Tennessee Child Support Law

• Understanding and adhering to the laws can help parents avoid costly court fees, fines, and penalties.family image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  Child support laws in Tennessee are administered and enforced through the state's Department of Human Services. Married and single parents, whether they are the custodial or non-custodial parent of one or more minor children, are eligible to apply to receive child support in Tennessee. Understanding and adhering to the laws can help parents avoid costly court fees, fines, and penalties.
  
  

Applying for Child Support

• Parents must contact the Department of Human Services (DHS) to apply for child support. A parent must bring her social security card, the child's birth certificate, the date of birth and a photograph of the non-custodial parent, and a list of actions that they have taken thus far to receive support for the child. Fathers can sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form at the hospital when the child is born to establish paternity. If paternity is not already established when the support request is submitted, the DHS will work with state courts and national agencies to locate the father and order him to submit to a paternity test. Established paternity is required to create child support payment schedules in Tennessee.
  
  

Child Support Payment Schedules

• Income of both the non-custodial parent and the custodial parent are considered before child support payment schedules are created. The total number of days that a child spends with the non-custodial parent and the number of other minor children that a non-custodial parent must provide financial support for is also factored in. Spending increased amounts of time with the child will help to lower a non-custodial parent's scheduled payment amounts. Non-custodial parents are not permitted to have more than 50 percent of their total wages deducted to make child support payments. The DHS reviews each child support schedule every four years. Should a non-custodial parent experience a change to their wages (i.e. job loss) that decreases at least 15 percent of their total income, they should contact the DHS and request to have their schedule reviewed early.
  
  

Penalties for Late Payments

• Non-custodial parents who fail to make their child support payments on the due date can have their driver's and professional licenses suspended. The DHS will also intercept their local, state, and federal income tax refund checks. Liens are placed against the non-paying parent's property until payments are caught up.
  
  

Employer Responsibilities

• Employers must enroll in the Tennessee New Hire Reporting Program after they relocate to Tennessee. A Federal Tax Identification Number (FEIN) is needed to assess the electronic system. Employers are required to report new hires, terminations, and resignations through the system within 20 days of the change. Information on part-time and full-time employees must be reported. Failure to report new hires and terminations could result in fines ranging from $20 to $400, depending on the number of employees that were not reported.