Parents in Texas who have to receive or pay child support may find that how the payments are handled can be confusing. This is likely because there are four distinct kinds of child support cases. In order for parent to fully understand child support payments, they should be aware of what type of case they have.
The four types of child support cases include IV-D, IV-A, IV-E and non-IV-D. The IV designation in the name of the cases comes from the Title IV of the Social Security Act of 1975, the legislation that regulates the grants given to states so that certain aid and services can be provided to needy families with children.
In IV-D cases, the custodial parents are receiving assistance from the Office of Child Support Enforcement. This assistance may include establishing a child support order and making sure that it is enforced, finding a non-custodial parent or establishing paternity.
IV-E child support cases are those in which the children are under the care of someone other than their parents, such as the foster care system or a relative. IV-E cases are automatically forwarded to the Office of Child Support Enforcement so that costs related to the case can be recouped from the non-custodial parents.
Non-IV-D child support cases are those in which the child support is handled privately, like through a divorce. In some cases, Non-IV-D cases will be reclassified as IV-D cases if they are sent to the Office of Child Support Enforcement to have delinquent child support payments collected.
An attorney who practices family law may assist parents with resolving legal issues regarding child support. The attorney may assess the factors of a case and advise a client about what legal avenues should be pursued to collect on unpaid child support.
