Child Support Information for Employers

The best way to contact us is by email at BCSS-CIU@dhhs.nh.gov. Please use EMPLOYER as the subject line so we can serve you more efficiently.  In the body of the email please include 

• your full company name, address and contact information 
• the employee/obligor's full name and his/her remittance identifier (if known), or the last 4 digits of his/her Social Security Number (if the remittance identifier is not known), 
• and any other case specific information.

Or:

• 1-800-852-3345, extension 4438 or (603) 271-4438 (Employers only #)

Option 1: Mail

EMPLOYER Income Assignments
Child Support Regional Processing Center
PO Box 9501
Manchester, NH 03108-9501 

Option 2: Online

Employers visit ExpertPay for an easy and secure way to set up electronic child support withholding for your employees.

After you receive an Income Withholding Order (IWO), you will get weekly coupons from us. Please send an email to BCSS-CIU@dhhs.nh.gov if you are having trouble receiving or no longer wish to receive coupons. If you no longer wish to receive withholding coupons because you use a payroll company, please include the name and address of your payroll company in the email. Be sure to keep your payroll company information up-to-date. 

The amount withheld in an income assignment cannot be more than the amount specified in federal law, 15 USC 1673(b), "Restriction on Garnishment." 

The maximum percentage of net pay that can be withheld when child support arrearages are owed is

• 65% if the employee does not support a second family 
• 55% if the employee does support a second family 
• If the employee does not owe child support arrearages, then the figures are 60% and 50% respectively.

If you need assistance to figure this out, please email or call us at 

• BCSS-CIU@dhhs.nh.gov, or
• 1-800-852-3345, extension 4438 or (603) 271-4438 (Employers only #)

This is the link to the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement  (OCSE) website for employers. This website contains examples of calculations used when an employee does not earn enough wages to meet the order for child support withholding. Answers to many of your questions may be found at the OCSE website. 

To report terminations of employment to BCSS, please fill out and return the NOTIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT TERMINATION OR INCOME STATUS section on page 3 of the Income Withholding For Support (IWO) Form. Please include the last known address of the employee and new employer, if known. Please know it may take 2-4 weeks for us to process the termination.

Contact the Child Support Worker listed on the IWO to determine if you are required to report and/or withhold lump sum payments

The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement has developed an electronic Income Withholding Order (e-IWO) process that enables you to:

•  Eliminate time consuming paperwork
•  Increase accuracy and reliability of data
•  Save staff time and resources
•  Communicate quickly with state child support agencies
•  No cost to employers

To get more information and enroll, contact the e-IWO Team. 

Medical support is a form of child support that provides either cash medical support or healthcare coverage (health insurance). Cash medical support is ordered on the Income Withholding Order for Support (IWO) order/notice.  Child support agencies send a National Medical Support Notice (NMSN) to the employer to order healthcare coverage for an employee’s child(ren). For specific information about Medical Support and the National Medical Support Notice, please click here.

By federal law, we are required to send one Income Withholding Order/Notice for Support (IWO) to employers for each Child Support Case when the employee has multiple cases with us.

REMITTING PAYMENTS
 Although employers will receive an Income Withholding Order (IWO) for each case, you must remit one payment for that Paying Parent/Employee, and include the Remittance ID number from the IWO. (Employers will have to calculate the total amount from each IWO to submit the correct amount.)

WHEN ONLY ONE OF MULTIPLE CASES IS AMENDED OR TERMINATED
 IWOs issued prior to August 26, 2016, previously combined all of the Obligor’s (employee’s) cases. When an IWO for one case is amended or terminated by us, you will receive the amended or terminated IWO for that one case, plus new and separate IWOs for each of your employee’s other cases. 

FORM NAMES
BCSS’ form names to employers are:

• BCSS 691A-IS94 Income Withholding for Order/Notice for Support (IWO)
• BCSS 691B-LSP One-Time Order/Notice for Lump Sum Payment

You as an employer are required to abide by the IWO completely. An employer cannot modify or end an ongoing wage assignment unless it receives a separate termination IWO from us.

NH Income Assignment Law RSA 458-B

The employer/income withholder must implement a regular payday income withholding no later than the first pay period that occurs 14 days after the INCOME WITHHOLDING FOR SUPPORT (Form DCSS 691A/IWO) is mailed.

The initial regular payday income withholding binds the employer/income withholder until further notice. The Bureau of Child Support Services (BCSS) will send a separate IWO with the "TERMINATION OF IWO" box checked to an employer/income withholder when BCSS wishes to terminate a regular payment withholding. An employer/income withholder cannot end an ongoing regular payment IWO unless it receives a separate termination IWO. NOTE: A lump sum payment request is a stand-alone one-time issuance document and will only include the amount of the requested lump sum payment. Any lump sum request does not alter or end an existing (already in place) regular payment IWO. BCSS will not send a separate lump sum IWO termination document as each lump sum payment IWO represents a one-time payment request.

The employer/income withholder must send the withheld amount to BCSS at the same time the employee/obligor is paid. If an employer/income withholder withholds income from an employee/obligor but does not send the money to BCSS, the employer/income withholder could be guilty of theft, which is punishable by up to 15 years in N.H. state prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000.

The employer/income withholder is liable for the accumulated amount it should have withheld if it fails to withhold in accordance with the provisions of this notice and could be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of up to $1,000.

The employer/income withholder is subject to a fine of up to $1,000 if the employer/income withholder discharges, refuses to employ, or takes any disciplinary action against an employee/obligor because of the withholding procedures.