Wills & Trusts News

Deducting An Amount Biweekly Toward The Monthly Child Support Order

In this line of work, customer satisfaction can mean more than a mission accomplished. Last September, and just four months into her profession as child support caseworker in the Fairfax, VA, district child support office, Cynthia White opened an e-mail from a custodial parent. Linda Lans wrote: "After two years of trying to get the noncustodial parent to pay child support ... I received my first check ... Thank you, thank you, thank you! I truly appreciate the department helping me as a single parent."

And in an e-mail last month, another grateful parent said White "always exhibits professionalism, understanding and a caring demeanor. ... [She] is a true asset .... outstanding listener and caring person."

"It's a great feeling to be appreciated," admits White, who gets thanked sometimes, but not often, and usually when the custodial parent has received a payment unexpectedly after an extended time without one. "Most of the [custodial parents] are struggling and don't get a lot of help," she says, and "most of [the noncustodial parents] are ducking and hiding."

Linda Lans recalls a "stressful time" when she first sought locate help in July 2002. The noncustodial father didn't have a salaried job, meaning the child support agency "had no way to garnish his wages" to pay the monthly child support obligation. "He left me with a lot of debt because both of our names are on contracts," says Lans, who works 60 hours a week between two jobs as a waitress and medical lab manager. Her two daughters are in high school and college.

The breakthrough for Lans came when the NCP's name popped up on the Employment Commission's regular list of new hires and the National Directory of New Hires. (The NCP lives in Illinois.) White contacted his new employer who now is deducting an amount biweekly toward the monthly child support order. "It's coming out like clockwork," says White of the payments on current support and arrears.

"It's so far so good," agrees Lans, pleased with the payments and that her daughters talk regularly with their dad.

White's 900-per-month-caseload usually results in 25 to 30 successful wage withholdings. "But cases with out-of-state noncustodial parents are more difficult," she says, because she can't use the easier in-state remedies such as a lien.

Senior caseworker Amanda Banks views White as "persistent," a trait she knows (with 18 years experience) is necessary when dealing with noncustodial parents. She sees White's background as a collections coordinator for the city of Norfolk as a plus.

Banks also credits two tools that work for caseworkers: a monthly "aging report" that shows workers the status of last-made payments, and a "demand letter"-that apparently does just that.

By sending a demand letter to one noncustodial parent, Banks learned "he owned his own business. .... Then he came in and paid the full amount." Originally a two-state case, it had been closed in Ohio, but was still open in Fairfax. When she called the custodial parent in Ohio with the news, "she couldn't believe it!" says Banks, adding, "That's what makes the job worthwhile."

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