Many parents who owe child support have payments taken from their checks through income withholding. However, some have to find different ways to fulfill these obligations, such as those who lose their job unexpectedly or need to make additional payments because withholding does not cover everything. In Virginia, parents have the option to pay child support online.
It is crucial for non-custodial parents who owe support to closely review a number of issues related to online payments to avoid potentially serious problems.
Getting started with online child support payments
The Virginia Department of Social Services provides helpful information regarding online child support payments. First, those who want to enroll need to provide various types of information, such as their email, banking information, address, phone number, case number and Social Security number.
DSS recommends paying support early to ensure that the state can process payments on time since it can take five business days for an initial payment to go through. Later on, payments take two business days to process.
Other child support payment methods
Aside from the state’s portal, parents can use other third-party services to pay support. However, it is important to review fees charged by these services and go over processing times. Additionally, parents can send a money order or check to the Division of Child Support Enforcement or make a payment over the phone.
Regardless of the way in which one pays child support, it is critical for parents to make sure they pay all of the support they owe on time to avoid harsh penalties.
