Show All Answers

1. What child support services are available?

Services include help with locating parents, establishing parentage, establishing court orders for support, reviewing and modifying support orders, and collecting and processing support payments.

2. Where can I make a Child Support payment?

There are several ways to make a child support payment:

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

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/

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.

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 Do not send cash.

Do not send payments to the other parent directly.

Make checks payable to: Minnesota Child Support Payment Center

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

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.

3. How are child support payments processed?

All payments are sent to a central payment center where they are processed within 24 hours resulting in payment to the applicant.

4. Who can apply for child support services?

Child support services are available to anyone who has a child not living with both parents.

5. How can I apply for child support or spousal support services?

Applications for child support and spousal support (income withholding-only) services can be found at www.dhs.state.mn.us or by contacting the Anoka County Child Support Services at 763-324-2420 or in person at any county child support office.

6. What happens when a parent doesn't pay child support?

Child support officers use a number of enforcement methods including: driver's license suspension, tax refund interception, passport denial and contempt of court.

7. Can child support be ordered if the parties were not married at the time of a child's birth?

Yes, paternity needs to be determined first either by voluntarily signing a Recognition of Parentage that is filed with the Minnesota Department of Health or through a court process. After paternity has been established, an order for child support can be established.

8. Does the child support office help with genetic testing to determine the parent?

Yes, the child support office can arrange to collect the genetic sample at the Anoka County Government Center. The testing of the sample is done at an accredited laboratory.

9. How is the amount of child support calculated?

Child support is calculated by using state mandated guidelines applied to the gross income of both parties. You can estimate the amount of child support that may be ordered on a case using the Guidelines Calculator. The estimate is informational only. The court has the authority to order child support.