Child support is essential monetary support for any child whose parents are divorced. However, receiving timely child support payments is something that many custodial parents in Pennsylvania and the rest of the country have to face challenges with. Fortunately, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Child Support Enforcement assists such parents in e ensuring that child support orders a issued and followed in order to preserve a child’s best interests.
Role of the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement
In Pennsylvania, the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement (Bureau) is the agency that is responsible for various types of child support services that a parent may require. According to its website, the Bureau is the only state agency in the country that meets or exceeds all five performance standards that have been set by the federal government.
The responsibilities of the Bureau include:
- Determining a child’s paternity for child support purposes
- Working with local courts to establish child support orders
- Collecting child support payments from non-custodial parents
- Collecting child support payments that are overdue
In order to avail any type of child support services, a parent can contact the Bureau. The Bureau will assist the parent either free or in lieu of a fee of $35 if the annual child support amount received by the custodial parent is equal to or exceeds $2,000.
Assistance in seeking child support enforcement services
While the Bureau helps all parents with its services, the process can sometimes seem complicated for many reasons. For example, there are a number of forms that need to be filled; there be the need for submitting multiple documents; ir there may also be the need to appear in court. Sometimes, all of this can prove to be an overwhelming experience.
In order to understand the process in its entirety and to ensure that all necessary steps are followed adequately, a custodial parent looking for child support services may wish to seek professional guidance. The guidance will not only help them overcome the challenges that they face along the way but also ensure that the child’s best interests are protected.