How do I receive child support payments?

In the state of Washington, child support is legally paid to a custodial parent (the parent who has primary custody of the child or children) by the non-custodial parent (the parent who does not primarily care for the child or children). To get payments, the parent with primary custody must either file a motion in court, or sign up for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Support Enforcement Division services. When filing in court, the process will involve filing a motion and having a hearing in front of a judge. The motion is asking a judge to decide the amount the non-custodial parent (and in some situations the third-party such as a stepparent) must contribute to the support of the child or children. This amount is based on the income of the non-custodial parent, the number of children, and other factors. On the other hand, signing up for DSHS services is a shorter process and not typically done in court. DSHS services will typically include establishing paternity, determining a child support amount, locating the non-custodial parent, and collecting and distributing child support payments. Parents will be asked to submit pay stubs, tax returns, and other documents to calculate the amount that the non-custodial parent will pay. Once the child support amount is established, payments must be made regularly to the parent with primary custody. Depending on the terms of the court order or settlement agreement, the payment may be made via check, money order, or direct deposit. It is important to keep in mind that parents are legally obligated to fulfill all of their financial obligations established by a court order or settlement agreement.

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How do I receive child support payments?

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