In New York, just as in many other states, those who are ordered to make child support payments often have that money withheld from their pay. Employers play a big role in making sure that money for child support is redirected to support services, where it is then passed on to custodial parents. How does this process get started?
After a child support order is entered into the state system, information about withholding income will be sent to the paying parent’s employer. Employers are also required to report new hires and rehires within 20 days of the date of employment, which helps ensure withholding requests are put in place as needed. Once an income withholding request is received, income can start being collected immediately. The amount withheld from one’s pay will vary based on the order of support and one’s income.
Along with taking out regular sums in order to make on-time support payments, employers may be ordered to withhold higher amounts from lump sum payments — such as commissions or bonuses. This is generally only done if a paying parent has fallen behind on what is owed. Whether taking a regular withholding or an extra one, that money is required to be sent to the New York Child Support Processing Center within seven days. Along with reporting employment and withholding income, employers are also required to report terminations. This simply helps keep records current and assists child support services in keeping tabs on the paying parent.
To those in New York who are ordered to pay child support, all of this may seem a little over the top. However, making sure that children receive appropriate support is important to the state. While the topic of child support can be a challenging and frustrating one, paying parents may turn to legal counsel with any questions or concerns they may have regarding their child support orders.
Source: childsupport.ny.gov, “Employer Information”, Accessed on May 3, 2016