Arizona Child Support

Learn how to apply, establish, calculate, enforce, and modify Arizona child support.

Applying for Arizona Child Support Services
Arizona DCSE offers child support services to both custodial and non-custodial parents. These services include locating non-custodial parents, establishing paternity, establishing child support orders, and enforcing child support.

Their services are provided automatically for families who are currently receiving assistance under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, federally-assisted Foster Care, or Medical Assistance Only programs. People who do not receive federal or state assistance can still receive free services from DCSE by completing an application to request child support enforcement services. You can obtain an application for services by calling or stopping by your local Arizona Child Support Enforcement Office. You can also download an application at 167en.pdf.

When you’re filling out your application, be prepared to provide as much of the following information as possible: the non-custodial parent’s full name, address, and Social Security number, the names and address of the non-custodial parent’s most-recent employer, information pertaining to the non-custodial parents income and other assets, and the full name and Social Security number for each of the children involved in the case. You may also need to provide the child (ren)’s birth certificate(s), a copy of the court order for child support, and copies of any payment or court records.

Arizona Child Support
Arizona DCSE office works with both custodial and non-custodial parents to establish a court order for child support, if one does not already exist. This is a legal process by which the court determines the monthly amount of money to be paid by the non-custodial parent for the support of the child or by both parents if the child is in the care of foster parents or a guardian.

A court order for child support will also determine who is responsible for the medical support of the child. The DCSE office requires that health insurance coverage be provide for children when establishing child support orders. In Arizona, as in most states, the court order for child support is based upon a set of standard child support guidelines established by the state. These guidelines consider such factors as the actual needs of the child(ren) and the finances of both parents. You can view these guidelines at the following location: Arizona Child Support Guidelines

Calculating Arizona Child Support Payments
Arizona uses the child support guidelines adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court in order to ensure that a fair share of each parent's income and resources are given to the child. The amount of support is determined by the needs of the child, the finances of each parent, the amount of visitation with the child(ren), and the incidental costs of child care, medical support, and medical expenses. Instructions and guideline worksheets for calculating the amount of child support owed are available from your local DCSE office.

Enforcing Child Support
Arizona DCSE office has the authority to utilize a number of options for enforcing court ordered child support payments. These include income withholding; new hire reporting; liens against real and personal property; unemployment and worker’s compensation insurance deductions; driver’s license, professional license, and recreational license suspension; passport denial; federal tax offsets; interception of lottery winnings; credit bureau reporting; and judicial procedures.

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Arizona Child Support Laws
Arizona’s child support regulations were established in 1975 by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. Arizona’s Child Support Enforcement program is a cooperative effort of federal, state, and local agencies.

Accessing Arizona Child Support Information
As of early 2004, DCSE implanted a new program to allow parents to obtain information about their case. The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Telephone System updates information about each child support case at the end of each business day.

This system also allows you to access information about your payments and the status of your case without waiting to speak with a customer service agent. The IVR program can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 602-252-4045 OR 1-800-882-4151.

Child Support Payments
Arizona Child support payments are handled through the Arizona Centralized State Disbursement Unit (SDU). This unit is Arizona’s centralized agency for collecting and disbursing child support payments. Child support payments are typically processed on the same business day on which they are received and disbursed the following business day.

Modifying Child Support Orders
Arizona DCSE office will review requests from either parent to modify a child support order. The request must be made in writing and it should note a valid reason (such as a major change in the finances or visitation for either parent,) for the modification request. A review will utilize the Arizona Child Support Guidelines to assess the current income of both parties and the typical expenses for the child(ren.) It may take up to six months for the outcome of a child support review to come into effect.

Contact Information for Arizona Child support Division

1. Payment Location:

2. Overnight Express payments can be sent to:

3. DCSE Customer Service:

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Arizona Child Support

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