Stimulus payments subject to intercept

The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement announced that the 2009 stimulus payments will be intercepted to pay child support.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides for a one-time $250 payment to those who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Railroad Retirement and Veterans benefits. These Economic Recovery payments are expected to be issued from late April 2009 through the end of July 2009.

The US Treasury Department will match names of those getting the Economic Recovery to the names of parents who have been certified for federal tax intercept. If a paying parent owes past-due support and has been certified for tax intercept, his or her Economic Recovery payment will be intercepted and used to pay the support owed by the parent.

The support payments that come from these intercepts will be sent to the families by the way they have chosen to receive their child support – the Visa debit card, or by direct deposit into their checking or savings account.

Visa debit cards will be sent to families who have not chosen a means of receiving payments. The card will come with instructions about how to activate and use the card.

See answers to questions parents ask about using the Economic Recovery payments to pay child support.

For more information about the Economic Recovery payments:

Information about the Visa debit card and direct deposit of support payments.


Updated July 31, 2009

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