Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

On October 1,2020, the Wyoming Department of Family Services-Child Support Program was granted flexibility, under the Stafford Act, to hold jointly filed federal tax refund offsets received after March 15, 2020 for longer than the 6 month limitation set forth in section 464(a)(3)(B) of the Act and 45 CFR 302.32(b)(3)(ii)(B) and 303.72(h)(5). The Wyoming Department of Family Services-Child Support Program will be holding these jointly filed federal tax refund offset payments until December 31, 2020 to allow IRS to complete any automatic injured spouse reversals of the Economic Impact Payments received by the Agency.

Per the federal legislation, the thrid round of COVID-19 stimulus payments are NOT subject to interception for past due child support.  If you have any additional questions, please contact your area child support office.  You can find your nearest office on our LOCATIONS page. 

No, the second round of Economic Impact Payments, authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, are not subject to offset for any reason through TOP.

Referenced from https://fiscal.treasury.gov/top/faqs-for-the-public-covid-19.html

No. Your second payment will not be offset for any Federal or state debts.

Referenced from https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/second-eip-faqs

Yes you can find more information at:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-third-economic-impact-payments-topic-g-receiving-my-payment

(Updated 2/5/2021) All or part of your refund, including any amount for the Recovery Rebate Credit, may have been used (offset) to pay off past-due federal tax, state income tax, state unemployment compensation debts, child support, spousal support, or other federal nontax debts, such as student loans. To find out if you may have an offset or if you have questions about an offset, contact the agency to which you owe the debt.

We also may have changed your refund amount because we made changes to your tax return. This may include corrections to any incorrect Recovery Rebate Credit amount. You’ll get a notice explaining the changes. Where’s My Refund? will reflect the reasons for the refund offset when it relates to a change in your tax return.

Tax Topic 203, Refund Offsets for Unpaid Child Support, Certain Federal and State Debts, and Unemployment Compensation Debts has more information about refund offsets.

No, the second round of Economic Impact Payments, authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, are not subject to offset for any reason through TOP.

Referenced from https://fiscal.treasury.gov/top/faqs-for-the-public-covid-19.html

No. Your second payment will not be offset for any Federal or state debts and is protected from garnishment.

Referenced from https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/second-eip-faqs

Please read the following article that addresses this issue and the efforts to correct it.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/01/08/stimulus-checks-wrong-accounts-turbotax-h-r-block-unemployment/6587911002/

Per the federal legislation, the second round of COVID-19 stimulus payments are NOT subject to interception for past due child support.  If you have any additional questions, please contact your area child support office.  You can find your nearest office on our LOCATIONS page. 

The stimulus payments are subject to interception for past-due child support.  The CARES legislation specifically left in place the same language that applies to IRS offset payments that child support programs are required to intercept and apply to past due child support.

According to the federal government, the stimulus checks will start being directly deposited into the accounts of citizens sometime around mid-April.  Payments that are subject to interception for past-due child support will be sent to the Wyoming Child Support Program, State Disbursement Unit who will distribute them. 

If you have any questions, please contact your caseworker or local child support office. You can find the complete list of office contact information on our LOCATIONS page. You can can also use our CONTACT US form as well.

If you are married filing jointly and you filed an injured spouse claim with your 2019 tax return (or 2018 tax return if you haven’t filed your 2019 tax return), half of the total payment will be sent to each spouse and your spouse’s payment will be offset only for past-due child support. There is no need to file another injured spouse claim for the payment.  For more information about this, please contact the IRS at IRS.Gov.

If your stimulus payment has been taken, the IRS will send you a letter notifying you that the payment will be sent to the Wyoming Child Support Program.

 The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) provides economic stimulus payments to American families who meet certain financial thresholds.  The act provides payments of up to $1,200.00 for adults who file a single tax return with an annual income of $75,000.00 or less and $2,400 for families filing joint returns who have a combined income of $150,000.00 or less.  The payments are reduced for parents who make more than these amounts and are completely phased out for single filers who make about $99,000.00 and joint filers who make above $198,000.00.

The IRS is aware that in some instances a portion of the payment sent to a spouse who filed an injured spouse claim with his or her 2019 tax return (or 2018 tax return if no 2019 tax return has been filed) has been offset by the non-injured spouse’s past-due child support. The IRS is working with the Bureau of Fiscal Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Enforcement, to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

If you filed an injured spouse claim with your return and are impacted by this issue, you do not need to take any action. The injured spouse will receive their unpaid half of the total payment when the issue is resolved. If an injured spouse claim was not filed with the 2019 (or 2018 joint return), your spouse can still file a claim now with the IRS.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this issue, please contact the IRS directly. You can find more information, including contact information, at irs.gov.

The payment will be offset only by past-due child support. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service will send you a notice if an offset occurs.

We do not anticipate a delay in the processing of any child support payments received due to the coronavirus. Our State Disbursement Unit and payment processing teams have a strong plan in place to ensure that payments continue to be processed and disbursed timely.

If you haven’t already, now is a good time to SIGN UP FOR THE CHILD SUPPORT SELF-SERVICES (https://childsupport.wyoming.gov/apply) to view case information, make payments, view case information, and obtain payment records – all from the comfort of your home.

