758-1 CHILD SUPPORT INCOME
The requirement to sign over any child support payments to the state and to cooperate with the Child Support Services Division (CSSD) is described in ATAP MS 717. Families may receive up to $50 a month as pass-through payments from the child support collected (see MS 717-7A). In some cases, CSSD may issue child support payments directly to the family for months the family was not on TA.
Child support payments received by applicants and recipients are processed as follows:
Payments received before application approval: Count any child support payment received and kept by an applicant, less the pass-through amount of up to $50, to determine eligibility and the amount of the assistance payment (use the ” CH” code in EIS ). The child support may be received from a child support enforcement agency or directly from a noncustodial parent.
Payments received after approval: After TA is approved, CSSD should receive any child support paid. If it is expected that child support payments will continue, the expected amount, less the pass-through amount of up to $50, is counted in determining prospective eligibility (use the ”CS” code in EIS ). The child support amount is disregarded in the assistance payment calculation, as described in ATAP MS 717-7B.
758-1 A. ASSIGNED CHILD SUPPORT
A financial penalty may be imposed and a protective payee selected if a family keeps child support payments from the noncustodial parent after TA is approved.
If the payments could have been anticipated, the amount of the payment, less the $50 pass-through amount, must be counted to determine if an incorrect assistance payment has been issued.
Child support payments kept by the family, less the $50 pass-through amount, must be counted as income in the payment calculation for future months.
Child support payments count as income to the child for whom the payments are intended.
Child support contributions that are made in-kind rather than as cash are not counted as income.
758-1 B. NON-ASSIGNED CHILD SUPPORT
The family may keep all CSSD payments for child support collected for months the family was not receiving TA. CSSD payments must be reported by the family to DPA as unearned income.
Child support payments kept by the family, less the $50 pass-through amount, must be counted as income in the payment calculation for future months.
Example:
Malcolm Reynolds is a single parent with 3 children. He receives
a $50 pass-through child support payment from DPA
each month. On January 8 he reports he received $115 from CSSD. On February 9 he reports
that he received $105 from CSSD.
On March 5 he reports he received $120 from CSSD.
The payments can be anticipated. Since Mr. Reynolds is already receiving
$50 pass-through payments each month for the collections CSSD kept, the caseworker prospects
$115 ($115 plus $110 plus $120 divided by 3 months) of unearned child
support income for the family.
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