North Carolina Child Support Payments

Under Title IV-D of the 1975 Social Security Act, all states must have a program to collect and allocate child support payments. This is to ensure the child has their basic needs met. This article will examine which parent receives child support payments, which agency handles the process, and the payment types available. Read on for a better understanding of child support payments in North Carolina.

North Carolina Child Support Payments - Obligations

Parents are obligated by law to provide for their children. This lasts until the child is 18. If the child hasn't graduated from high school, the duration is extended to age 20. Child support obligations can end before 18 if the child becomes emancipated. Ways this can happen include:

• Getting married

• Joining a branch of the military

• Obtaining full-time employment

A court order sets child support. It's often part of divorce proceedings or a child custody case. A parent can also file for child support from the other birth parent. Parents may make a deal of their own without a court hearing, but any written agreement is subject to review and approval by the court to ensure it's fair for all involved.

Calculating how much child support each parent is responsible for is complicated. We've dedicated an entire article to explaining how it works, including links to online child support calculators. Many factors are involved, including the type of custody and each parent's income. The combined gross income serves as a starting point.

Unless there's a split custody arrangement, one parent is the custodial parent (the parent the child/children spend the most time living with), while the other is the noncustodial parent. In most child support cases, the noncustodial parent will make payments to the custodial parent. This can change if the custodial parent has a much higher gross income than the noncustodial parent.

North Carolina Child Support Payments - Collecting Child Support Payments

Once the court order sets the child support ruling, the requirement to make payments begins. The obligor (the parent who owes the money) is expected to provide financial support as decreed by the court. If they fall into arrears on their payments, Child Support Services (CSS) has several administrative procedures it can use to collect owed child support.

All child support payments are handled through the NC Child Support Centralized Collection (NCCSCC) operation. Unless there's an exception, North Carolina law demands that income withholding is applied to the obligor as soon as the child support order is finalized.

Under income withholding, the obligor's employer deducts the child support amount from the obligor's check. The employer then submits the funds to the NCCSCC. Employers can set up an account at the NCCSCC and make payments through electronic transfers, withdrawals from bank accounts, credit cards, or mailed checks.

The default for child support payments in North Carolina is income withholding. Some situations, such as owning a business, may allow obligors can use different methods to make child support payments. These include the following:

• Pay by phone with a credit card: Obligors can pay child support with a credit card. Multiple smaller payments are allowed as long as the amount due is met each month. A service fee for using a credit card is assessed for each charge. The phone numbers for the NCCSCC are 800.992.9457 or 855.702.2268.

• Bank draft: Payments are possible via direct withdrawals from a checking or savings account. These can be manual or set to occur on certain days, weeks, or multiple times a month.

• Use an eWallet: Online payments are permitted through systems such as Venmo, Paypal, ApplePay, or GooglePay. Service fees are possible.

• Pay by mail: Obligors can mail a check or money order (no cash) as a payment. You must include your Master Participant Index number (MPI), docket number, name, and address. Payment coupons are available on the NCDHHS site.

  • For in-state obligors - NC Child Support Centralized Collections Operation
    PO Box 900006
    Raleigh, NC 27675-9020

  • For out-of-state obligors - NC Child Support Centralized Collections Operation
    PO Box 900020
    Raleigh, NC 27675-9020

• Pay online with a credit card: Obligors can pay online with a credit card at the NCCSCC. They'll need to create an account if they haven't already done so.

• Pay in person: In-person payments are possible at Walmart stores.

Unless approved by the NCCSCC, making a payment through one of these methods doesn't terminate your income withholding payments. If you're having any issues making child support payments, it's a good idea to speak with a North Carolina child support attorney.

North Carolina Child Support Payments - Receiving Child Support Payments

It's common in most child support cases for the custodial parent to receive child support payments. Their share of the child support obligation is often considered to be paid through the child's day-to-day maintenance. Many custodial parents depend on the noncustodial parent's payment to cover all the child's needs.

