| Fwd/fyi (as excerpted from the House Committee Report):
TITLE II. REVIEW AND
ADJUSTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS
SEC. 201. MANDATORY REVIEW AND MODIFICATION OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS FOR TANF RECIPIENTS
1. REVIEW EVERY 3 YEARS
Present law
States have the option of reviewing child support orders every 3 years and, if
appropriate, adjusting orders that are being enforced by the State Child Support
Enforcement program.
Explanation of provision
States are required to review and update child support orders that are being enforced
by the State program every 3 years.
Reason for change
Child support orders become outdated on a regular basis. The factors that cause
support amounts to become outdated include inflation, unemployment, promotions or job
changes that result in increased or decreased income, marriage by either parent,
disabilities, and a host of other changes.
However, States must invest time and money to update orders. According to the
Congressional Budget Office (CBO), both States and the Federal government would save money
if child support orders were updated every 3 years. Thus, because updating orders, if done
properly, always promotes fairness and because the CBO estimates show that updating
would save money, the Committee feels it appropriate to require routine updates every 3
years. |
