When Parents Live in Different States

A "state" can be:

• one of the 50 states
• Washington DC
• US territories American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands

All state child support programs are very much alike. However, some child support laws and practices might differ.

In most cases, parents do not have to travel to another state to attend hearings. Parents should check with their child support agency about attending court hearings by phone.

Parents should know that the Wisconsin Child Support program:

• assumes both parents are responsible for supporting their children
• may provide services to parents with a Wisconsin child support court order even if they live in another state
• will provide services to parents who live in Wisconsin but have a child support order from another state

Child support programs in every state work together to provide services for children. Every state will honor another state’s child support order.

• When a parent lives in another state, Wisconsin does not always need the other state’s help with enforcing the court order. For example, if the paying parent lives in another state, Wisconsin may be able to ask the paying parent’s employer to withhold income for support.
  
  
• When Wisconsin needs another state’s help establishing or enforcing a support case, this is called an "interstate case." The federal Uniform Interstate Family Support Act governs interstate cases.
  
  
• The child support agency will determine when another state’s help is needed. Parents do not need to contact the other state. The child support agency will take care of that.
  
  
• If a case has orders from more than one state, the child support agency will determine which order is the current order that will be enforced.
  
  
• The parent’s child support agency will keep in contact with the other state to check the status of the case.
  
  
• Parents should provide complete and accurate information. Parents should tell their child support agency if they have any information that might be helpful, such as where the other parent lives or works. Their child support agency may forward the information to the other state.

Interstate Fees

Some states charge a fee for enforcement activities in their state.

• These fees vary.
• Some states charge fees to the parent who receives support.
• Other states charge the parent who pays support.

If the other state does charge a fee, it takes the fee out of the collection before sending it to Wisconsin.

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