When a child not living in the home or a child living in the home is ineligible for reasons other than receiving of SSI or sanctions, and the child is included in a support order with a child receiving AFDC:
- (DCSE) Sends the client a monthly HFS 2986, Statement of Child Support Account Activity, when there is an accounts receivable for the case.
- Sends HFS 2986A, Cover Letter to A/R Notice, with the monthly notice. This form tells the client they may be eligible to earmark child support payments and to contact their caseworker to discuss earmarking.
- (FCRC) Send or give the client HFS 2926, Notice for Allocation Households, explaining earmarking policy for allocation units when:
- a client contacts the FCRC in response to HFS 2986A, or
- the FCRC finds there may be an ineligible child receiving support which may be earmarked.
- (FCRC) Review the case record to see if there is a copy of the support order, if the client returns the HFS 2864.
- Ask the client for a copy of the support order if one is not in the file.
- Contact the FRC to get a copy of the order from DCSE if the client does not have a copy and there is not one in the record.
- (FCRC) Decide the amount of support to earmark for the ineligible child. To get a monthly amount, multiply:
- a weekly amount by 4.3,
- a bi-weekly (every 2 weeks) or semi-monthly (twice a month) amount by 2.
- (FCRC) Earmark the amount specified in the order, when the order requires a specific support amount be paid for the child (such as $100 per month per child).
- Divide the amount by the number of children to get the per child amount to earmark when the order requires a flat support amount for all the children (such as $200 per month for 2 children). Tell the client:
- (FCRC) Explain the amount earmarked to the client.
- (FCRC) Tell the client:
- for any month the support is not paid in full they will receive a prorated share, and
- more earmarked support than usual may be received if support is paid weekly or bi-weekly. The client must tell the caseworker when this happens so FS can be adjusted.
- (FCRC) Complete Authorization to Request Earmarked Child Support (Form 2864).
- (FCRC) Give Form 2864 to the client along with Form 2926.
- (Client) Signs Form 2864. If the client asks that the earmarked support be sent to another custodial adult or to the child if the child is living independently, the client must provide a mailing address for
- (FCRC) Complete Form 552 to delete the child (see WAG 18-03-11).
- Delete the child and earmark support for the first month the child is no longer eligible for AFDC.
- Delete the child and earmark support for the first possible payment month if the child was already deleted from the AFDC cash case or when currently deleting.
- (FCRC) Attach a copy of the support order to Form 2864.
- (FCRC) Send Form 2864 to DCSE through the FRC.
- (DCSE) Sends the earmarked support to the designated person starting the effective month shown on Form 2864. The child is entitled to the earmarked support starting the month they are removed
from the AFDC cash case, if the child is now receiving AFDC, or for the month after the month the earmark request is made, if the child is already out of the AFDC unit. If the absent parent makes payments, they are redirected within 3 weeks after they
are received by HFS.
- (FCRC) Disregard the amount of earmarked support when deciding continued eligibility for the remaining TANF unit members.
NOTE: The earmarked amount is not reported on Notice of Receipt of Child Support (Form 1661) by DCSE to the FCRC.
DCSE Returns Form 2864 to the FCRC
DCSE returns Form 2864 to the FCRC when:
- DCSE has a more recent order on file with different terms than the one attached to Form 2864, or
- a calculation error is found.
- (DCSE) Will:
- earmark at the higher level, if the calculation error or more recent order results in the client receiving more earmarked support, or
- not earmark, if the result of the error is a lesser amount.
- (FCRC) Review Section IV on Form 2864.
- (FCRC) Tell the client of the revised amount that can or will be earmarked.
- (Client) Decides if they still want to earmark support.
- (FCRC) Submit a revised Form 2864 if the client still requests earmarking, when the error was not in the client's benefit.