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  Answer ID  
1
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Child Support
  Orders
  Date Created  
10/05/2000 02:17 PM
  Date Updated  
10/23/2003 01:47 PM

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  How do I get a child support order?
  Question
  I don't have a court order. Can the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Program help me?
  Answer
  The CSE agency in your state will try to help you to establish a child support order. State websites usually give addresses and telephone numbers for local offices. Links to the state CSE websites are at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/extinf.htm#exta

The CSE agency will need to find out if paternity has been established and if you know where the other parent lives and works.

If paternity has not been established, the CSE agency can help with that. If you don't know where the person lives or works, a caseworker can use state and Federal locate information to try to find him or her.

The support order will include the amount of money that the parent should provide, and it will include provision for medical support. The order will be based on state guidelines for support orders.

If the parent lives in another state, and has not lived in your state, the CSE agency may have to ask the state where he or she lives to establish the order.

Keep in mind that, if there is not enough information to identify the parent, the CSE agency may not be able to establish an order. In this case, if you know where and when the parent was born, and what his/her parents' names are, your case worker may be able to find the Social Security Number which is an important tool for finding someone.

Your CSE agency is the best source of information about state laws and practices and about your case. If the website does not tell you what you need to know, you can call the State CSE agency to ask where your local office is.

State CSE agency telephone numbers and addresses are at: http://ocse3.acf.dhhs.gov/int/directories/ext/IVd_list.cfm (English)
http://ocse3.acf.dhhs.gov/int/directories/ext/Espanol_IVd_list.cfm (Spanish)

For general information about the Child Support program: Click Here
To find information about how child support orders are decided: Click Here
For more information on establishing paternity: Click Here
For information about some of the benefits of establishing paternity: Click Here
For information about state programs: Click Here
 
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