TARRANT COUNTY, TX
Domestic Relations Office
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How do I get my child support account set up and paying? | Fill out a Record of Support from our Forms page and submit to our office. We are responsible for setting up new accounts for Tarrant County with the Texas State Disbursement Unit. We also send out income withholding orders to employers to get your case paying. |
| How can I know the balance on my account? | Contact Child Support Services at 817-884-1475 for a balance on your child support account. |
| How do I pay my child support? | If you are court-ordered to pay child support, you must pay according to the terms of your court order. If you are ordered to pay through income withholding, you are responsible for all payments due, whether or not your employer has begun garnishing your wages. Payment should be made through the: Child Support Disbursement Unit (TxCSDU) Make the payment out to the custodial parent, and include your cause number and child support case number on the payment so that your payment can be properly applied. If you do not have a child support case number, contact Tarrant County Child Support Services at 817-884-1475. |
| My youngest child is 18, how do I stop child support? | If your youngest is 18 and graduated from high school, we will need proof of graduation. Please call us even if you do not have proof as we can require documentation from the custodial parent. If your child graduates June 3rd (for example), child support is due for the entire month of June. |
| My youngest is 18 and graduated from high school. Why am I still paying child support? | The current child support obligation ends when your youngest child is emancipated, which is generally when the child is 18 and graduated from high school. If your child is disabled, the child does not emancipate. Or if your child is emancipated and you owe child support arrearages, you will be required to pay all arrearages in full. Also, if you were court ordered to pay DRO fees, any fees owed must be paid before your case will be closed. |
| Who do I contact to make changes to my child support account? | Customer Service can be reached by phone at 817-884-1475 or by email at childsupport@tarrantcounty.com. |
| What if the paying parent (obligor) changes jobs, can their child support still be garnished? | Yes, our office can reissue the original income withholding form for you - see our Forms page for help. If the employer requires a new IWO to reflect the change, we can create and issue a new one for $15. |
| Do I need an interpreter when I speak with your office? Habla espanol? | We have Spanish-speaking employees who can help you. Hablemos espanol. |
| I receive letters from your office and the Office or the Attorney General (OAG), is Tarrant County Child Support Services part of the OAG? | No, but we do have a contract with the OAG to provide IV-D services on certain cases. For that reason, you may receive correspondence from us on OAG letterhead. We are able to provide many services to you free of charge through this cooperative agreement with the OAG. |
| My ex and I remarried, how do we stop child support? | Contact our office with a copy of your current marriage license for assistance. |
| What is the child support rate in Texas? | In Texas, the Legislature has established guideline child support as 20 percent of net for one child, 25 percent for two children, 30 percent for three children, 35 percent for four children, 40 percent for five children, and not less than the amount for 5 children for more than five children. Even with multiple family obligations, the total cannot exceed 50 percent of the payor's income. |
| My ex and I agreed to a new child support amount, but Child Support Services won't change our records, why not? | If your agreement was memorialized through a new court order, just let us know. We can find a copy of the new order through the Tarrant County District Clerk's office. However, it takes a court order to change a court order, we cannot update our records without a new order. An agreement between parties is insufficient, and does not legally change your obligation. |
| What if the person ordered to pay child support (obligor) cannot afford to pay? | It takes a court order to change child support, but either party can request a change in child support if there has been a significant change in their circumstances. If you are in our Monitoring program, contact our office, otherwise look to our Additional Resources page for help as a self-represented litigant or for legal aid. |
| Why should I pay child support? | See Why We are Here . |
| How do I change my address with your office? | Fill out an address change form (see the Forms page) and submit to our office. |
| Can I get a list of payments or a payment history showing any arrearages? | Yes, contact our office at 817-884-1475. There may be a small fee for the auditing of your account for a certified payment history. There is no fee for a list of child support payments on your account. |
| How can I get direct deposit? | Sign up with the Texas State Disbursement Unit for direct deposit. |
| My 17 year old child has come to live with me fulltime. How do I get my child support stopped? | It takes a court order to change a court order. You may file on your own behalf to have the child support stopped or the other party ordered to pay, or you may seek a private attorney. See our Additional Resources page for help as a self-represented litigant and for legal assistance. |