Child Support Enforcement (CSE)
Child Support laws have changed. Beginning October 1, 2007, Child Support Enforcement must charge a fee for its services.
- Question 1: How much is the fee?
- Question 2: Will my case be charged a yearly fee of $25.00?
- Question 3: Will my case be charged a monthly fee up to $2.10?
- Question 4: If I am a custodial parent in more than one case will I be charged a fee on each case?
- Question 5: How will the fee be collected?
- Question 6: Why is the custodial parent being charged the fee?
- Question 7: If I am the custodial parent can I pay the fee rather than have it withheld from my support?
- Question 8: If I am the custodial parent can I have the noncustodial parent pay me directly, rather than make payments to the State Disbursement Unit, to avoid being charged the fee?
- Question 9: I received TANF in a state other than North Dakota and North Dakota is charging the $25.00 yearly fee. Who should I contact about this?
- Question 10: I paid the yearly fee of $25.00 in another state this federal fiscal year and North Dakota is charging the fee again. Who should I contact about this?
- Question 11: Will fees continue every year until the child support ends?
- Question 12: Will the noncustodial parent get full credit for payments even though the fee is deducted from the amount the custodial parent receives?
A. There are two different fees. To comply with the law changes, certain cases will be charged a yearly fee of $25 and other cases will be charged a monthly fee up to $2.10. A case will not be charged both fees.
Q. Will my case be charged a yearly fee of $25.00?
A. If you are a custodial parent and a Regional Child Support Enforcement Unit is providing services on your case, you may be charged a yearly fee of $25.
- You will be charged this fee only after at least $500 of child support is sent to your family during the year. If less than $500 is sent to your family during the year, you will not be charged this fee.
- If you received TANF or AFDC in North Dakota or any other state, you will not be charged this fee. (See question #9 for more information.)
- If you have already paid this fee in another state during the current federal fiscal year, you will not be charged this fee again. (See question #10 for more information.)
- Each federal fiscal year starts October 1 and ends September 30.
This fee was created as part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 passed by Congress and signed by the President. All state child support programs must collect the fee and report the collections to the federal government.
Q. Will my case be charged a monthly fee up to $2.10?
A. If you are a custodial parent and a Regional Child Support Enforcement Unit is not providing services on your case, you may be charged a monthly fee up to $2.10.
- You will be charged this fee only if child support is received in the month. If no child support is received in a month, you will not be charged this fee.
- N.D.C.C § 50-06.3-02 authorizes the Department of Human Services to charge this fee.
Q. If I am a custodial parent in more than one case will I be charged a fee on each case?
A. Yes, you will be charged either the yearly fee or monthly fee on each of your cases.
Q. How will the fee be collected?
A. The fee will be deducted from child support payments received. If you are a custodial parent and your case is subject to the yearly fee, $25 will be deducted from your support one time each year. If your case is subject to the monthly fee, the first $2.10 received each month will be deducted to pay the fee.
Q. Why is the custodial parent being charged the fee?
A. Law requires the custodial parent be charged the fee. Upon the order of the court, the amount of the fee paid by the custodial parent may be collected from the noncustodial parent as past due support.
Q. If I am the custodial parent can I pay the fee rather than have it withheld from my support?
A. No, the fee will be deducted from your support payments. Please do not send fee payments to the State Disbursement Unit.
Q. If I am the custodial parent can I have the noncustodial parent pay me directly, rather than make payments to the State Disbursement Unit, to avoid being charged the fee?
A. No, payments must continue to be made through the State Disbursement Unit.
Q. I received TANF in a state other than North Dakota and North Dakota is charging the $25.00 yearly fee. Who should I contact about this?
A. Please provide documentation of the benefits received in the other state to your caseworker at the Regional Child Support Enforcement Unit so that your case can be updated.
Q. I paid the yearly fee of $25.00 in another state this federal fiscal year and North Dakota is charging the fee again. Who should I contact about this?
A. Please provide documentation of the fee payment to your caseworker at the Regional Child Support Enforcement Unit so that your case can be updated.
Q. Will fees continue every year until the child support ends?
A. Yes, unless the law changes Child Support Enforcement will continue to charge fees. You will be notified of any related law changes.
Q. Will the noncustodial parent get full credit for payments even though the fee is deducted from the amount the custodial parent receives?
A. Yes, the noncustodial parent will get full credit for payments received by the SDU.
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