If your child’s other parent is not paying child support as ordered by the Court, and you want that to change, you will be required by Tennessee Child Support Enforcement Services (TCSES) to fill out a “IV-D” application. The IV-D is free to file, but it is always required for child support enforcement. (Find it here.) You can either fill it out online or print it and turn it in to your local TCSES office.
The application will ask for some basic information on you and your kids. That includes things like which of you is the “primary residential parent“, which public benefits you or they receive, and whether you and the other parent were ever married. It also asks some questions about where you and the other parent work.
You may not know all of the information that TCSES asks for on the IV-D. That’s okay.
Just know that the more complete the form is, the easier it will be for TCSES to enforce child support. Sometimes, people submit the IV-D form and later learn more information or discover that something has changed (like if the other parent changes jobs or moves). If this happens, call TCSES and tell them. Again, the more information they have, the more quickly you will be able to collect child support.
Eventually, TCSES will pay a state attorney to force people to pay their child support. This can be done by filing contempt actions, confiscating their tax returns, assigning their wages, and taking away their drivers’ license, among other things.
An experienced attorney can ensure that you receive the full amount of support you are entitled to. Alternatively, they can make sure you are paying the correct amount of child support. If you have questions about your child support, whether owed or due to you, call Held Law Firm at 865-637-6550.
The information in this blog was compiled and written by Faith Held and is accurate as of the time of publication. However, laws often change. That’s why it’s important to hire an attorney who keeps up with these changes. Contact us today.
