Term/Acronym

Acronym/Spelling

Definition

absent parent

See noncustodial parent.

accrual

The sum of child support payments that are due or overdue.

adjudication

The entry of a judgment, decree, or order by a judge or other decision-maker such as a master, referee, or hearing officer based on the evidence submitted by the parties.

administrative process

A statutory system granting authority to an executive agency (instead of courts or judges) to determine child support legal obligations, including paternity establishment, order establishment, enforcement, and modifications.

affidavit

A written Statement signed under oath or by affirmation, which is usually notarized.

alleged father

A person who has been named as the father of a child born out of wedlock, but who has not been legally determined to be the father; also referred to as putative father.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children

AFDC

Title IV-A of the Social Security Act. Cash and/or medical support paid from government funds to a parent or other approved guardian on behalf of children who do not have the financial support of one of their parents due to death, disability, or absence from the home.

AFDC, the nation’s welfare program, was replaced under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program.

AFDC

Aid to Families with Dependent Children

arrearage

The total unpaid child support obligation for past periods owed by a parent who is obligated to pay.

assessment

Putting the child support case together to determine what child support services are appropriate. The first step in the child support enforcement process.

assignment of support rights

As a condition of eligibility for public assistance (TANF), the custodial parent must agree to turn over to the State any right to child support, including arrearages, paid by the obligated parent in exchange for receipt of cash assistance or other benefits. The State may keep support paid, up to the amount of the support order or the amount of the assistance payment, whichever is less, for the period the child receives TANF to offset the cost of the assistance.

burden of proof

The duty of a party to produce the greater weight of evidence on a point at issue.

case

A collection of people associated with a particular support order, court hearing, and/or request for IV-D services. A case typically includes a custodial parent, a dependent or dependents, and a noncustodial parent and/or putative father. In addition to names and identifying information about its members, a case includes information such as wage data, court order details, and payment history.

case ID

Unique ID number assigned to a case.

central registry

A centralized unit maintained by every jurisdiction responsible for receiving, distributing, and responding to inquiries on all incoming IV-D cases.

child support

Financial resources contributed by noncustodial parents to provide the necessities of living (food, shelter, clothing, medical support) to their children.

Child Support Enforcement Amendments (1984)

Required equal services for AFDC and non-AFDC families, mandatory practices, Federal incentives, and improved interstate enforcement.

Child Support Recovery Act (1992)

Made it a Federal crime to fail to pay past-due child support obligation for a child living in another State.

COLA

Cost of Living Adjustment

Modification of the amount of a support obligation, based on the economy’s increasing or decreasing cost of the necessities of life, such as food, shelter, and clothing.

Cost of Living Adjustment

COLA

complainant

Person who seeks to initiate court proceedings against another person. In a civil case, the complainant is the plaintiff; in a criminal case, the complainant is the State.

complaint

A formal written document filed in court whereby the person initiating the action provides the names the parties involved, the allegations, and the request for relief sought; the initial pleading, sometimes called the petition.

consent agreement

A voluntary written admission of paternity or responsibility for support.

cooperation

As a condition of TANF eligibility, the recipient is required to cooperate with the child support agency in identifying and locating the noncustodial parent, establishing paternity, and/or obtaining child support payments.

cooperative agreement

An agreement between the child support agencies and local jurisdictions for the provision of certain child support enforcement services. This type of agreement sets out the responsibilities of the State agency and the local agencies under the contractual relationship.

Court of Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction

CCEJ

Defined in UIFSA policy, states that there is to be one and only one court which maintains exclusive jurisdiction over a case. CCEJ helps avoid the problem of support orders from multiple States that occurred before the passage of UIFSA. The CCEJ is the only court that can make decisions on a current support order and continues to have jurisdiction until another court takes it away.

CCEJ

Court of Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction

court order

A legally binding edict from a court of law by a magistrate, judge, or properly empowered administrative officer. A court order related to child support dictates issues such as how often, how much, or what kind of support a noncustodial parent (NCP) is to pay; how long he/she is to pay it; and whether an employer must withhold support from an NCP’s wages.

custodial parent

CP

Parent who has primary care of the child(ren), which may include having legal custody of the child.

