The Department appreciates when parents pay child support voluntarily. But if an obligor is late, or fails to pay court-ordered child support, the department has numerous tools to collect support, including:
- Credit Reporting: Paying child support late can affect an obligor’s credit rating. Every payment and/or failure to pay is reported to the major credit reporting agencies.
- Credit Reporting Direct Dispute: To directly dispute credit history reported by this agency, please complete the Credit Reporting Direct Dispute-Claim Form, attach supporting documentation, and mail to:
Placer County
Department of Child Support Services
1000 Sunset Blvd., Suite 200
Rocklin, CA 95765
Passport Denial: If a person owes $2,500 or more in past-due child support, the U.S. State Department will not issue or renew a passport until all past-due child support is paid. In most cases, a passport is needed to travel outside the U.S.
- Property Liens: A real property lien will be filed against the obligor parent on all cases. In most cases when the property is sold or refinanced, partial or full payment of the real property lien will be paid towards the past-due support.
- State Licensing Match System: Driver’s licenses, business licenses, and permanent state-issued professional licenses---for example, contractor, doctor, teacher, attorney, cosmetologist, etc.---can be suspended or withheld until past-due child support is collected.
- DCSS Full Collection Program (FCP): The department must alert the FCP anytime a person is more than $100 and 60 days past due in paying support. FCP can take funds using information found through the Financial Institution Data Match from bank accounts, rental income, royalties, and dividends to collect child support.
- Income Tax Refund Intercepts: The internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) can intercept tax refunds for past-due support.
- Board of Equalization Sales and Use Tax Intercept System: Sales tax refunds can be intercepted.
- Disability Insurance Benefit Intercept System: Part of state disability payments owed to obligors can be intercepted.
- Unemployment Insurance Benefit Intercept System: Part of state unemployment benefit payments due to obligors can be taken.
- Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Match System: Lump sum workers’ compensation awards can be taken.
- Financial Institution Data Match: Assets of the obligor held by many banks, savings and loan institutions, and credit unions in California and the U.S. can be withheld. The Full Collection Program is responsible for responding to any inquiries concerning this type of action.
- Lottery Intercept: Lottery winnings can be taken.
- Social Security Benefits: These benefits can also be intercepted.
- Contempt: In certain situations, the Department may seek a contempt citation in court if any obligor who has the ability to pay refuses to pay child support.
Cases may also be referred to the Placer County District Attorney's Office or the United States Attorney's Office for review for criminal prosecution.
Remember: If a professional license is required for your employment, you should stay current with your child support to ensure your professional license remains active.
Each local child support agency is required to retain case records for four years and four months from the date of case closure unless there is an open federal or State audit or pending civil litigation pursuant to Family Code section 17312(c) and 22 California Code of Regulations section 111450. It is recommended for case participants to keep copies of checks, bank records, and pay receipts for a minimum of 20 years.
Direct Deposit
Obligee parents can Enroll/Terminate Direct Deposit through the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) website or Integrated Voice Response (IVR) system.
To enroll through the SDU website you'll need your Social Security Number and your SWS Participant Number. If you do not know your 13 digit SWS Participant ID number you may call the SDU Electronic Help Desk at 1-866-325-1010, 7AM-8PM Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.
- Enroll through the SDU's IVR system at 1-866-325-1010.
- Enroll/Terminate Direct Deposit through the SDU website. https://www.casdu.com/CAS_SDU/
- You can also download and print the Direct Deposit Authorization form (DCSS 0485) and return it to them directly at:
California State Disbursement Unit
P.O. Box 989064
West Sacramento, CA 95798-9064
Past Due Payments
Do you owe past due child support? In certain child support cases, the law allows for a parent to pay less than their total child support debt owed to the government. This is called a compromise of arrears. For more information, see the Compromise of Arrears Program (COAP).
Changing Your Payment Amount
An existing child support order may be modified (changed) if there is:
- A significant increase or decrease in either parent’s earnings.
- A change in custody or the amount of time the child spends with each parent; or
- A change in any other factor that would affect the child support guideline.
Either parent may request a review of their child support order. The request must be in writing or online using the link below and must state reasons why the amount of the child support order is now too high or too low. A modification may be justified if the support order would change by 20% or $50 whichever is less. Our agency will review the child support order in the event of a major change, like getting a new job, losing a job, or a change in custody or visitation. Quitting a job does not justify a review. If our agency decides the modification requirements have been met and a change is appropriate, we will ask the court to modify the child support order.
Request a Modification
Please note: If our agency decides the requirements for a review are not met, the parent requesting the review may ask the court to review the order. If the obligor and the obligee can agree to the support amount ahead of time, the obligor and obligee can sign a stipulation (agreement) that must be filed with the court. If there is no agreement, a notice to appear in court will be sent and a judge or commissioner will decide the amount. In cases where medical support was not already ordered by the court, the law requires our agency to ask the court for a medical support order whenever health insurance becomes available.