Federal Partners

BFS is a bureau of the Department of Treasury and operates the Treasury Offset Program, which maintains a centralized list of taxpayers who owe debts to various agencies, including child support debts. On behalf of OCSE, BFS sends any funds offset through the program to the appropriate state to pay the noncustodial parent’s debt.

Resources:

• Overview of the Federal Collection and Enforcement Program
• How to Identify Treasury Checks

• Payments Exempt from Offset by Federal Law
• Bureau of the Fiscal Service

The DOD helps child support agencies get income and healthcare coverage information on active, reserve, and retired military and Coast Guard members. DOD also indicates when a child is receiving, is eligible to receive, or previously received military medical coverage. Child support agencies can request this information through the Child Support Portal.

Resources:

• Working with the Military on Child Support Matters (Trainer Guide)
• DOD Pay Tables and How to Read a Leave and Earning Statement
• RAPIDS Site Locator

• DOD Military Installation Locator
• Basic Allowance for Housing Calculator
• Department of Defense

OCSE and DOL work together to improve the integrity of new hire, quarterly wage and unemployment insurance data reported to the NDNH.  Through training and outreach to State Workforce Agencies and employers, child support agencies can get locate information on noncustodial parents to establish and enforce income withholding.  Timely and accurate reporting of new hires also helps DOL prevent unemployment compensation fraud.

Resources:

• Overview of National Directory of New Hires
• Garnishments and the Consumer Credit Protection Act
• Department of Labor

The State Department helps OCSE and states enforce delinquent child support obligations using the Passport Denial Program.

Resources:

• Overview of the Passport Denial Program
• State Child Support Agency Passport Denial Program Contacts
• List of Regional Passport Agencies

• State Department Website for Passports
• State Department Website for Foreign Entry Requirements
• State Department Website for Travel

The IRS works with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, OCSE and states to collect past-due support payments from parents ordered to pay child support. The IRS can identify those who owe past-due support and intercept all or part of a tax refund. The IRS Safeguards Program works with OCSE and states to ensure that federal, state and local agencies protect federal tax information according to Internal Revenue Code.

Resources:

• Overview of the Federal Collection and Enforcement Program
• Internal Revenue Service Safeguards Program
• Office hours notes:  Background investigation requirements

• Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and Local Agencies and Entities (Publication 1075)
• Internal Revenue Service

When requested through the OCSE by an authorized user, the information SSA discloses to OCSE helps carry out the purposes of the child support program.  The information we receive from SSA allows us to provide data to child support agencies to help locate individuals and their assets to collect support or to establish a child support case.  We may also provide the data to authorized users to help find individuals who may have parental rights or to help determine custody or visitation.

Resources:

• Online Social Security Number Verification Tool

The VA provides an array of information to child support agencies including veteran’s compensation, education, pension, and retirement benefit amounts. They also share the veteran’s address, incarceration status, and date of death.

Resources:

• Financial Support for Children from Benefits Paid by Veterans Affairs
• Income Withholding and Veteran's Benefits
• VA 21-0788 form