Child Support Enforcement Income Withholding

How This Program Helps

Income withholding helps make child support payments more consistent and reliable.

After a support order is set, payments are often taken directly from a parent’s paycheck. The employer sends the payment to the state, which then sends most of it to the family. A small portion is kept for state and federal program operations.

This process helps reduce missed payments and supports steady financial care for children.

Some types of income cannot be withheld under federal and state law.

Types of Cases

Operating under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, Child Support handles two types of cases based on a family’s situation:

• Families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding
• Families not receiving TANF (Non-TANF)

Data Notes

• TANF: cases receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding 
• Non-TANF: cases not receiving TANF funding

Data Sources

Automated Program to Enforce Child Support (APECS)