THE HILLSDALE COUNTY 

FRIEND OF THE COURT 

March 20, 2001

Notice to Friend of the Court clients:

  In April, we will change the way in which income withholding payments are applied to accounts on your court order. This change will implement requirements in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

  Income withholding payments are payments made on behalf of the payer and received by the Friend of the Court or State Disbursement Unit. These payments may be made by an employer, unemployment agency, or other sources of income.

  We first will apply the full amount of each income withholding payment to current support up to the total obligation for the month. Then, after that month's current support obligation has been paid, we will apply any remaining money to support arrearage (overdue support).

  In addition, we will apply income withholding payments first to accounts payable to the child's family, unless the family currently receives public assistance on behalf of that child. We will not apply income withholding payments to fees or other amounts due until all support owed to the family is paid. Before this change, income withholding payments were applied proportionally to all accounts included on the income withholding notice.

  This change may affect the timing and amount of support payments received by payees. Because all amounts collected through income withholding will be applied first to current support, payees may possibly receive the entire month's support obligation early in the month. If the payee's child support accounts do not have an arrearage, then we will not apply further payments to the payee's support accounts until the beginning of the next month when current support becomes due again. If there are arrearages on support accounts and all current support obligations have been paid, then the payee will receive the full amount of the income withholding payments until the arrearage is completely paid.

  The distribution of federal tax offset, employer bonus, and personal (non-income withholding) payments will remain unchanged.

  For a more detailed description of your child support, please refer to the "Understanding Child Support Payment Distribution" pamphlet published by the State Court Administrative Office. This pamphlet is available at your local Friend of the Court