Payment Options
Child Support Brochure: English | Spanish | Vietnamese
Click here for the application: English | Spanish | Vietnamese
Please mail your completed application and check to MDHS-Division of Child Support 950 E. County Line Road, Suite #G, Ridgeland, MS 39157
If you are an employer who is receiving a monthly Child Support Income Withholding Bill for an employee, you may view and print these documents online.
These documents are available in Portable Document Format (PDF) only.
Click on here for the Child Support Web-based Bills/Notices.
NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
- Download to print monthly
- Bills/Notices will ONLY be mailed out annually
- All other inquiries, please contact the Child Support Call Center at 877-882-4916.
There are several methods used to collect and enforce child support:
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- Income Withholding-The employer of a noncustodial parent who owes child support may have support withheld from their wages.
- Unemployment Intercept-A noncustodial parent who owes child support may have support withheld from their unemployment benefits.
- Tax Offset Intercept-A noncustodial parent who owes back child support may be subject to interception of any refund due from federal or state taxes
- Contempt Action-A noncustodial parent who owes back child support may be taken to court for contempt, which could result in the court ordering incarceration.
- Credit Bureau Reporting-A noncustodial parent who owes back child support will be reported to the Credit Bureau.
- Liens-A non custodial parent who owes back child support may have liens placed against their workers compensation or personal injury claims
- Accounts Frozen and Seized-A noncustodial parent who owes back child support may have their account(s) frozen and seized from financial institutions such as banks and credit unions.
- License Suspension-A noncustodial who owes back child support may have their license suspended.
- Passport revocation-A noncustodial parent who owes back child support of $2500 or more will have their passport revoked or application denied.
A Simple Acknowledgment of Paternity (ASAP)
ASAP is Mississippi’s voluntary paternity establishment program. ASAP makes it possible for parents to establish paternity in hospitals and other birthing facilities, at the State Department of Health, County Health Departments, and the Division of Field Operations.
This procedure carries the same legal effect as if the father and the mother were married at the time between conception and birth. The program allows the father’s name to be added to the birth certificate.
PATERNITY
Paternity means fatherhood. Paternity is in question when a child is born of unmarried parents. If a child’s parents are not married, paternity can be established through voluntary acknowledgment or through court proceedings.
It is important to establish paternity for a myriad of reasons, such as identity, medical history, death, disability and insurance benefits, and support.
It is important for a child to know who he/she is and to feel the sense of belonging that knowing both parents brings.
A child also needs to know if he/she may have inherited any diseases or birth defects. Also, by knowing both parents, this could ensure against marriage between close relatives.
A child should have the right to possible benefits from both parents such as social security, medical and life insurance, as well as veteran’s benefits.
Also, a child has the right to food clothing and a home, which can be better provided when both parents are involved. Support that is provided by one parent only to a child is often not adequate to meet his/her needs.
Legal paternity can be established while the mother is still in the hospital when both parents sign an acknowledgment of paternity and return it to the hospital staff. There is no fee involved, when the acknowledgment of paternity is filed along with the birth certificate. (To establish paternity upon leaving the hospital, please contact the Division of Field Operations at the Mississippi Department of Human Services.)
If establishment of paternity is involuntary, a petition to establish paternity must be filed with the appropriate court with jurisdiction over the matter.
Establishing paternity is the first step needed in order to ask for visitation privileges. The father will need to seek legal counsel for advice on visitation and, or custody.
Adding a father’s name to the birth certificate
A father’s name will be added to the birth certificate, when he is legally established as the child’s father after completing the acknowledgment form.
If the alleged father refuses to sign the Acknowledgment of Paternity form, the mother can request assistance from the Division of Field Operations at Mississippi Department of Human Services in establishing paternity, and obtaining child support through the court system. There is a $25 fee for this service UNLESS the mother is receiving any state supported benefit such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, (TANF) and, or Medicaid, in which case there is no charge for this service.
Reference Guide for Employers and Income Withholders
Child Support Web-based Bills/Notices
https://ccis.mdhs.ms.gov/
Questions please contact the Child Support Call Center 877-882-4916
Electronic Reporting
Electronic Funds Transfer/Electronic Data Interchange (EFT/EDI) make child support income withholding easier for employers. At your option, child support funds can be electronically remitted via EFT from your bank to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU). All the necessary information (case identifiers, date of withholding, etc.) is sent along with the electronic payments via EDI.
For additional information concerning EFT/EDI, please click here for the PDF version of A Guide for Employers Electronic Funds Transfer/Electronic Data Interchange (EFT/EDI) or Email: MSSDUOutreach@informatixinc.com or phone: 769-777-6111
State Agencies in Mississippi
State agencies who deduct child support payments from employee checks to pay to the Mississippi Department of Human Services can make remittances electronically via electronic funds transfer (EFT). Remittances will need to be directed to Regions Bank CHILD SUPPORT METSS, vendor # V0001361941. For more information, contact 601-359-4500.