CP

custodial parent

custody

Legal custody is a legally binding determination which establishes with whom a child should live.

Physical custody is a physical possession of a child, regardless of the legal custody status.

Joint custody occurs when two persons share legal and/or physical custody of the child.

Split custody occurs when children from the same parents are in the legal, sole custody of different parents.

customer

The people assisted in obtaining child support. The primary customers of child support enforcement agencies are the children in need of support. The secondary customers are the parents of these children.

default

The failure of a defendant to file an answer or response or appear in a civil case within the required time frame after having been properly served with a summons and complaint.

default judgement

A decision made by the court or administrative authority when the defendant fails to respond or appear.

defendant

A person against whom a civil or criminal proceeding is begun

dependent child

Any person who has not reached the age of emancipation or been legally declared emancipated.

disbursement

The paying out of collected child support funds.

distribution

The rules covering the priority order for allocating child support collections. Welfare reform legislation changes distribution priorities to provide that families leaving welfare receive priority in payment of arrears.

disposition

The court’s decision of what should be done about a dispute that has been brought to its attention (e.g., the disposition of the court action may be that child support is ordered.)

due process

The conduct of legal proceedings according to those rules and principles which have been established in our system of law for the enforcement and protection of private rights. It is a safeguard against unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious decisions.

enforcement

A means for obtaining payment of a child or medical support obligation.

Enforcement methods include:

• Income withholding
• State and Federal income tax refunds offset
• Liens against real and personal property

establishment of paternity

See paternity establishment.

Family Support Act (1988)

Increased emphasis on enforcement remedies and simplified procedures for establishing paternity.

Required States to automate procedures.

federal financial participation

FFP

Federal reimbursement to the State for a percentage of their administrative costs associated with child support enforcement.

FFP

federal financial participation

Federal Income Tax Offset Program

A program under the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement which makes available to State child support enforcement agencies a means for securing the income tax refund of parents who have been certified as owing at least a specified minimum amount of child support.

State IV-D agencies also operate State income tax refund offset programs.

Federal Parent Locator Service

FPLS

A computerized national location network operated by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement to help the States locate parents in order to obtain child support payments. FPLS obtains address and employer information from Federal agencies and the National Directory of New Hires.

FPLS

Federal Parent Locator Service

foster care

A situation in which a child is raised in household by someone other than his or her own parents.

full faith and credit

A doctrine under which a State must honor an order or judgment entered in another State.

garnishment

A legal proceeding whereby a person’s property, money, or credit, in the possession of or under the control of a third party person (garnishee) is withheld from the defendant and applied to the payment of the defendant’s debt to the plaintiff.

genetic testing

Scientific analysis of inherited factors (usually by blood or tissue test) of mother, child, and alleged father which can help prove or disprove that the man is the biological father of the child.

good cause

A legal reason for which a TANF recipient is excused from cooperating with the child support enforcement process. Includes cases involving rape, incest, and potential for harm to the custodial parent or child from the noncustodial parent.

guidelines

A standard method for calculating child support obligations based on the income of the parent(s) and other factors as determined by State law. The Family Support Act of 1988 requires States to use guidelines as the rebuttably correct amount of support for each family.

initiating jurisdiction

In interstate cases, the State/county/court which sends a request for action to another jurisdiction. In review and adjustment cases, the State in which one of the parties requests the review.

income tax refund offset

See Federal Income Tax Offset Program.

intake

See assessment.

interstate

Cases in which the dependent child and noncustodial parent live in different States, or where two or more States are involved in some case activity, such as enforcement.

