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Open a Case
Opening a Child Support Case
A child support case is opened by the non-custodial
parent or custodial party by completing an application.
(You can request by phone a packet be sent to you by regular mail
or you can
come by the office to obtain an application packet.)
If your child (ren) is currently receiving CalWORKS
benefits you do not need to complete an application
form; a case will automatically be opened for you. Once
DCSS receives a completed, signed application we will
mail both parties a letter notifying them the case is
open and provide the Department of Child Support
Services case number. (We would be happy to provide
assistance with the application process. Please allow
approximately one hour for this process.) |
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The
DCSS opens cases:
- At the request of the custodial party or the
non-custodial parent
- Upon a referral from the California Department
of Social Services as a result of the application
for TANF (Temporary Aide for Needy Families)
- At the request of another jurisdiction
(inter-county, inter-state, or international cases)
The Imperial County Department of Child Support Services
(DCSS) provides child support services to custodial
parents at no cost. When you are applying for services,
please remember you are our best informative resource.
The more complete, reliable, and accurate the
information is that you provide, the easier and faster
it will be to enforce the child support order. The
following information is requested to open your case:
- Completed application
- The full legal name, address, and phone number
of the parent owing support
- Any information on any other names the party is
known by
- Dates and places of birth of the non-custodial
parent and the child (ren)
- A physical description of the non-custodial
parent
- A recent photo of the non-custodial parent
(optional)
- Social Security numbers for all parents and the
child (ren)
- Name and address of the non-custodial parent's
current or most recent employer
- Names of any professional organizations or
unions with which the non-custodial parent is
affiliated
- Copies of the child (ren)'s birth certificates
- Names of friends and relatives of the
non-custodial parent
- Location of property that the non-custodial
parent or the parents of the non-custodial parents
own
- Information pertaining to income and other
assets of the non-custodial parent (i.e., pay slips,
tax returns, bank accounts, cars, boats, RVs,
investments or property holdings)
- Existence and extent of any permanent disability
- A copy of any child support order (if
applicable)
- A marriage license or certificate (if
applicable)
- The divorce decree or separation agreement (if
applicable)
- Any other information that would be helpful to
determine the ability to pay or how to best collect
the child support owed, such as knowledge of trusts,
royalties, commissions, stock or bonds, etc.
The Department of Child Support Services and the
court follow the child support guidelines found in the
California Family Code, Sections 4055 - 4076. The court
looks at several factors when determining how much child
support a parent should pay:
- The number of children involved
- The net income of both parents
- The percentage of time each parent has physical
custody of the child (ren)
- The tax filing status of both parents
- The existence of hardships such as other
children, loss of employment, extraordinary
catastrophic losses, or un-reimbursed medical
expenses.
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