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Mandatory Payment of Obligations
to Central Collections Unit

Quick Facts
  • Payments to the central collections unit may be made electronically.
  • Checks that are returned for insufficient funds may force future payments to be made in cash.
  • Unclaimed funds may eventually be returned to the payor/obligor.

Location of Payment

All payments must be made to the central collections unit.

Agency Designation of Location

Each local child support agency provides a location within the agency to receive payments. A local agency receiving a payment transmits the funds to the central collections unit within one working day of receipt of the payment.

Incentives

Incentives must be paid to the county providing services and maintaining the case to which the payment is applied. Incentive payments awarded for the collection of child support are based on payments processed by the central collections unit. Incentive payments received by the county are used for county child support collection efforts.

Electronic Transfer of Funds

The central collections unit is authorized to engage in the electronic transfer of funds for the receipt and disbursement of funds.

Required Content of Order

A tribunal issuing an order that establishes or modifies a payment issues an income withholding order. The automatic income withholding order includes the name of the obligor, the obligor's Social Security number, the obligor's date of birth, and the name and address of the obligor's employer.

The street mailing address and the electronic mail address for the central collections unit must be included in each automatic income withholding order issued by a tribunal.

Transmittal of Order

The tribunal transmits a copy of the order establishing or modifying the payment, and a copy of the automatic income withholding order, to the local child support agency within two working days of the approval of the order by the judge or child support magistrate or other person or entity authorized to sign the automatic withholding order.

Transmittal of Funds

The obligor or other payor of funds identifies the obligor on the check or remittance by name, payor number, and Social Security number.

Sanction for Checks Drawn on Insufficient Funds

A notice may be directed to any person or entity submitting a check drawn on insufficient funds stating that future payment must be paid by cash or certified funds. The central collections unit and the local child support agency may refuse a check from a person or entity that has been given notice that payments must be in cash or certified funds.

Admissibility of Payment Records

A copy of the record of payments maintained by the central collections unit is admissible evidence in all tribunals as proof of payments made through the central collections unit without the need of testimony to prove authenticity.

Transition Provisions

Notice that payments must be made to the central collections unit must be provided to the obligor and to the payor of funds within 30 days prior to the redirection of payments to the central collections unit. After the notice has been provided to the obligor or payor of funds, mailed payments received by a local child support agency must be forwarded to the central collections unit. A notice must be sent to the obligor or payor of funds stating that payment application may be delayed and provide directions to submit future payment to the central collections unit.

Unclaimed Support Funds

If support payments have not been disbursed to an obligee because the obligee is not located, the public authority will continue locate efforts for one year from the date the public authority determines that the obligee is not located.

If the public authority is unable to locate the obligee after one year, the public authority mails a written notice to the obligee at the obligee's last known address. The notice gives the obligee 60 days to contact the public authority. If the obligee does not contact the public authority within 60 days from the date of notice, the public authority will:

  • close the nonpublic assistance portion of the case;
  • disburse unclaimed support funds to pay public assistance arrears. If public assistance arrears remain after disbursing the unclaimed support funds, the public authority may continue enforcement and collection of child support until all public assistance arrears have been paid. If there are no public assistance arrears, or unclaimed support funds remain after paying public assistance arrears, remaining unclaimed support funds should be returned to the obligor; and
  • mail, when all public assistance arrears have been paid the public authority, to the obligor at the obligor's last known address a written notice of termination of income withholding and case closure due to the public authority's inability to locate the obligee. The notice must indicate that the obligor's support or maintenance obligation will remain in effect until further order of the court and must inform the obligor that the obligor can contact the public authority for assistance to modify the order.

If the obligor is not located when attempting to return unclaimed support funds, the public authority will continue locate efforts for one year from the date the public authority determines that the obligor is not located. If the public authority is unable to locate the obligor after one year, the funds are treated as unclaimed property according to federal law and Minnesota law.

Child Support Payment Center

Payments to the commissioner from other governmental units, private enterprises, and individuals for services performed by the child support payment center are deposited in the state systems account. These payments are appropriated to the commissioner for the operation of the child support payment center or system.