IV-D agency

A single and separate organizational unit in a State that has the responsibility for administering the State Plan for child support under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

judgment

The official decision or finding of a judge or administrative agency hearing officer upon the respective rights and claims of the parties to an action; also known as a decree or order and may include the "findings of fact and conclusions of law."

judicial process

The use of courts or tribunals in determining child support legal obligations, including paternity establishment, order establishment, enforcement, and modification of orders.

jurisdiction

The legal authority which a court or administrative agency has over particular persons or property and over certain types of cases. The jurisdiction may be limited to the court’s county, circuit, district, or State.

legal custody

See custody.

legal father

A man who is recognized by law as the male parent of another person.

lien

An encumbrance on any real or personal property. Real estate liens (mortgages) are usually filed where the property exists. Personal property liens are either filed Statewide or in the county where the owner resides.

locate

Finding or attempting to find a noncustodial or absent parent. Key data such as Social security number, date of birth, residential address, and employer are collected in an attempt to locate the individual.

long arm statute

A law which permits one State to claim jurisdiction over nonresident parties. There must be some meaningful connection between the person and the State in which the jurisdiction is exercised in order for it to be constitutional to reach beyond the court’s normal jurisdictional border.

medical support

Legal provision for payment of medical and dental bills or premiums which can be linked to a parent’s access to medical insurance.

National Directory of New Hires

NDNH

Under PRWORA, all States are mandated to establish New Hire Reporting programs as a tool for locating child support obligors. All employers are required to report certain information about newly hired employees to the State Directory of New Hires. The State Directory must perform database matching against lists of nonpaying parents.

NDNH

National Directory of New Hires

new hires

See National Directory of New Hires

non-AFDC

An individual who does not receive public assistance benefits but who receives child support services from the IV-D agency.

NCP

noncustodial parent

A legal/natural parent who resides outside the home and does not have primary custody of a dependent. Also known as an absent parent.

noncustodial parent

NCP

obligation

The amount of money to be paid as support by the noncustodial parent on an ongoing basis and the manner by which it is to be paid.

obligee

The person, jurisdiction, or political subdivision to whom a duty of support is owed. Also referred to as the custodial parent when money is owed to the parent who resides with the child.

obligor

The person owing the duty of support. Also referred to as the noncustodial parent.

Office of Child Support Enforcement

OSCE

The Federal agency within the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services that is responsible for the administration of the child support program.

OCSE’s mission is to assure that assistance in obtaining support (both financial and medical) is available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity and support obligations, and enforcing those obligations.

OCSE

Office of Child Support Enforcement

offset

See Federal Income Tax Offset Program.

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

OBRA

Simplified paternity establishment process and established medical support provisions for all children.

OBRA

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

order

A directive of a court or administrative authority.

pass-through

The amount of child support money that is determined by the State in TANF cases to be passed through to the custodial parent.

paternity establishment

The process of determining fatherhood by court order, administrative order, acknowledgment, or other method provided for under State law.

partners

The people and organizations who help operate the child support program.

The Child Support Enforcement program is a partnership which includes:

• The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), including ACF Regional Offices,
• Federal, State, and local child support enforcement agencies, and

• Courts, law enforcement agencies, tribunals and other entities operating under cooperative agreements with child support enforcement agencies

payee

The person who, or entity that, receives money from a person paying child support. Used interchangeably with recipient or custodial parent in TANF cases.

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (1996)

PRWORA

Legislation which overhauled the nation’s welfare system requiring work in exchange for time-limited assistance. The law contains strong work requirements, a performance bonus to reward States for moving welfare recipients into jobs, comprehensive child support enforcement, and supports for families moving from welfare to work including increased funding for child care and guaranteed medical coverage. Tough child support measures under welfare reform include: a national new hire reporting system; streamlined paternity establishment; uniform interstate child support laws; computerized Statewide collections, and tough new penalties.

PRWORA

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (1996)

physical custody

See custody.

plaintiff

A person who brings an action; the party who complains or sues in a civil case.

pleadings

Statements or allegations, presented in logical and legal form, which constitute a plaintiff’s cause of action or defendant’s grounds of defense.

proceeding

The conduct of business before a judge or hearing officer.

private case

A support case in which there is no IV-A or IV-D involvement.

public assistance

Monies provided from the Federal or State Government to families in need of and eligible for support.

putative father

See alleged father.

quasi-judicial process

A framework or procedure under the auspices of a State’s judicial branch in which court officers other than judges process, establish, enforce, and modify support orders, usually subject to judicial review. The court officer may be a magistrate, a clerk, a master or court examiner. He or she may or may not have to be an attorney, depending on the State’s laws.

reciprocity

Generally, a relationship between States or countries whereby favors (recognition) or privileges granted by one are returned by the other.

