DCL-03-45, International Child Support Payments to Poland

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

DCL-03-45

DATE: December 16, 2003

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: International Child Support Payments to Poland

Dear Colleague:

The Central Authority for child support in Poland has asked the Office of Child Support Enforcement to inform state agencies of changes in procedures for transferring payments through US Money Express Co. to obligees residing in Poland. The states reported to be most affected by these changes are New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut.

State child support agencies previously have been forwarding payments to Poland using the financial services of the former PEKAO Trading Co., which is no longer in existence and whose functions have been taken over by another financial services company, US Money Express Co. State child support agencies which have been sending collections by check directly to the obligee in Poland may continue to do so.

Payments formerly transferred through PEKAO Trading Co. are to be sent via US Money Express Co., 5395 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60630 [toll free phone: 866-234-8787, email: info@usmoneyexpress.com]. US Money Express Co. provides discounted rates to state agencies for the transfer of child support collections (e.g., $5.00 for individual transfers up to $100.00, $7.50 for a transfer of up to $300.00). Further information about US Money Express Co. may be found on its website at http://www.usmoneyexpress.us.

Instructions on transferring collections to US Money Express Co. are attached. US Money Express Co. is able to accept collections by electronic funds transfer, although no state at present has chosen to use this capability. Further discounts may be available for states who choose to electronically transfer collections. Otherwise, state child support agencies should make checks payable to US Money Express Co., referencing the beneficiary custodial parent/guardian either on the primary “pay to” line or the second “for” line. Payment instruction information (including the first and last name of the beneficiary; the address of the beneficiary in Poland; and, if known, the beneficiary’s bank name and account number) should be included in the transmission with the paper checks or simultaneously faxed for those payments sent electronically in the CCD+ format.

Officials of the Polish Central Authority also have informed us that recent banking changes in Poland now offer the possibility of reducing operational costs further through procedures which would involve electronic transfer of funds directly to its Polish bank, Department Bankowosci Zagranicznej i Integracji Europejskiej.

OCSE intends to work with specific states and foreign reciprocating countries/Canadian provinces to pilot ways to electronically transfer child support collections and data to and from the United States in the most efficient manner. A solution which would take advantage of the banking advances adopted in Poland will be investigated during these pilots.

Additional guidance on international funds transfer initiatives will be forthcoming. If you have any questions or comments, please contact your ACF regional office.

Sincerely,

Sherri Z. Heller, Ed.D.
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

Enclosure (Hard Copy Only)

cc: Regional Administrators
Regional CSE Program Managers