation.
The order also lets agencies deny federal loans and related loan assistance to those subject to offsets, requires agencies to match payment records with child-support records, and calls for annual reports on implementation.
Questions, answered
Ask questions about this executive order and its implications. Try:
- “What agencies are affected by this order?”
- “How does this order change existing policy?”
- “What are the practical implications of this order?”