Posted on Aug 21, 2012 by Brandy Beard to News

Maine Child Support Update

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Maine Child Support: Division of Support Enforcement & Recovery (DSER)

http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/dser/employer/index.html

Employers Page

Effective July 1, 2012, for every employee that has a wage withholding order for child support, you must deduct an additional $2 fee each time you deduct child support.

Recently, the Legislature passed a budget which includes activation of a statute that has been in the law for many years under Title 19A, §2103 section 3 as follows:

3. Fees and costs.  The department shall charge a fee of $2 per pay period to all obligors whose child support payments are made to the department to reduce the department’s costs in providing support enforcement services. The department may collect fees owed by the obligor by using any remedies available for collection of child support. The non-federal share of the fee collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited as General Fund undedicated revenue. The department shall deposit amounts collected to General Fund undedicated revenue only after the amount owed to the family for the current period is paid. The department shall collect the fee from obligors whose child support is paid to the department under an income withholding order by notifying the payor of income to the obligor to increase withholding by $2 per pay period. The department or any other person is not required to issue a new or amended withholding order to collect the fee, but shall notify the obligor in advance of the increase in withholding.

Most often asked questions…

  • Does the $2.00 fee apply to all DHS withholding orders – old and      new?
    • Yes.  Any withholding order currently in       place needs to be increased to include the additional $2 fee.
  • Will employers be receiving new DHS orders to inform them of the new fee?
    • No.  Notices are being sent to employers to address current withholding orders and new withholding orders will       address the fee specifically. 
  • How does this work with the limits applicable to DHS orders – 50% of disposable wages for example?
    • The $2.00 fee would be included in the 50% of disposable earnings; see answer to last question (Q#).
  • Can the fee be remitted via ACH the same as the regular withholding amount?
    • Yes
  • Does the fee have to show as a separate ACH transaction?
    • No
  • Is there any special identifying information necessary for the fee other than the ID number already included with each payment in the ACH file?
    • No, the fee will automatically be withheld from any payment as long as it exceeds the current support owed.