Child Support
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Child Support Guideline changes
The California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) has informed local child support agencies (LCSAs) about changes to the child support guidelines. Beginning January 1, 2026, LCSA may no longer plead presumed income in child support complaints. This…
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CalSAWS system changes to support changes in foster care referrals for child support
The California Department of Social Services and the California Department of Child Support Services have discussed several possible changes to the CalSAWS computer system to help implement changes regarding foster care referrals for child support. However, despite the…
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Foster Care child support arrears
The California Department of Child Support Services instructs local child support agencies (LCSAs) to review all cases with foster care arrearages. If the annual income of the parent ordered to pay support is less than $100,000, or 400…
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Referrals of families with a child in foster care to child support agencies
Effective January 1, 2023, counties cannot refer parents whose children have been removed from the home and who are receiving Child Welfare Services to child support agencies. The only exception to this rule is if a parent’s annual…
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Child Support pass through in former assistance cases
Effective May 1, 2024, all child support collections in cases where the family previously received CalWORKs benefts, including collections assigned to arrears owed to the government for recoupment of CalWORKs benefits, will be paid to the family receiving…
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Full child support pass-through for former CalWORKs recipients child only CalWORKs cases
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding full pass through of collected child support for CalWORKs recipients child only CalWORKs cases. Effective January 1, 2024, or when automation is completed, whichever is later, all…
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Distribution of collected child support in former assistance cases
In 2005, the federal government gave states the option, in cases where the family previously received Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (CalWORKs in California) to distribute current child support and arrears payments owed to the family to the…
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Child support orders against incarcerated parents
The California legislature has reenacted Family Code section 4007.5. Effective January 1, 2021, child support obligations will be suspended by operation of law when the child support order is established after January 1, 2021, the parent paying support…
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Increase in child support disregard for the CalWORKs program
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued guidance regarding the increase in the child support disregard for the CalWORKs program. Effective January 1, 2022, or when the computer systems are programmed, whichever is later, the disregard…
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Distribution of child support collected by federal tax offset
Effective May 1, 2020, the California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) is distributing child support collections from federal tax intercepts in cases where the custodial parent is not currently receiving CalWORKs to the custodial parent. DCSS states…