What is Child Support and When Does it Occur in Vermont?

Vermont child support refers to the payments made by a parent without custody of a child to a parent with custody of a child. Child support typically occurs when a family goes through a divorce or legal separation, placing the child in one parent’s legal custody. The non-custodial parent is then obligated to continue supporting the child despite not having custody over them. The Vermont Agency of Human Services Department for Children and Families runs the Office of Child Support (OCS). OSC is responsible for keeping track of enforcing child support orders.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching more straightforward, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the document or person involved

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party websites may vary.

What is Vermont Child Support?

Title 15 Chapter 11 Subchapter 3A § 650–670 on child custody and support states that it is the parents’ to support the child. The court defines the custodial parent as the parent with whom the child lives or the parent who has custody. Both parents should be providing child support, but only non-custodial parents must make regular payments. Child support orders should reflect the real costs of raising children, beyond basic needs. Child support comes in the form of court-mandated payments from a non-custodial party to a custodial party to maintain, care for, and support the child.

What Does Child Support Cover in Vermont?

Vermont legislature states that both parents are equally responsible for caring for a child and providing the child everything necessary for maximum development and fulfillment. Child support payments are not limited to the basic needs of the child. In Vermont, child support includes costs for housing, appropriate clothing, educational expenses, including school supplies and college payments, routine healthcare checkups, insurance costs (including health, dental and vision), childcare (such as babysitting and daycare services), traveling expenses, extracurricular activities such as sports and volunteering, and even entertainment.

What is the Average Child Support Payment in Vermont?

The average child support payments for a one-child household in Vermont in 2018 was $519. The state of Vermont uses a procedure known as the Income Share Model to calculate the average amount of expenses spent on childcare monthly. The method allows the court to estimate payments for the non-custodial parent using each parents’ income.

How Do I Apply for Child Support in Vermont?

Explain how interested and eligible persons can apply to receive or enforce child support payments from non-custodial parents. Discuss the requirements for processing child support applications and the eligibility requirements of the applicants.

Parties who wish to file for child support can apply with the Office of Child Support. Parties can download and fill out applications electronically, print physical copies and complete them by hand, or have a form delivered upon calling the central office at 1–800–786–3214. Once the application is signed and completed, the party must return it to a regional office by mail or in person. The address of the Office of Child Support is as follows:

Vermont Office of Child Support
280 State Drive, NOB 1
Waterbury, VT 05671–1060

How do I Get Out of Paying Child Support in Vermont?

Vermont residents maintain the right to contest court orders, including child support payments. Either parent can create a petition for the court to change or modify child support orders. Typically, parents take this action in the case of a change or new information. The Vermont Judiciary website provides an application to waive filing fees and service costs, which parties can submit to the court after filling out.

What is Back Child Support in Vermont?

In Vermont, back child support payments, or arrears, are expenses owed in the past but not paid by the non-custodial parent. Custodial parents have a right to back child support regardless of where either party lives. Vermont does not impose interest payments on back child support, and collection of the fees must be initiated within six to eight years of the child turning 18 years old.

How Do I Get Back Child Support Paid in Vermont?

Custodial parents in Vermont who are to be paid back child support can obtain the services of the Office of Child Support, together with the Vermont Judiciary, to enforce the payments. The OCS can take measures in their jurisdiction, such as suspending licenses or taking from tax refunds. Parties can also use the courts and file a Motion to Enforce Child Support and Affidavit.

Vermont Child Support Enforcement Measures

The Office of Child Support (OCS) can enforce the payments overdue child support from non-custodial parents per the Vermont legislature. OCS can take the following measures:

• Freezing and redirecting income
• Reporting the fault to the credit bureau
• Intercepting federal tax returns
• Liens and levies
• Suspension of work and driving licenses
• Intercepting lottery winnings

Who Can Enforce Court Ordered Child Support in Vermont?

Child support orders are enforced by the Office of Child Support (OCS), which is run by The Vermont Agency of Human Services (VAHS). VAHS and OCS are federally funded programs within the state of Vermont. The Vermont judiciary and Family Court also provide services for encoring child support payments in the form of legal penalties, such as jail time.

Is there a Vermont Statutes of Limitation on Child Support?

The statute of limitations for child Support in Vermont states that non-custodial parents should pay child support until the child completes their secondary education. If the party does not pursue secondary education, the court will not enforce child support payments after the child reaches 18 years old.