dcl9705.htm

Debt Collections Act of 1996

January 21, 1997 DC-97-05

TO ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

Re: Implementation of Executive Order 13019 - Debt Collections Act of 1996

Dear Colleague:

Enclosed please find a copy of the Executive Order 13019 -Support Families: Collecting Delinquent Child Support Obligations signed by President Clinton on September 28, 1996. The Debt Collection Act was enacted in April 1996 and contains important provisions that can assist families in collecting past-due child support obligations. The Act allows for administrative offsets (federal payments with a few exceptions) in addition to consolidating all debt collections, including Federal Tax Refund Offset, within the Federal government in the Department of Treasury. The Executive Order directs Treasury, in consultation with HHS, to promptly develop and implement procedures to collect delinquent child support debts by administrative offset and directs HHS to implement procedures to report to Treasury information on past-due child support claims referred by States to HHS.

Treasury and HHS have agreed to implement the Executive Order in a phased-in manner with the initial implementation done using the file created for participation in the Federal Tax Refund Offset program and then adding additional records on a state-by-state basis as States are able to participate.

OCSE has been meeting with Treasury's Financial Management Service (FMS) to develop a plan for submitting cases and in order to implement this Executive Order, will hold conference calls with every state beginning Friday, January 24, 1997. (Enclosed is the conference call schedule and agenda.) The Regional offices, as well as the IV-D Director or designee, are encouraged to participate and in addition, we ask that every state have at least one representative from the Federal Tax Refund Offset program and systems unit(s) due to the systems implications on the Federal Tax Refund Offset program for next year. The initial conference call will focus on implementing the Executive Order on administrative offsets but will also examine some significant changes that will face the Federal Tax Refund Offset program effective next year. The purpose of the call is discuss the implementation of the Order and our implementation schedule. Following is the extremely ambitious schedule.

þ Conversations with State CSE agencies January 1997

þ Issuance of due process notices for participating state

with a 30 day response period February 1997

þ Comprehensive work plan developed February 1997

þ DHHS submits certified debtor file to FMS March 1997

for participating states

þ Offsets begin for participating states March 1997

þ Inclusion of all 54 States and jurisdictions January 1998

If you have any questions please call OCSE's Department of Treasury Liaison, Roy Nix at (202) 401-5685.

Sincerely,

David Gray Ross

Deputy Director

Office of Child Support

Enforcement

Enclosures

cc: Regional Administrators

Federal IRS Tax Refund Offset Contacts

The calls will be conducted by Region using the following schedule and telephone numbers:

Region I States January 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1660; your I.D. is 10307

Other callers phone 1-800- 545-4387; your I.D. is M22055

Region II States January 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1708; your I.D. is 62933

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M51681

Region III States January 27 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1334; your I.D. is 48845

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M08403

Region IV States January 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-3742; your I.D. is 50701

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M44863

Region V States January 28 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1668; your I.D. is 23141

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M28863

Region VI States January 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1220; your I.D. is 32809

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M41643

Region VII States January 29 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1378; your I.D. is 59091

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M11383

Region VIII States January 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1228; your I.D. is16387

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M52763

Region IX States January 30 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-3388; your I.D. is 09767

Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M18793

Region X States January 31 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST

FTS callers phone 700-991-1594; your I.D. is 27093 Other callers phone 1-800-545-4387; your I.D. is M42163

The following agenda will be the same for all conference calls: ROLE CALL AND INTRODUCTIONS; OVERVIEW OF DEBT COLLECTION ACT OF 1996; OVERVIEW OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER; IMPLEMENTATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS; NEXT STEPS