In 1975, Congress passed a law as part of the Social Security Act which authorizes federal funds to help pay for child support enforcement activities. The purpose is to prevent custodial parents from having to depend on public assistance to support their children or to reimburse the government for expenses in support of families who did receive welfare.
-Locating absent parents
-Establishing paternity
-Establishing support
-Support enforcement, including wage withholding, lump sum attachment, IRS and State tax offset, seek work orders, civil contempt and criminal non-support.
-Medical support enforcement
-Interstate actions
-Support order modifications
Eligible parents include those who have custody of children to whom an obligation of support is owed by an absent parent by law. This includes those parents who are divorced or separated, and mothers of children born out of wedlock.
