child support in michigan

[lonesomepine]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? michigan


I have tried to contact my FOC caseworker with some questions but have not received a phone call back. I have also read through the Michigan Child Support handbook. I have been told various things about child support but I am looking for some real answers.

I am not currently on any type of state aid. My ex was only ordered to pay about a month ago. I still have not received anything. I have a debit card that his income with holdings are supposed to be deposited onto. Since our divorce I have struggled to make ends meet. I do have a full time job now, as I was a stay at home mom while we were married. But I lack in the education and experience departments so I am currently working for minimum wage.

I have considered applying for government assistance. I am sure I qualify since I make so little and have 3 children. I was told by a friend who is a long time public assistance collector and also a single mother who is supposed to receive child support, that the state will "pay me child support" and when my ex gets around to paying the state will just take that as a form of reimbursement.

How does it work, being on public assistance and "receiving" child support?

 

[CSO286]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? michigan


I have tried to contact my FOC caseworker with some questions but have not received a phone call back. I have also read through the Michigan Child Support handbook. I have been told various things about child support but I am looking for some real answers.

I am not currently on any type of state aid. My ex was only ordered to pay about a month ago. I still have not received anything. I have a debit card that his income with holdings are supposed to be deposited onto. Since our divorce I have struggled to make ends meet. I do have a full time job now, as I was a stay at home mom while we were married. But I lack in the education and experience departments so I am currently working for minimum wage.

I have considered applying for government assistance. I am sure I qualify since I make so little and have 3 children. I was told by a friend who is a long time public assistance collector and also a single mother who is supposed to receive child support, that the state will "pay me child support" and when my ex gets around to paying the state will just take that as a form of reimbursement.

How does it work, being on public assistance and "receiving" child support?

The state will not "pay you child support". You will receive a TANF cash grant, if you qualify. For the months that you receive this cash grant and no child support is paid to you, the support that would be owed is now owed to the state.

For the months when you receive the cash grant AND your ex pays support, you can expect that your future grant (usually about 2 months down the line: Jan income affects the mar grant, feb income affects the apr grant and so on) to be offset by the amount you received.

Now, I'm pretty sure Gam will correct me if I'm wrong as to MI specific procedure regarding this, but I've been working in child support for several years and am pretty familiar with passthrough and the effects of child support on TANF grants.


ETA: In addition, if the order for support was only issued last month and MI FOC is enforcing your order, it can take some time to get income withholding in place.
Do you know where your ex is working? IF he is working? If so, have you relayed that info to you child support case worker?

Please know that once they have the order entered in the system and have an active employer they've mailed the income withholding order to, it can still take about 30 days or so to get payments flowing to the case. This is because the employer has about 3 weeks to get the IWO (Income Withholding Order) in place; they have to get in place on the next most reasonable pay period. If today is tues and they the order tomorrow, it might not be feasible to do withholding for Friday’s payroll.

Make sense?

 

[lonesomepine]

Thank you

The state will not "pay you child support". You will recieve a TANF cash grant, if you qualify. For the months that you receive this cash grant and no child support is paid to you, the support that would be owed is now owed to the state.

For the months when you receive the cash grant AND your ex pays support, you can expenct the your future grant (usually about 2 months down the line: Jan income affects the mar grant, feb income affects the apr grant and so on) to be offest by the amount you recieved.

Now, I'm pretty sure Gam will correct me if I'm wrong as to MI specific procedure regarding this, but I've been working in child support for several years and am pretty familiar with passthrough and the effects of child support on TANF grants.

I am not considering applying for the cash grant. But I will be applying for medical for my 3 children (since my court order does not ask my ex to keep medical coverage he has taken us all off of his policy) and food benefits. Will the amount of child support I am supposed to receive count as an income? Will it effect the benefits I am eligible for? Will the state take any of the child support if my ex does end up paying?

