Click on the topics listed below to see questions and answers on a topic. Location Paternity Establishing a Child Support Order Child Support Guidelines Payments Enforcing the Support Order Multiple States / Interstate Cases How do you find my child’s parent if he/she is in the military, but I don’t know where he/she is stationed? We can obtain current information about the location of military personnel through the appropriate branch of military service. (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard or National Guard and the Reserve Components) What do you need to know to try and establish paternity? We need as much information as you can provide about the alleged father and facts about the mother’s relationship with him, the pregnancy, and the birth of the child. We need to know if the father ever provided money for the child, admitted that he was the father through letters or gifts, or signed a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity form. If you have any information from others about the mother’s relationship with the father, this is helpful, as well as any photographs that you may have of the father with the child. Can paternity be established for my child if the father lives in another state? Yes, but it may be more difficult to establish paternity across state lines when the father will not admit paternity. Usually genetic tests will be ordered to help the other state determine paternity. What if the father denies paternity or says he is not sure he is the father? Genetic testing of the mother, the child and the alleged father can either determine paternity or exclude the man as a possible father. The court can make an order establishing paternity based on the genetic tests and other evidence. Many times, alleged fathers will sign an agreed order for paternity based on the genetic test results. What are genetic tests? Certain inherited characteristics are found in each cell of the body and a child receives these characteristics from each parent. Genetic tests compare small samples of blood or cells taken by swabbing the inside of the cheek of the mother, father, and child. By performing tests on the samples taken, scientists can determine if a man cannot be the father of the child or the probability that he is the father. Genetic tests are highly accurate and are widely accepted for the purpose of establishing paternity. Can the non-custodial parent be required to cover the child under his/her group health insurance? Yes, if the judge orders it. The court will be petitioned to order health insurance coverage if currently available to the non-custodial parent or when it becomes available to the non-custodial parent. How is the amount of child support determined? The amount of child support (called the Basic Child Support Obligation (BCSO)) is determined under Tennessee's Income Shares by first obtaining the gross income of each parent, then calculating the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of each parent by subtracting credits for self-employment tax actually paid by that parent, pre-existing current support orders actually paid, and credits for support paid for a parent's other children for whom the parent is legally responsible and is actually supporting who are not the subject of a pre-existing support order. Then, using the Child Support Schedule, the combined adjusted gross income of both parents is cross-referenced in the Schedule with the number of children to determine the BCSO. Each parent's share (called the "Percentage of Income" or "PI") of the BCSO is determined by pro-rating the BCSO between the parents in the same proportion as each parent's AGI is to the combined AGI of both parents. The Tennessee Department of Human services website has an Income Shares Tutorial page which includes links to the Guidelines, Rules, the Child Support Schedule, and the Child Support and Credit Worksheets. It also has a detailed walkthrough, which will take you step by step through the process of filling out the worksheets, and provides interactive worksheets using five case examples. The Frequently Asked Questions section provides answers to the most asked questions regarding Income Shares and the new worksheets. May I have my child support payments deposited into my checking or savings account? To do this please complete a "Direct Deposit Enrollment Form" and submit it to the address provided on that form. If the non-custodial parent is in the military, can child support be deducted from his/her paycheck? Military allotments for child and spousal support can be voluntary or involuntary. If a service member is not paying support and will not agree to have payments deducted from his paycheck, we can obtain an income assignment and serve it on the appropriate military branch. The non-custodial parent was laid off his/her job and receives unemployment compensation benefits. Can I still get child support? Yes, a portion of the unemployment compensation benefits can be intercepted for child support. Can the non-custodial parent’s credit rating be affected if back child support is owed? Yes. Past due balances of child support can be referred to the credit bureau to prevent the non-custodial parent from obtaining a loan until the debt is paid. If my divorce orders alimony or spousal support, can I get it enforced through your office? If the spousal support is ordered along with child support, then we can also enforce both the child and spousal support. The local child support office sent a request to another state to get a support order from the non-custodial parent. Why is it taking so long? Most child support enforcement agencies have a high demand for services. A state will be able to respond more rapidly if good information is received on a case. Your local office will usually write or call at regular intervals to inquire about the case status and will notify you when action has been taken on your case. I have a child support order from a Tennessee court and the non-custodial parent lives and works in another state. The parent stopped paying support when he/she moved. What can be done? If the local office verifies employment in another state and the parent is not paying as ordered, that office can send an income withholding directly to the employer in the other state provided the employer’s state has passed the direct wage-withholding portion of UIFSA, otherwise, a petition must be forwarded through the appropriate channels. Can paternity be established for my child if the father lives in another state? Yes, but it may be more difficult to establish paternity across state lines when the father will not admit paternity. Usually genetic tests will be ordered to help the other state determine paternity.