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General FAQs

  • Q: What is Child Support?
    • Child support is defined by law as the ongoing monetary expenditures and payments necessary to cover a child’s living and medical expenses. Both parents have a legal duty to provide financial support for their children. The court may order either or both parents to make ongoing payments to cover a child’s living and medical expenses.
  • Q: What is an LCSA?
    • LCSA is the acronym for local child support agency. It is the organization through which the public can apply for help in obtaining child support. Child support services include obtaining child support and medical support orders, establishing paternity, and collecting support payments. Child support services do NOT include divorce, custody, or visitation. These services must be resolved in a court of law. There are 52 county and regional child support agencies throughout California.
  • Q: Who can get help from a Local Child Support Agency?
  • Q: How do I open a child support case?
  • Q: How is the amount of child support determined?
    • Child support is determined using guidelines established by California law. Child support guidelines are based on each parent’s monthly income and the amount of time the child is cared for by each parent.

      The Court Commissioner or Family Law Judge will set the amount of a child support order. The court will consider income from all sources. The income can be in the form of money, property, or services and can include:
      • Wages from a job
      • Tips
      • Commissions
      • Bonuses
      • Self-employment earnings
      • Unemployment benefits
      • Disability and workers’ compensation
      • Interest
      • Dividends
      • Rental income
      • Social Security or pensions
      • Any payments or credits due or becoming due, regardless of the source, including lottery and prize winnings.


      For more information, see the California Guideline Child Support Payment Calculator User Guide.

      If you have any questions about the child support guidelines, you should talk with a lawyer or contact a Family Law Facilitator, or your local child support agency. Local child support agency employees can give you general information, but cannot give you legal advice. Click here: PUB 249: Establishing a Child Support Order
  • Q: Must the children be covered by health insurance?
    • Yes. Health insurance must be included in any child support order. Even if it isn’t available immediately, the court order will order the noncustodial parent to provide insurance when it does become available. This applies to all cases.
  • Q: How do I collect child support from a noncustodial parent who lives out of state?
  • Q: I am on CalWORKS. How is child support distributed?
    • Every month in which a child support payment is made, a notice is mailed to you showing how much money the noncustodial parent paid. Each month, the first $50 of current child support is paid to you and will not reduce the amount of your CalWORKS benefit. The remainder goes to pay the county for benefits you receive.
  • Q: If the local child support agency cannot find the noncustodial parent, can I still get CalWORKS or Medi-Cal benefits?
  • Q: I have tried speaking to someone about my child support case. I am not getting my questions answered. What do I do?
  • Q: How do I file a complaint against the local child support agency?
  • Q: I would like to spend more time with my child. Can the local child support agency change the visitation schedule?
    • No. The local child support agency only handles matters related to child support. Custody and visitation issues must be addressed through the courts.

      Every county has a Family Law Facilitator at the courthouse to provide child support information and assistance to parents. Family Law Facilitators help parents obtain and complete court forms and all services provided are free of charge.

      Child support advocacy groups or legal aid services are available in many communities. The Ombudsperson at the local child support agency has a list of advocacy groups for custodial parents and noncustodial parents.
  • Q: How can I find out more information about the child support program?
    • The Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) has pamphlets about the program and available services at the following link DCSS Publications.
  • Q: Is my child support case open to the public?
    • No. Child support case information is not open to the public, but court files may be public record.
  • Q: I am a noncustodial parent. What should I do when I get a Summons and Complaint?
    • You have 30 days to respond (file an Answer) to the Summons and Complaint. The Answer document you file is included with the Summons and Complaint. Complete the Answer document and file it with the Superior Court clerk within 30 days. You may call the local child support agency or Family Law Facilitator.
  • Q: What if a noncustodial parent ignores or forgets about the Summons and Complaint?
    • If the noncustodial parent does not respond to the Summons and Complaint, the court will set the amount of child support based on the information it has from the local child support agency and the custodial party.
  • Q: If I file a Response with the court, will I have a chance to talk to the judge?
    • Yes. If you respond to the Summons and Complaint and disagree with the amount of child support or question paternity, you will be given a court date.
  • Q: I am a noncustodial parent, but my child lives with me now. Can I change the child support order?
    • Yes. When there is a change in visitation or custody of the child, you can either go to court and ask for a change in the child support order, or you may ask the local child support agency to modify the court order. You may be able to reduce child support payments or begin receiving child support from the other parent.
  • Q: My ex-spouse has remarried and has another family to support. How does this affect the support owed to our children?
    • The amount of the child support order may be decreased if the other parent also must support children from another relationship.
  • Q: What happens when the noncustodial parent has money to pay child support but still won’t pay?
    • Individuals can assist local child support agencies by providing any information they have about the noncustodial parent’s (NCPs) whereabouts, income, and assets such as homes, cars, etc. The court may find a NCP in contempt of court if that parent has the ability to pay but is willfully not paying the child support. This enforcement tool is used only when all others have failed.
  • Q: What should I do if the noncustodial parent moves away?
    • Tell the local child support agency when you or the noncustodial parent moves--no matter where. They can transfer your child support case to the county or state where you move if you are a custodial party. Also tell the local child support agency where the noncustodial parent moves. Child support can be enforced anywhere in the United States.
  • Q: I have a California support order. The other parent lives in another state. I asked the other state to help me collect support. The judge lowered child support. Is that legal?
    • No. The laws known as the Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act and the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act prevent states from changing another state’s court orders. If the child lives here and an order is issued in California, in most cases only a California court can change it.
  • Q: May I look at the payment records?
    • Yes. Both the custodial party and noncustodial parent may view the records of all payments made. If you think the local child support agency made a mistake, you have the right to ask for a review.
  • Q: The noncustodial parent is in jail. Can I still get support?
    • Unless the parent in jail has other assets, such as a house or a car, or other income, child support will be nearly impossible to collect. A noncustodial parent who goes to jail should contact the local child support agency to modify the child support order. Otherwise, past-due child support will continue to grow and the noncustodial parent will be responsible for paying past-due support when released, plus interest.