Mississippi New Hire Reporting
All employers (or independent contractors) are required to report basic information about newly-hired personnel to a designated state agency within 15 days. A penalty of $25 per case (incident), or up to $500 for collusion between employer and worker, shall be assessed for not reporting as directed by law. To obtain more information, go to the website: www.ms-newhire.com or contact us at the following address:
P. O. Box 437
Norwell, MA 02061
Telephone: 800-241-1330
Fax: 800-937-8668
State Disbursement Unit
All child support income withholdings are required to be paid through Mississippi’s state disbursement unit, the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) at the following address:
MDHS/SDU
P. O. Box 23094
Jackson, Mississippi 39225
Fax: 769-777-6132
Each payment remitted must include the noncustodial parent’s name, social security number, the amount withheld and employer name.
Withholding Orders/Notices from Other States
A direct income withholding order issued by any state may be sent across state lines directly to the noncustodial parent’s employer in another state.
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- Upon receipt, if the Order/Notice appears “regular on its face,” you must honor it.
- You must provide a copy of the Order/Notice to the employee immediately.
- You must begin income withholding and send the payments to the address cited in the Withholding Order/Notice.
- You must continue to honor the Withholding Order/Notice until official notification is received from the child support enforcement agency/court to stop or modify the withholding.
- If you comply with these basic requirements, you will not be subject to civil liability to an individual or agency with regard to your withholding of child support from the employee’s income.
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What is the maximum amount that can be withheld?
For child support income withholdings, the upper limit on what may be withheld is based on the Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA). The Federal withholding limits for child support and alimony are based on the following disposable earnings of the obligor (i.e., the employee):
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- The Federal CCPA limit is 50 percent of the disposable earnings if the employee lives with and supports a second family, and 60 percent if the employee does not support a second family.
- This limit increases to 55 percent and 65 percent respectively if the employee owes arrears that are 12 weeks or more past due.
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Lump Sum Payment Requirements for Employers
Pursuant to Mississippi Code Section 93-11-103(13), employers are required to report lump-sums paid to employees of over $500 to the Department of Human Services if the employer has been served with a withholding order that includes a provision for the payment of arrears. Lump-sums are defined in Mississippi Code Section 93-11-101(l). The employer shall notify the Department of Human Services of its intention to make a lump-sum payment at least 45 days before the planned date of the payment or as soon as the decision is made to make the payment, should that be less than 45 days. The employer shall not release the lump-sum to the obligor until 30 days after the intended date of the payment or until authorization is received from the Department of Human Services, whichever is earlier. The Department of Human Services shall provide the employer with a Notice of Lien specifying the amount of the lump-sum to be withheld for payment of child support arrears.
To report a lump-sum or for further lump-sum inquiries, please email or fax us at lumpsum@ms-newhire.com or 800-937-8668.
Multiple Child Support Orders for the Same Employee
You must add together the court-ordered current support owed for each order and withhold that amount first. If this amount does NOT exceed the CCPA or appropriate State law, you may withhold additional earnings for any arrears obligation, provided the total amount withheld does not exceed the amount available under the CCPA or appropriate State law.
May we combine child support payments from several employees?
You may send one check for each pay period to cover all child support withholdings for that pay period if they are all to be sent to the Mississippi Department of Human Services, provided you itemize the amount withheld from each employee, the date each amount was withheld, and the noncustodial parent’s social security number.
Is medical insurance required to be provided when the child does not live in the service area?
Yes. By law, medical insurance coverage available to the parent-employee cannot be denied to a child even though:
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- The child was born out of wedlock and paternity has been established
- The child is not claimed as a dependent on the parent’s income tax return
- The child does not live with the parent
- The child does not live in your insurer’s service area
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Under which insurance plan should the child be enrolled?
Enroll the child under the same health benefit plan in which your employee is enrolled. If the employee is offered more than one health plan, the plan chosen by the employee must provide coverage for dependents.
What licenses can be suspended?
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- Any occupation and/or professional license regulated by the state of Mississippi
- Business licenses
- Alcoholic Beverages licenses
- Driver’s licenses
- Hunting/Fishing licenses
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License Suspension Process
Once a noncustodial parent has become two (2) months behind in making child support payments, the delinquent parent will then be subject to the License Suspension Program procedure.
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- Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) runs a database search to match a list of delinquent parents to a list of licensees.
- MDHS then sends a notice to the licensees that have meet the criteria.
- The delinquent parents then have 90 days to pay the arrears or the work out a payment plan.
- NOTE: A stipulated payment plan must be submitted to court for approval
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- If the delinquent parent does nothing or can not reach an agreed payment schedule within the 90 day period, then a notice is sent to the license agency to suspend the license.
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- NOTE: A suspended license may be reinstated if the payments are made or a payment plan is agreed upon. Failure to pay under the agreement will result in immediate license suspension. Additionally, a judge may order license suspension in any contempt proceeding for failure to pay child support. Also note that any licensed attorney may apply through MDHS for license information in a non-MDHS case.
Due Process
A licensee may request a review by MDHS on issues of correct personal identification and the state of delinquency. License suspensions may be appealed to the Chancery Court.
Mississippi’s Access and Visitation Program (MAV-P) is designed for noncustodial parents to have access to visit their children as specified in a court order or divorce decree. Assistance with voluntary agreements for visitation schedules is provided to parents who have a child support case.