Below are the most frequently asked questions.

• 1. Can you locate the non-custodial parent?
• 2. What is paternity establishment?
• 3. Can you help me if I have an existing child support order?
• 4. How do I apply for services?
• 5. How do I obtain a child support order?
• 6. How long does it take to obtain an order?
• 7. How much child support will be ordered?
• 8. What happens if the non-custodial parent doesn't pay?
• 9. Can the amount of child support be increased?
• 10. Can you help if the non-custodial parent lives in another state?
• 11. How are support payments processed?
• 12. How can I find out the status of my case ?

1. Can you locate the non-custodial parent? 

We use a variety of local, state, and federal location resources to search for the non-custodial parent.  We must know where to find the parent responsible for support before we can process your case. We also need you to provide any information you may currently know about the non-custodial parent. Your participation is important.

When a child is born to parents who are not married, fatherhood must be determined before we can proceed. If the alleged father does not voluntarily admit that he is the father of the child(ren), a hearing and/or paternity test will be scheduled. If a paternity test is necessary, the child's mother, the alleged father and the child will be tested. 

If there already is a court order for child support and medical insurance, we will use the full force of the law to enforce that order. If there is no court order, we will first establish a child support and medical support obligation. 

If you are a parent receiving public assistance, Medicaid and/or Food Stamps, you do not need to apply; you are automatically referred to the Child Support Enforcement Division. However, you must cooperate with our efforts to obtain support. Failure to respond to our requests for information or attend appointments and court hearings may result in sanctions being imposed, causing your benefits to be reduced or canceled. 

If you do not receive public assistance or Medicaid, you do need to complete an application for our services. Your cooperation is also required.

For an appointment, call (305) 530-2600.

We will review your order to determine if it meets the criteria to enter an administrative order. If your order qualifies, you and the non-custodial parent will receive documents that must be completed and returned timely. Once these documents are returned and time frames are met, an administrative order may be entered without ever going to court. If your order does not qualify for the administrative process, we will process your order judicially. 

If your order is being processed through the court system, we will send you an appointment letter that lists the documents you must bring to your interview. Detailed financial information is needed from you and the non-custodial parent to establish a support order. You will need to provide a written explanation if you cannot obtain the information we need. You must also give us specific information about any other legal order involving your child, no matter what kind of order it is or was. We will be able to process your order more quickly if you bring all documents and information requested of you. 

If the location of the non-custodial parent is known, your case will be filed and the non-custodial parent will receive copies of the documents you signed, including your financial affidavit. If necessary, a court date will be scheduled after we know that the non-custodial parent has in fact been served with the paperwork on the case. We cannot guarantee a time frame for a court date, since every case is different. Factors such as opposing counsel, the location of the non-custodial parent, requests for paternity tests, or the need for certified copies of existing support orders may delay the process. An order may be obtained in as little as three months, or as long as one year.

The amount ordered is based on the Florida guidelines established by law which take into account the child's needs and the incomes of both parents. Day care and health insurance costs are also considered. 

Once an order is entered, it is usually for current child support and medical insurance, and sometimes covers other issues, such as retroactive support. An Income Deduction Order is usually granted on every case so that payments may be deducted directly from the non-custodial parent's paycheck.

Our Compliance Enforcement Units will work to keep the non-custodial parent paying. 

Some of the enforcement methods we use include: 

• Income Deduction - Payments are deducted from the non-custodial  parent's paycheck. 
• IRS Intercepts - Tax refunds can be intercepted. 
• Freezing Bank Accounts - A computer search is done for non-custodial parents who have bank accounts with participating financial institutions. If a match is found, the bank account may be frozen. 
• Lottery Intercept - Winnings of $600 or more from the Florida Lottery  can be intercepted. 
• Liens - In certain cases, courts can place liens on real estate and  personal property. 
• Consumer Reporting Agencies - Information about delinquent child support is given to credit reporting agencies, possibly affecting the non-custodial parent's credit rating. 
• Suspension of Licenses - Driver's license, vehicle registration, and professional business licenses can be suspended or denied. 
• Referral for Contempt - The case can be referred to Court, where the non-custodial parent could face penalties such as jail time. 
• Passport Denial - Non-custodial parents can be denied US passports if their certified past due amounts exceed $2,500. 
  

Once the support order is established, it may be modified if there is a significant change to the non-custodial parent's or to your financial situation. If you request a review of your case for an upward modification, we will recalculate the guidelines based on both parties current financial status. Normally, we will only file the modification petition with the court if the formula shows the support amount should change by at least 15% or $50 monthly.  However, if the review of your case shows that a downward modification is appropriate, we will need to refer your case to an outside attorney for filing.  If this is an interstate case (involving another state), there may be additional restrictions. 

YES. When custodial and non-custodial parents live in different states, the State Attorney's Office works with the child support offices in those states. When the non-custodial parent lives in another state, we must allow the other state's child support enforcement office and court system to process the case within the time frames applied to their state, since they have legal jurisdiction.

If we are attempting to establish a new support order, the process could take 6-12 months. If there is already a support order, some states will let us deduct support from the non-custodial parent's paycheck. However, if the non-custodial parent lives in a state that does not allow this, or if there is no order for support, we will have to file the case with the child support agency in the other state.

International agreements with some foreign countries enable us to act on your behalf even when the non-custodial parent lives in another country.

All child support payments must be sent to:

State of Florida Disbursement
Unit PO Box 8500 Tallahassee, FL 32314-8500

Official court records of the payments and disbursements are created which enable the child support program to accurately enforce and monitor your child support case. You must not take payments directly from the non-custodial parent. If you do not receive public assistance, a check will be mailed from Tallahassee normally within two working days of receipt of the payment. If you do receive public assistance, support payments will be retained by the State of Florida as reimbursement for the public assistance money you are receiving from the State.

Please understand that we will use all available resources to resolve your case. You must allow us the necessary time to complete our research and case actions. Frequent calls to our office checking on the status of your case will only delay the processing of your case. However, if you have any new information about the non-custodial parent, such as location, employment, social security number, etc., please let us know. To provide new information, or inquire on your case, contact our Call Center at (305) 530-2600.