Collections and Distribution of Support Payments — Page 3 of 4

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Payment Applications

The DCSS applies the money it collects in the following priority:

• Current monthly child support obligation (TANF or non-TANF)
• Current monthly medical support obligation (TANF or non-TANF)
• Current monthly spousal support obligation (TANF or non-TANF *)

If you currently receive public assistance, payments will be applied to arrearage in the following priority:

• Permanently assigned child or family support interest, then to medical support interest, then to spousal support interest
• Permanently assigned child or family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support arrears principal
• Temporarily assigned child or family support interest, then to medical support interest, then to spousal support interest
• Temporarily assigned child or family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support arrears principal
• Fees and costs interest
• Fees and costs principal
• Futures (held pending future distribution)

If you no longer receive public assistance, payments will be applied to arrearage in the following priority:

• Never assigned child or family support interest, then to medical support interest, then to spousal support* interest
• Never assigned child or family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support* arrears principal
• Conditionally assigned child or family support interest, then medical support interest, then to spousal support* interest (pay to family)
• Conditionally assigned child or family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support* arrears principal
• Unassigned pre-assistance child or family support interest, then to medical support interest, then to spousal support* interest
• Unassigned pre-assistance child or family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support* arrears principal
• Permanently assigned child or family support interest, then to medical support interest, then to spousal support* interest
• Permanently assigned child or family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support* arrears principal
• Unassigned during assistance child or family support interest, then to medical interest, then to spousal support* interest
• Unassigned during assistance child or family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support* arrears principal
• Fees and costs interest
• Fees and costs principal
• Futures (pay to family)

If you never received public assistance, payments will be applied to arrearage in the following priority:

• Never assigned child and family support interest, then to medical support interest, then to spousal support* interest
• Never assigned child and family support arrears principal, then to medical support arrears principal, then to spousal support* arrears principal
• Fees and costs interest
• Fees and costs principal
• Futures (pay to family)

*Spousal support is included only when a child support order is also being enforced.

In general, the interest due on any account is paid before the principal, and "assigned" arrears/reimbursement are paid before nonwelfare arrears.

With the exception of IRS tax refund intercept application requirements, after a family is no longer on TANF, nonwelfare arrears are to be paid before welfare arrears.

All intercept (UIB/DIB/FTB, etc.) money, except for IRS tax refund intercepts, must be applied to current support first. IRS tax refund intercepts are distributed to arrears and must be distributed to "conditionally assigned" arrears and recouped against welfare even though the family is former assistance.

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