SNAP

A child support deduction for households that pay legally obligated child support is allowed. For current support, a deduction up to and including the legally obligated amount is allowed. For arrears, only the amount a household member actually pays is allowed.

For households with new obligations, the anticipated amount is budgeted if the household member can reasonably explain the basis for future payment. For households with previous payments, the amount, not to exceed the legal obligation, is averaged and projected over the certification period. Consider any other anticipated changes that will affect the payment.

When child support is collected by an employer through wage garnishment or by the custodial parent through a private collection agency, the absent parent may be charged a processing fee. The processing fee is not an allowable expense. Only the legally obligated amount a household member pays is allowed as a deduction, even if a processing fee is added or subtracted from the gross amount of the child support.

If a household member pays child support in advance, the household is eligible for the child support deduction. The household is allowed the option of deducting the entire amount in the month paid or averaging the amount over the period it is intended to cover.

If legally obligated child support is paid by a household member who is disqualified due to then intentional program violation , employment sanction, felony drug convictions or being a fugitive, deduct the entire amount of eligible child support paid. alien status, citizenship, Social Security number or ABAWD work requirement, prorate the amount of eligible child support paid by the disqualified member. Deduct all but the disqualified member's share.

The full child support expense is deducted when another household member pays the legally obligated child support on behalf of a disqualified member.