Child Support

Reasons to Establish Paternity/Child Support Court Order

The benefits to the child are:

Access to family medical history Health insurance coverage, if available Access to genetic testing Financial support

Legal documentation of his or her parents Support from both parents The right to inherit from either parent The right to receive Social Security or veteran's benefits, if available

Methods of Establishing Parentage

Choose from the list below to learn more.

• Establishing Parentage Through Court
• Genetic Testing
• Recognition of Parentage

Most parents pay their child support obligation as ordered. However, when a parent is not paying child support, the child support office is able to use enforcement remedies to encourage parents to pay. Specific criteria must be met before the enforcement action can be taken.

Automatic income withholding may help prevent other enforcement actions from becoming necessary. The purpose of strong enforcement activities is not to penalize parents but to stress the importance of paying support.

Methods of Collections

Choose from the list below for more information about Washington County's methods of child support enforcement.

Contempt of Court Action Credit Bureau Reporting Driver's License Suspension Financial Institution Data Match Income Withholding

Lottery Winning Intercept Passport Denial Student Grant Hold Tax Intercepts Locating Parents

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)

Minnesota is one of several states that has a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for child support orders. The amount of basic support ordered is to be adjusted every two years based on changes in the consumer price index or cost of living.

The child support office takes the steps to get the cost of living in the child support orders they enforce. This adjustment happens every other year on May 1.

For cases where the payments are not made through the child support office, the parent receiving basic support must make the application for COLA and may make the request two years after the date of the court order that sets basic support.

An advanced notice, with the proposed COLA amount, is sent to the parent and becomes effective automatically unless a hearing is requested.

For more information about COLA in Minnesota, see the Guide to Child Support and Spousal Maintenance Cost of Living Adjustments

If you have a case open with the child support office and are either court-ordered to pay or receive child support, you may ask that the child support office review your court order for a possible modification.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services website has a calculator to help estimate child support under the law. They also have answers to frequently asked questions.

Modifications of Child Support Orders

 
The following people / groups may ask for a modification:

• Parents who pay child support
• Parents (or caregivers) who receive child support
• Washington County child support office
• Child support offices from other states

A modification may be requested in one of three ways:

• Contact your child support officer by phone or in writing to request your order be reviewed
• Go to court on your own; instructions to file a motion without an attorney and without the assistance of the child support office, can be obtained from Minnesota Courts
• Hire a private attorney

Situations When Modifications May Be Requested

 
You can ask that the child support office review your court order for a possible modification if you have a substantial change in circumstances, such as:

• You are laid off from your job
• You get a new job
• Your income or the other parent's income increases or decreases
• You become disabled
• You go to jail, prison, or inpatient treatment for chemical dependency or mental health issues
• You are deployed to active military service
• You receive cash public assistance or no longer receive cash public assistance

Generally, the court will assume there has been a substantial change in circumstances and that the terms of the current support order may be changed if:

• The support under the basic support formula is at least 20% and at least $75 per month higher or lower than the current support order or, if the current support order is less than $75 per month, it results in a court order that is at least 20% per month higher or lower
• The medical provisions of the order are not enforceable by the child support office or the other party
• Health coverage is no longer available to the child by the parent currently ordered to provide it
• The existing support order is in the form of a percentage and not a specific dollar amount

Required Documentation

 
In order for the child support office to review your case for a modification, you will need to provide the information requested by the agency, such as:

Child care expenses Child support obligations for other children Disability verification Income and expenses Jail or prison status

Medical and dental insurance verification Nonjoint children Retirement income Tax returns Unemployment benefits

Costs

 
There is no cost for requesting a modification through the child support office.