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Since she is working, chances are that she won't qualify for TANF (working 40 hours). She can apply for food stamps (whatever that is called these days) and for possible daycare assistance. Depending on the age of the children, she can look at WIC. The ones outside of TANF are supplemental to child support. They will take into consideration what is SUPPOSED to be paid.

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

I am not considering applying for the cash grant. But I will be applying for medical for my 3 children (since my court order does not ask my ex to keep medical coverage he has taken us all off of his policy) and food benefits. Will the amount of child support I am supposed to receive count as an income? Will it effect the benefits I am eligible for? Will the state take any of the child support if my ex does end up paying?

http://www.tanf.us/michigan.html

Medicaid or CHIP - yes
Food stamps - yes
No on the taking of support.

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

While you are at it, keep in mind the food program for the schools. Many districts also offer a food program during the summer, but you have to go to it.

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? michigan


I have tried to contact my FOC caseworker with some questions but have not received a phone call back. I have also read through the Michigan Child Support handbook. I have been told various things about child support but I am looking for some real answers.

I am not currently on any type of state aid. My ex was only ordered to pay about a month ago. I still have not received anything. I have a debit card that his income with holdings are supposed to be deposited onto. Since our divorce I have struggled to make ends meet. I do have a full time job now, as I was a stay at home mom while we were married. But I lack in the education and experience departments so I am currently working for minimum wage.

I have considered applying for government assistance. I am sure I qualify since I make so little and have 3 children. I was told by a friend who is a long time public assistance collector and also a single mother who is supposed to receive child support, that the state will "pay me child support" and when my ex gets around to paying the state will just take that as a form of reimbursement.

How does it work, being on public assistance and "receiving" child support?

No advice...Just want to wish you the best of luck on this difficult situation.

 

[CSO286]

I am not considering applying for the cash grant. But I will be applying for medical for my 3 children (since my court order does not ask my ex to keep medical coverage he has taken us all off of his policy) and food benefits. Will the amount of child support I am supposed to receive count as an income? Will it effect the benefits I am eligible for? Will the state take any of the child support if my ex does end up paying?

In my state, when determiuning eligibility for health car programs they ask what the amount order for child support is AND they ask for either a 6 or 12 month payment history.

It appears that MI does not pursue medical support orders, so no, no portion of the court ordered child support will be taken to pay for any state subsidized health coverage the children qualify for.

As an aside, even in the states that do set a medical support obligation, it's a separate amount that is often owed specifically to the state and [in some cases] owed only when Medicaid is in place.

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

In my state, when determiuning eligibility for health car programs they ask what the amount order for child support is AND they ask for either a 6 or 12 month payment history.

It appears that MI does not pursue medical support orders, so no, no portion of the court ordered child support will be taken to pay for any state subsidized health coverage the children qualify for.

As an aside, even in the states that do set a medical support obligation, it's a separate amount that is often owed specifically to the state and [in some cases] owed only when Medicaid is in place.

I have a child support order and a medical support order for Michigan. They do both. And if you are collecting Medicaid, they'll definitely pursue payment from dad if it is not paid.

 

[CSO286]

I have a child support order and a medical support order for Michigan. They do both. And if you are collecting Medicaid, they'll definitely pursue payment from dad if it is not paid.

I satnd corrected. Then it is very much like MN in that respect.

The only time the state won't pursue a med spt order is if the ncp is ordered to provide health care and is doing so, and the CP has medicaid as a kind of "gap" coverage. (Yes, it happens.)

 

[sandyclaus]

Since she is working, chances are that she won't qualify for TANF (working 40 hours). She can apply for food stamps (whatever that is called these days) and for possible daycare assistance. Depending on the age of the children, she can look at WIC. The ones outside of TANF are supplemental to child support. They will take into consideration what is SUPPOSED to be paid.

FYI, food stamps are now known as "SNAP" benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), but are also known in each state as their own designation. For instance, here in California, they are called CalFresh. Don't know how they are designated in Michigan.