Funds from the NCCSCC are delivered in two different ways. The custodial parent can have the child support payment directly deposited into an existing checking or savings account. North Carolina also offers the ncKIDSCARD debit card. The parent is given a debit card. Funds are allocated to the account. The first payment via this method is a paper check.

North Carolina Child Support Payments - Summary

North Carolina takes child support payments very seriously. The table below recaps how the payment system works and includes links for further research.

North Carolina Child Support Payment Code Statutes

General Statutes of North Carolina

Chapter 50 - Divorce and Alimony

• N.C.G.S. Section 50-13.4 (action for support of minor child)

• N.C.G.S. Section 50-13.5 (procedure in actions for custody or support of minor children)

• N.C.G.S. Section 50-13.7 (modification of order for child support or custody)

• N.C.G.S. Section 50-13.10 (past due child support vested; not subject to retroactive modification; entitled to full faith and credit)

• N.C.G.S. Section 50-13.11 (orders and agreements regarding medical support and health insurance coverage for minor children)

Chapter 110 - Child Welfare

• N.C.G.S. Section 110-136.3 (income withholding procedures; applicability)

• N.C.G.S. Section 110-136.4 (implementation of withholding in IV-D cases)

• N.C.G.S Section 110-136.6 (amount to be withheld)

Duration of Parental Child Support Obligation

In North Carolina, parents are responsible for the financial support of their children until they reach the age of 18, unless:

• The child is emancipated through marriage, joining the military, acquiring full-time employment, or other means

• The child is still in secondary school when they reach age 18. Support payments shall continue until the child graduates, otherwise ceases to attend school, fails to make satisfactory progress towards graduation, or reaches age 20

• The child is enrolled in a cooperative innovative high school program. Payments shall terminate when the child completes either their 4th year of enrollment or at age 18

(N.C.G.S. Section 50-13.4)

What Child Support Covers Under North Carolina Law

Title IV-D child support payment amounts in North Carolina are intended to cover a child's basic needs, including:

• Food, clothing, and shelter

• Medical care

• Transportation

• Educational expenses

• Health insurance

The court will base the support order on the combined income of both parents and the number of children before the court.

(N.C.G.S. Section 50-13.4)

Child Support Payment Options

North Carolina law requires most child support to be paid by income withholding. The obligor's (parent who owes child support) employer deducts the payment from the obligor's paycheck and sends the funds to the North Carolina Child Support Centralized Collections Payment Processing Center.

Other forms of payment accepted for child support obligations include:

• Pay by phone with a credit card - 800.992.9457 or 855.702.2268

• Bank draft - automatic scheduled withdrawals from a bank account

• Use an eWallet such as Venmo, Paypal, ApplePay, or GooglePay

• Pay by mail at:

  • NC Child Support Centralized Collections Operation
    PO Box 900006
    Raleigh, NC 27675-9020

• Pay online with a credit card at the NCCSCC

• Pay in person at Walmart

(NCCSCC)

Receiving Child Support Payments

Payment through NCCSCC is either a direct deposit to a bank account or deposited into the account of a ncKIDSCARD debit card. The first payment for the debit card may be a paper check.

(Child Support Services - NCDHHS)

Disclaimer: North Carolina state laws change through the passage of new legislation, higher court rulings, federal decisions, ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most up-to-date information available, please consult a family law attorney to confirm current North Carolina state laws.

North Carolina Child Support Payments: Related Resources

• North Carolina Child Support Guidelines

• North Carolina Child Support Enforcement

• North Carolina Child Support Calculation Laws

• NC Child Support Services Office Locator

• North Carolina Child Support Services

Having Issues With a Child Support Payment in North Carolina? An Attorney Can Help

Whether you're paying child support or receiving it, those payments are very important to the well-being of your child. If you have concerns about the amount of child support meeting the needs of the child, your best option is to consult with a North Carolina family law attorney. Their legal advice can help answer your questions.