Child Support Payments in Tennessee

Parents are not always able to raise children together. Regardless of the relationship between the parents, the child needs adequate financial support. Court-ordered child support is a system that ensures parents meet their child support obligations. The Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) runs the Child Support Program in the state.

A child support order is useless if it doesn't fulfill the primary function of getting child support payments from the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent. The Tennessee DHS allows various payment options, but availability differs by situation.

If you have an issue with child support, hire a local family law attorney.

Tennessee Child Support Payments — How Child Support Works

It doesn't matter whether your child was from a marriage or not. Birth parents are responsible for providing for their children until they're 18 or the graduation day of their high school class. This means covering their necessities. If parents aren't raising the children together in a single household, the state requires child support payments.

State agencies handle child support payments in each state. This is due to a federal law, Title IV-D of the Social Security Act of 1975. The Child Support Program of the Department of Human Services manages Tennessee.

The Tennessee child support guidelines determine each parent's child support obligation. Tennessee uses an income shares model, which tries to replicate the financial support the child would have if the parents were together. This uses the adjusted gross income of both parents to determine the basic child support obligation.

Other factors, such as who the primary custody parent is, how much parenting time the non-custodial parent has with the children, and childcare costs, all affect the final amount of child support each parent must pay. FindLaw's Tennessee Child Support Guidelines article breaks down all the elements of creating a child support order and describes each step.

Tennessee Child Support Payments — Collecting Payments

Once Tennessee juvenile court issues the child support order (some counties allow other courts to make child support rulings), the DHS must handle everything to do with payments. This includes collecting the funds from the non-custodial parents, getting them to the custodial parent, and enforcing payments by collecting arrears (past-due payments) when necessary.

Parents can avoid paying child support through the DHS if they agree to terms following the guidelines. This usually involves the aid of child support lawyers. Any private deal must still give the child the proper amount and requires court approval.

Child support collection has the best chance of success when the law removes the option of refusing to pay from the non-custodial parent's hands. Tennessee uses mandatory income withholding orders (IWO) as the default collection type. Employers must deduct the child support amount from the parent's paycheck. The funds then get sent to the DHS.

Some parents can make child support payments by methods other than an IWO. Tennessee offers quite a few different methods. Parents can pay the full amount due or make a series of smaller payments that meet the requirement. Payment types include:

Make a Payment Online — Online payments are possible in any of the following ways:

• Automatic withdrawal from a bank account on a recurring schedule (recommended) or as a one-time payment
• Over the phone at 844-324-3856
• Through the Tennessee Child Support Internet Payment website (a 2.5% processing fee applies to payments made this way with a debit or credit card)

At a MoneyGram location, Cash is accepted for child support payments at any MoneyGram location (a fee of $3.99 applies)

Through TouchPay — TouchPay accepts payments online, through its mobile app, or in person at a kiosk in one of the DHS offices listed below (charges varying fees):

• Shelby County: 3915 South Mendenhall Road, Memphis, TN 38115
• Madison County Juvenile Court, 110 Irby St., Jackson, TN 38301
• Davidson County 44 Vantage Way, Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37228
• Hamilton County: Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Road, Suite D-26 Chattanooga, TN  37411
• Hamilton County Juvenile Court: 1221 E. Main St. Chattanooga, TN 37408

By mail — Parents can send a child support payment by check or money order to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) at the following address:

State Disbursement Unit (SDU)
P.O. Box 305200
Nashville, TN 37229

Payment sent by mail must include the parent's name, their docket and court ID number, and their Social Security number. If the docket number isn't available, they should supply their Tennessee Child Support Enforcement System (TCSES) case number instead.

Tennessee Disbursement of Child Support Payments

Unlike other states, Tennessee doesn't offer a choice for the method of child support disbursement. The first payment arrives as a check. It's followed by a Way2Go debit card the custodial parent needs to activate. After this, all future child support payments go onto the debit card.

Child support gets disbursed each month within 10 days of the payment's arrival at the SDU. Parents can check pending and past payments through the Child Support Payment System.

Tennessee Child Support Payments Enforcement

The DHS enforces child support payments. This means collecting arrears (delinquent payments) from parents not meeting their child support obligation. While they can use punitive measures, the goal is to collect money for the kids in the child support order.

The DHS has several administrative procedures to use for the collection of arrears. Parents behind on payments get a warning notice and must settle up. Failing that, the DHS can use any of the following to entice the parent to pay:

• Placement of liens on property (meaning the state can take your property if you fail to pay)
• Revocation of various licenses
• Restricting or revoking a driver's license
• Treasury offset (intercepting income tax refunds)
• Bank account seizure
• Passport denial
• Reporting to credit bureaus

While the preference is to find a way to collect from the non-custodial parent, a contempt of court charge is possible in egregious cases. It carries up to six months of jail time for a parent who knowingly ignores their support obligation. Parents who can't make payments should contact the DHS and try to make an arrangement. In some cases, modification of an order is possible.

Tennessee Child Support Payments — A Review

Tennessee is serious about processing child support payments. The table below recaps what you've learned for easy reference and adds links for further research.

Disclaimer: Tennessee state laws change through new legislation, higher court rulings that include federal decisions, ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most up-to-date information available, please consult a child support attorney to confirm current Tennessee law.

Tennessee Child Support Payments: Related Resources

• Tennessee Child Support Modification
• Child Support Enforcement
• Tennessee Child Support Guidelines
• Tennessee Child Support Calculator
• Tennessee Department of Human Services Local Child Support Office Finder

Need Help With Tennessee Child Support Payments? Speak With an Attorney

A child support court order dictates each parent's obligation, but it requires the DHS to ensure payments get where they need to go. If you're having trouble with the child support services or the other parent, a Tennessee child support attorney can help. Put the expertise of a family law attorney to work for you.