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Child Support
Contact:
Maria Burns


Child Support is the money absent parents pay to help support their children. The Court orders the support. The support may be part of an interim, temporary, permanent, or modified court order in the following:

  • Divorce
  • Paternity Action
  • Order for Protection
  • Child Custody Action 
  • Separate Child Support Action

You may receive Child Support if you are the parent of a minor child or are the person who has court-ordered custody of a minor child, if the minor child lives in your home, if one or both parents are absent from the home, or if the court has ordered the amount of Child Support. 

Minnesota Child Support Program Services:
  • Locating parents
  • Establishing parentage
  • Establishing court orders for Child Support
  • Providing medical, dental, and child care support
  • Reviewing and modifying court orders for Child Support
  • Adjusting court orders based on the cost-of-living index
  • Enforcing court orders for the child
  • Working with other states to enforce support when one parent does not live in Minnesota
  • Collecting and processing payments

Services that are not provided:
  • Divorce assistance
  • Parenting time or custody mediation/resolution
  • Spousal maintenance (alimony) order establishment or modification or cost-of-living adjustments
  • Legal advice or counsel

If you are not receiving public assistance, you can apply for Child Support services through the Stevens County Child Support office. If you are receiving public assistance and you are the custodial parent of a minor child and the other parent does not live in your home, you are automatically referred for Child Support Services. 

You must take an active role in your case. Your cooperation with the Child Support Office improves support establishment and collection. You must report changes that affect your case.

If you are receiving public assistance, you must also assign some or all of your Child Support to the state. If you receive Child Support directly, you must report it. If paternity needs to be established or the non-custodial parent needs to be located, you must cooperate with the office by providing correct information. If you do not cooperate with paternity or Child Support, your public assistance benefits may be reduced. If the state makes a mistake and overpays you, you must repay the state for the over-payment. 



Where Can I Make a Child Support Payment?
There are several ways to make a child support payment:

1. Automatic withdrawals: Some parents may pay their support by automatic-recurring withdrawal.

2. Retail Locations: Parents can now pay their support with cash at certain retail locations (Casey's General Store, CVS, Family Dollar, and Seven-Eleven) using a vendor called PayNearMe. Child Support Services will have access to PayNearMe's portal to help parents get the barcode they need to make a payment. Please contact Child Support Services or go to the PayNearMe website for more information. 

http://paynearme.com/en/

3. Online Payments: Parents can make payments using Minnesota Child Support Online (MCSO) at www.dhs.state.mn.us. Payments are made from their checking or savings account to the Minnesota Child Support Payment Center through a secure online application.

4. Mail: Parents may pay their support by check, cashier's check, or money order. Parents must identify their payments to ensure that they get credit for them and the payments are applied to the correct case. Parents should include their name on the payment and at least one number, such as:
  • Child Support Case Number
  • Participant Number (also called MCI number)
  • Social Security Number
Make checks payable to:
Minnesota Child Support Payment Center

Send payments to:
Minnesota Child Support Payment Center
PO Box 64326
St. Paul, MN 55164-0326

Do not send cash. Do not send payments to the other parent directly. 

Processing time: Payments received at the Child Support Payment Center on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday are issued the following Monday. Payments received the day before state holidays are issued the next business day. 

5. MoneyGram: Parents can make payments nationwide at the following retailers: Walmart, Cub Foods, and CVS (standalone stores). Once location is located parents will need the following information: sufficient cash to make child support payment plus the $3.99 fee, their individual MCI number, and the MoneyGram code 14665.



Important Links

MN DHS Child Support:

http://mn.gov/dhs/people-we-serve/children-and-families/services/child-support/index.jsp

 

MN Child Support - (for up-to-date case info and payment info):

http://www.childsupport.dhs.state.mn.us/Action/Welcome

 

MN Courts Self-Help: 

http://www.mncourts.gov/Help-Topics/Child-Support.aspx

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