TYLER, Texas — The stimulus plan approved last week could be a big help to families in East Texas. However, with a program so large, there are lots of questions.
One of the most common questions we’ve gotten here at CBS19 is whether people who owe child support will get a check.
Erica Henry was one of the many people who asked us: “If there are arrearages for child support, will the check go towards that? Or does the person still get a check?”
First, the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 allows the Treasury Department to intercept federal payments in order to collect past-due child support. The Treasury works with each state to find out who owes what. If a parent with a child support debt is due a refund, the money gets redirected to their ex. If the debt is smaller than the refund, the ex gets only the amount owed, but if the debt is larger than the refund, the ex will get the entire amount.
The CARES Act includes aid for individuals in the form of a “recovery rebate,” which is a refund on 2020 taxes paid in advance.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley wrote in a blog post that the bill turns off administrative offsets for most all types of debt except child support.
Child support payments are managed by the states.
Annette Hernandez, a spokesperson for the Texas Attorney General’s Office’s Child Support Division, confirmed that the Treasury will redirect stimulus checks to custodial parents who are owed a child support debt.
In total: If you are behind on your child support payments by at least $1,200, the maximum refund amount for an individual, do not expect a stimulus check.
If you have something you want us to verify, you can write David Lippman an email or send him a note on Facebook or Twitter.
Hernandez said anyone with questions about the status of their child support payments can log into the online portal on the Attorney General’s website.
The website also has a chat function that allows parents to ask questions of its experts.