New Electronic Payments for Child Support Recipients

In February 2005 the Child Support Enforcement Unit of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) started collecting child support electronically and to remit payments by direct deposit or debit cards. Custodial parents may be charged for direct deposit and debit card transactions.

DOR will phase out paper checks, except in cases where individuals are granted exemptions for the following reasons:

1. A physical or mental disability imposes a hardship in accessing an electronic payment.
2. A language or literacy barrier imposes a hardship in accessing an electronic payment.
3. The recipient's home and work addresses are more than 5 miles from an automated teller machine and more than 5 miles from a financial institution where the funds may be accessed.
4. In any circumstances not noted above, DOR will consider an exemption on an individual basis.

If you do not want payments by direct deposit or debit card you must apply for an exemption on a DOR form. Check out http://www.cse.state.ma.us/misc/cscard.htm for more information.