Noncustodial Parents: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This page answers some of the questions asked by noncustodial parents.
Many other questions are answered in the Pay Child Support, Calculate Child Support, Collect Child Support, and Change a Child Support Order sections of this website.
What Happens If I Ignore Letters and Notices from ORS?
The letters, notices, and other communication from ORS give noncustodial parents important information about their case.
For example, we send noncustodial parents notices about possibly suspending their driver’s license or intercepting a federal tax refund.
If you do not respond to notices from ORS, the actions that these notices describe will generally continue even without your input.
Make your voice heard by responding to our letters and notices.
What If I Change Jobs or Move out of State?
The law requires you to keep ORS up to date on your address and employment.
If you change your job or address, contact ORS with the new information as soon as possible.
By keeping ORS informed about your location and job, your children will continue to receive support without interruption or delay. Giving us up-to-date contact information also lets us tell you about important case information.
You should contact ORS even if you move out of state.
Every state and territory in the U.S. has a child support program that can enforce your existing order. We can help figure out the easiest way to handle your specific case.
What about Custody and Visitation Issues? Why Should I Pay If the Other Parent Won’t Let Me See My Kids?
ORS does not have the power to set or enforce orders for custody and visitation (also called parenting time).
The law requires parents to pay their existing child support order, regardless of their custody and visitation situation. Refusing to pay child support because of custody and visitation does not help you or your child.
Custody and visitation problems are common reasons for people to seek legal assistance. You can find free legal clinics and other ways to get legal assistance across the state.
What If I Paid the Rent and Bought Food for My Kids Instead of Paying Cash Child Support to the Custodial Parent?
In almost all cases, child support is ordered as a dollar amount. Parents must pay that dollar amount to ORS.
Payments made in the form of items such as rent or food are called “in-kind support.” The law only rarely allows ORS to give credit for in-kind support.
In the few cases where noncustodial parents receive credit for in-kind support, that stops being possible at essentially the same time that they become aware that ORS is collecting on the case.
ORS Says I Owe More Than I Think I Do. What Can I Do to Correct This?
If you have child support debt with ORS, you should receive an Annual Notice of Past-due Child Support every year. That document explains how to dispute the amount that you owe.
You can also ask your caseworker how to request a review of the past-due amounts.
We send the Annual Notice of Past-due Child Support to the most recent address we have for you. We may also send you information about specific enforcement actions that are about to happen in your case.
What Happens If I Pay Support to More Than One Family?
When you owe child support to more than one custodial parent, we try to use what you pay to cover all of your cases.
If the amount you pay does not cover the current support due on each case, we still apply what you sent to all of your cases. We just divide it so each case gets a proportionate amount.
How Do I Find out Who My Agent Is?
To talk to your assigned caseworker, call us at 801-536-8500 and enter the requested information. You should then be automatically transferred to your assigned caseworker.
If that fails, ORS’ Customer Service Unit can also help connect you to your agent.
Note that you may have many different people working on your case at various points in the child support process.