Virginia Law

Article 10. Financial Operations.

The Department shall pay interest to the payee as provided in this section on certain spousal or child support payments it collects which have been ordered by a court or established by administrative order to be paid to or through the Department to the payee and for which the Department has an assignment of rights or has been given an authorization to seek or enforce a support obligation as those terms are defined in §§ 63.2-100 and 63.2-1900. Such interest shall accrue, at the legal rate as established by § 6.2-301, on all support payments collected by the Department and paid to the payee more than thirty days following the end of the month in which the payment was received by the Department in nonpublic assistance cases. Interest shall be charged to the Department on such payments if the Department has an established case and if the obligor or payor provides identifying information including the Department case number or the noncustodial parent's name and correct social security number.

1987, c. 609, § 63.1-250.1:1; 2002, c. 747.

Interest at the judgment interest rate as established by § 6.2-302 on any arrearage pursuant to an order being enforced by the Department pursuant to this chapter shall be collected by the Commissioner except in the case of a minor obligor during the period of his minority. The Commissioner shall maintain interest balance due accounts. In accordance with § 63.2-1908.1, the Commissioner may compromise interest on debt owed to the Commonwealth for reimbursement of public assistance paid.

1974, c. 413, § 63.1-267; 1976, c. 357; 1995, c. 483; 2002, c. 747; 2015, c. 506.

Funds collected as a debt to the Department pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be placed in a special fund of the Department for use in the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.

1975, c. 302, § 63.1-251.1; 1988, c. 906, § 63.1-274.1; 2002, c. 747.

Support payments received by the Department pursuant to one or more judicial or administrative orders, or a combination thereof, shall be allocated among the obligees under such orders with priority given to payment of the order for current support. Where payments are received pursuant to two or more orders for current support, the Department shall prorate the payments on the basis of any amounts due for current support under each such order. Upon satisfaction of any amounts due for current support, the Department shall prorate the remainder of the payments on the basis of accrued arrearages owed to the obligees under each such order. Payments received pursuant to federal tax refund offset shall be allocated pursuant to subsection h of 45 C.F.R. § 303.72.

All support payments received by the Department shall be distributed to the obligee within two business days of receipt, provided that sufficient information accompanies the payment or is otherwise available to the Department within that time to identify the obligee and the place to which distribution should be made. The term "business day" means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday or other day on which state offices are closed.

1992, c. 199, § 63.1-251.2; 1997, c. 562; 2002, c. 747; 2015, c. 52.

Repealed by Acts 2010, c. 243, cl. 2, effective April 7, 2010.

Distribution of amounts collected by the Department as a result of an offset made under the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program (P.L. 97-35, as amended) to satisfy non-TANF past-due support from a federal tax refund based upon a joint return shall be made when the Department is notified that the unobligated spouse's proper share of the refund has been paid or 180 days following receipt of the offset, whichever is earlier. The Department shall establish procedures for the prompt refund of any incorrect offset amounts and the compensation of unobligated spouses for the payment of their shares to obligees.

1997, c. 653, § 63.1-251.4; 1998, c. 781; 2002, c. 747.

Whenever any person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision or department of the Commonwealth has in its possession earnings, deposits, accounts, or balances in excess of the amount of the debt claimed by the Department plus $100, such person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision or department of the Commonwealth may, without liability under this chapter, release such excess to the debtor.

1974, c. 413, § 63.1-259; 2002, c. 747.

All moneys collected in fees, costs, attorney fees, interest payments, or other funds received by the Commissioner which are unidentifiable as to the support account against which they should be credited, shall be held in a special fund from which the Commissioner may make disbursement for any costs or expenses incurred in the administration or enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.

1974, c. 413, § 63.1-269; 1976, c. 357; 2002, c. 747.

Any support debt due the Department pursuant to § 63.2-1908 that the Commissioner deems uncollectible may be transferred from accounts receivable to a doubtful account, cease to be accounted as an asset, and discharged from its records.

1974, c. 413, § 63.1-270; 1975, c. 596; 1976, c. 357; 1988, c. 906; 1992, c. 716; 2002, c. 747.

No filing or recording fees, court fees, or fees for service of process shall be required from the Department by any clerk, auditor, sheriff or other local officer for the filing of any actions or documents authorized by this chapter or, for the service of any summons or other process in any action or proceeding authorized by this chapter.

1988, c. 906, § 63.1-274.7; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall have the authority to assess and recover from the noncustodial parent in proceedings to enforce child support obligations against the noncustodial parent, reasonable attorneys' fees. All such fees recovered in proceedings to collect child support arrearages shall be retained by the Department in a special fund for the support of the Division of Support Enforcement. The Department shall also have the authority to assess and recover costs in such cases. However, the Department shall not be entitled to recover attorneys' fees or costs in any case in which the noncustodial parent prevails.

The Department shall have the authority to assess and recover the actual costs of genetic testing against the noncustodial parent if paternity is established. Where an original test is contested and additional testing is requested, the Department may require advance payment by the contestant. The genetic testing costs shall be set at the rate charged the Department by the provider of genetic testing services.

The Department shall have the authority to assess and recover the actual costs of intercept programs from the noncustodial parent. The intercept programs' costs shall be set at the rate actually charged the Department.

The Department shall have the authority to assess and recover the actual costs of fees for service of process, and seizure and sale pursuant to a levy on a judgment in enforcement actions from the noncustodial parent.

The fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to this section may be collected using any mechanism provided by this chapter.

1991, c. 390, § 63.1-274.10; 1996, cc. 746, 1054; 1997, cc. 792, 896; 2002, c. 747; 2005, c. 880.