Child Support > Glossary

GLOSSARY

 

ARREARAGE:  The amount of child support that is past due when payments are not made in compliance with the support order.

 

CSEA:  Child Support Enforcement Agency.

 

EMANCIPATED:  Generally, a child who is 18 years old and has graduated from high school is considered emancipated.  A child may be considered emancipated on the 19th birthday if still attending high school. Support could continue past 19 if the Court determines a child is disabled.

 

GENETIC TESTING:  A process using DNA samples to determine paternity.

 

GOOD CAUSE:  This can be requested if it would not be in the best interest of the family to pursue child support.

 

INCOME WITHOLDING:  A process where support comes directly from the non custodial party’s pay or bank account.

 

INJURED SPOUSE FORM:  A tax form that can be obtained from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) or ODT (Ohio Department of Taxation) by the Non Custodial Parent’s working spouse to get their portion of a tax refund returned to them and not applied to the arrearages on the Non Custodial Parents case.

 

IRS OFFSET:  A process that enables CSEA to collect delinquent support by redirecting all or part of the obligor’s federal tax refund to the CSEA  (on IV-D cases only.)

 

IV-D:  CSEA’s are sometimes referred to as IV-D (pronounced four – d) agencies.  This term comes from Title IV-D of the Social Security Act of 1975, which set up the nation’s current child support system. Participants fill out and sign a form for these services called a “IV-D application.”

 

LOCATION:  The process of finding a child support participant if their address is unknown.

 

NON CUSTODIAL PARTY:  The person who has been ordered by the Court to pay support or provide medical coverage. (aka: obligor or payor)

 

OHIO TAX OFFSET: A process that enables CSEA to collect delinquent support by redirecting all or part of the obligor’s Ohio state tax refund to the CSEA  (on IV-D cases only.)

 

PROCESSING FEE:  A fee paid by the non custodial party to cover the CSEA’s cost of processing the payments. This fee is in addition to the amount ordered for support, and is generally 2% of that amount. (aka: administrative processing fee; fka: poundage)

 

REVIEW & ADJUSTMENT:  The process of reviewing and changing the support order in accordance with state guidelines.

 

SETS: The statewide child support computer system in Ohio referred to as the Support Enforcement Tracking System.  All child support cases are entered and monitored on SETS.

 

UIFSA: Uniform Intergovernmental Family Support Act, used for cases that involve more than one state, tribe or country.