Now is also a good time to sign up for direct deposit if you are a parent receiving child support. Direct deposit will allow you to manage your child support payments online. To learn more visit our RECEIVE SUPPORT section of our website or DOWNLOAD OUR DIRECT DEPOSIT FORM to complete and submit using the instructions on the form. You can also contact us by calling 307-777-5300.

The Wyoming Child Support Program is committed to getting support to families. Processing payments is one of our critical services. We have a plan in place to make sure critical services continue. If we have office or workload impacts due to the COVID-19 virus, we will post updates on this page.

Yes. Please check out the MAKE A PAYMENT section of our website if you have any questions about how to make a payment.  Please read the FAQ “If my employer temporarily closes, will they still send in my child support payment?” if your employer currently withholds your child support payment. 

Your employer is responsible for withholding child support from any earnings you receive and sending those withheld payments to the Wyoming Child Support Program. If you are experiencing unpaid time off, we recommend you make other arrangements to pay your support obligation.

Please review our MAKE A PAYMENT section to learn more about the many options to pay your child support.  

The Wyoming Child Support Program is committed to getting support to families. Processing payments is one of our critical services. We have a plan in place to make sure critical services continue. If we have office or workload impacts due to the COVID-19 virus, we will post updates on this page.

Yes. Please check out the MAKE A PAYMENT section of our website if you have any questions about how to make a payment.  Please read the FAQ “If my employer temporarily closes, will they still send in my child support payment?” if your employer currently withholds your child support payment. 

Please visit our LOCATIONS page for updates regarding your local office and any temporary changes to normal operations.

The health and safety of our staff and customers are always our highest priority, and we want to be sure we are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe. So effective immediately, some local child support offices are in the process of transitioning to providing virtual child support services.

While some physical child support offices are currently closed to customers and visitors during this time, services will continue to be provided over the telephone and internet.

We remain committed to continuing to support those we serve during this public health event.

Some of our office lobbies are currently closed. Instead, per the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Guidance, please communicate with us about your child support case by phone or email. Local office contact information can be found on our LOCATIONS page), or you can use our CONTACT US form.

It is important to us that we continue to serve you during this unpredictable time. We encourage you to use our various forms of electronic communication when you need to send us a question or updated information.

For status updates and to submit questions about your case, please call or email your local office (local office contact information can be found on our LOCATIONS page), or you can use our CONTACT US form.  We will be closely monitoring these emails and forms to provide you a response as soon as possible.

Per the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidance, please communicate with us about your child support case by phone or email. Local office contact information can be found on our LOCATIONS page), or you can use our CONTACT US form.

Possibly. As we all know, this is an unsettled time for our country and all business. At this time, our offices are staffed and work is continuing. The Wyoming Child Support Program is committed to getting support to families. We have a plan in place to make sure critical services continue. If we have office or workload impacts due to the COVID-19 virus, we will continue to post updates on this page.

Yes. We encourage electronic communications. You can email your local office (local office contact information can be found on our LOCATIONS page), or you can use our CONTACT US form.

If your child support case was scheduled to have a hearing and has been rescheduled or postponed, contact your local child support office to determine what steps you need to take to ensure you don’t miss your rescheduled hearing. 

Visit our LOCATIONS page to find contact information for your nearest office. 

At this time, deadlines to request hearings or respond to notices have not been extended. However, if you need an extension due to reasons outside of your control, contact your case manager as soon as possible to discuss available options.  The Child Support office will try and work with you as much as possible.

Yes.  Please contact your local child support office (which can be found on our LOCATIONS page, or you can use our CONTACT US form for more information about requesting a hearing.  

Genetic testing services may be temporarily suspended in some of our locations.  Please contact your local child support office for the most up-to-date information.  You can find your nearest office on our LOCATIONS page.  Or use our CONTACT US form and we will get back to you normally within two business days.

We are not currently experiencing many work delays, however court hearings may be delayed slightly. The Wyoming Child Support Program is committed to getting support to families. We have a plan in place to make sure all critical services continue. If we have office or workload impacts due to the COVID-19 virus, we will post updates on this page.

A court order for child support continues until it is modified or terminated. That means your child support is still due.

Depending on the length of the lay-off, a modification may be appropriate. Contact us  to discuss your circumstances. Local office contact information can be found on our LOCATIONS page, or you can use our CONTACT US form.

If you receive unemployment compensation, your child support may be withheld from the benefits.

We are evaluating what actions we can take to help families affected by COVID-19, as is the federal child support program. We will post any child support related information on our website.

The Wyoming Child Support Program understands many people are experiencing a reduction in income related to COVID-19. If you are unable to pay your support, contact your case manager as soon as possible to discuss your situation and available options. Local office contact information can be found on our LOCATIONS page, or you can use our CONTACT US form.

Yes. You may request a modification when there is substantial change in circumstance.  Local office contact information can be found on our LOCATIONS page, or you can use our CONTACT US form.

There are resources available to help families facing domestic violence, including:

• The Wyoming Coalition Against DV/SA: https://www.wyomingdvsa.org/
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline (24/7, free, confidential, in over 200 languages) is 800-799-7233.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has resources on preparing your family for the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

If an employee isn’t working enough hours to qualify for health insurance, we do not require you to continue providing insurance pursuant to the National Medical Support Notice. If the children are unenrolled, notify us so the case can be updated.

No, but you need to respond as soon as possible.

Withhold the full amount based on the pay period frequency, subject to the withholding limits explained in the income withholding order.