When will I receive my child support after our divorce is final and my ex-husband or ex-wife is paying by wage assignment?

This process takes approximately 3 weeks after the Final Decree, Parenting Plan, and Wage Assignment are signed by the Judge. A State Demographic Sheet will also need to be submitted to the Chancery Court office to begin the process. When those things are complete, we will prepare a Notice of Income Assignment to send to the employer. We will submit the State Demographic Sheet to the State Disbursement Unit in Nashville to set up your case with them. The employer will deduct the child support from the next payroll and send it to the State Disbursement Unit to be sent to you.

When will I receive child support if my ex-husband or ex-wife is paying directly to the State Disbursement Unit?

In order to set up a case with them, the order for child support will have to be signed by the Judge, and you or your attorney will need to submit a State Demographic Sheet to our office. Once we submit the information to the State Disbursement Unit and your case is set up, the child support is typically sent to you within 24 hours of the State Disbursement Unit receiving it.

What steps do I take if my child support is not being paid by my ex-husband or ex-wife?

You can call your attorney, call the local Child Support Office (615-898-8002) and ask to “apply for their services”, or you can file your own Petition to Enforce and represent yourself. The filing fee for filing a Petition to Enforce is $77.00 plus service fee.

What do I need to do if my child is 18 and graduated from high school and I have another child or children?

Typically, a Petition to Modify your child support would be filed. You can call your attorney for assistance, call the local Child Support Office and ask to “apply for their services”, or you can file the paperwork yourself. The fee for filing a Petition to Modify is $77.00 plus the service fee.

How do I find out whether my ex-husband or ex-wife has paid in any child support?

Since the Chancery Court does not collect child support payments in our office, you will call the State Disbursement Unit Unit in Nashville. The phone number is (615) 253-4394 or 1-800-838-6911. You can also go to the State of TN website to print off the child support pay record. The website is www.tn.gov.

How do I pay my child support to the State Dispersement Unit?

You can mail a check or money order to State Disbursement Unit, PO Box 305200, Nashville, TN 37229. You can also pay online if you go to www.tn.gov and go into the child support section. You will need your TCSES Case Number and your social security number to pay online.

If I change jobs how do I get my wage assignment started with my new employer?

We have a Request for New Wage Assignment form, available in the forms section. The fee for setting up a new wage assignment is $31.67, and this payment will need to be submitted with the Request in order for it to be processed.  We will prepare a new Notice of Income Assignment and send it to your employer. You can make your payments to the State Disbursement Unit in Nashville until the employer implements the wage assignment and you see the money deducted from your check.

How do I stop child support once all of my kids have turned 18 or graduated from high school?

You can contact your attorney to assist with the filing of a Petition to Terminate or you can file it yourself. If you and your ex-spouse are in agreement that there are no arrearages, you may file a Joint Petition to Terminate Child Support along with the Agreed Order to Terminate Child Support.  If it is agreed, a hearing will not be required. The filing fee will be $77.00.