region

Breakdown of the United States and its U.S. Possessions into 10 Federal regions for the administration of child support enforcement.

responding jurisdiction

The State/county/court which has or will have jurisdiction over a noncustodial parent under a URESA or UIFSA order in response to a request from an initiating State. In review and adjustment, the responding State is the State that is requested by the initiating State to do a review of the existing support order to determine if modification is warranted.

review and adjustment

The review of child support orders for modification in accordance with the applicable child support guidelines.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 specified three methods for making adjustments to child support orders:

• Apply State guidelines to adjust the order.
• Apply a cost-of-living adjustment to the order (may be contested) .

• Use automated methods to identify orders eligible for review, conduct the review, and apply the appropriate adjustment (may be contested).

service of process

The delivery of a writ or summons to the party to whom it is directed for the purpose of obtaining jurisdiction over that party.

split custody

See custody.

Social Services Amendments (1975)

Comprehensive Child Support Legislation which enacted Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

Officially established the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE).

spousal support

Court ordered support of an ex-spouse. Also referred to as maintenance or alimony.

State Parent Locator Service

SPLS

A unit within the IV-D program mandated to perform activities relating to the location of noncustodial parents. The SPLS is operated by the State Child Support Enforcement Agencies to locate noncustodial parents to establish paternity and to establish and enforce child support obligations.

SPLS

State Parent Locator Service

stakeholders

Those individuals or organizations who have a legitimate interest in how our customers are served.

Stakeholders include:

• National or community-based organizations that serve the interests of our customers or partners.
• Congress and State legislators.
• Federal, State, and local governments such as welfare, foster care, and Medicaid agencies.
• Hospitals, birthing centers, and other places where paternity can be acknowledged.
• Employers, taxpayers.

• The general public.

State Plan

Formalized plan developed by each State in conjunction with the Office of Child Support Enforcement. The State Plan includes procedures for implementing State policy and the allocation of necessary resources.

support order

A legally binding edict from a court of law that dictates conditions of support that a noncustodial parent must pay. It can include how much is paid, how long it is paid, and whether an employer must withhold support from the noncustodial parent’s wages. The order can be for child, medical, and/or spousal support.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

TANF

Time limited assistance payments to lower income families. The program provides parents with job preparation, work and support services to help them become self-sufficient.

Replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).

TANF

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

third party liability

TPL

A public assistance recipient may have medical insurance in addition to the medical coverage provided by TANF or medical support. The insurance provider is billed by Third Party Liability for medical expenses incurred by the recipient. The State pays the difference between the amount of the medical bill and the amount the insurance company has paid.

TPL

third party liability

TITLE IV-A

Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act contains provisions for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) which replaced the AFDC Program.

TITLE IV-D

Part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act mandates and contains the statutory provisions for the child support enforcement program.

TITLE IV-E

Part E of Title IV of the Social Security Act Contains provisions for the AFDC-Foster Care Program.

Title XIX

Title XIX of the Social Security Act mandates Medicaid coverage by the States for AFDC recipients, and certain other means-tested categories of persons.

tribunal

An official entity which establishes, enforces, and modifies support orders. Includes courts, as well as administrative agencies.

Uniform Interstate Family Support Act

UIFSA

Supercedes URESA. A 1992 law developed for States to replace URESA as the new interstate statute to govern the establishment, enforcement, and modification of child support orders and the establishment of paternity in cases where the noncustodial parent lives in a different State than his/her child(ren). PRWORA required all states and jurisdictions to adopt the revised version of UIFSA into their State law no later than January 1, 1998.

UIFSA

Uniform Interstate Family Support Act

Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act

URESA

A model law established in 1950 that provided a mechanism for establishing, enforcing, and modifying support obligations in interstate cases.

URESA was replaced by the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), required in all states by January 1, 1998.

URESA

Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act

voluntary acknowledgement of paternity

An acknowledgement by a man, or both parents, that the man is the father of a child, usually provided in writing on an affidavit or form.

wage withholding

A procedure by which automatic deductions are made from wages or income to pay a debt such as child support. The Family Support Act of 1988 required immediate wage withholding for all support, current, and past due.

welfare reform

See Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.