Income withholding is a deduction of a payment for child support from a parent’s income. An order for income withholding can be from a court or administratively ordered by a child support agency—such as the child support division of the state’s Attorney General’s office.
The parent's employer often transmits the money directly to the child support agency.
In Alaska, income withholding is the primary method of collecting child support payments. When a parent is ordered to pay child support, the amount can be deducted directly from their wages through an income withholding order (IWO). This order can be issued by a court or administratively by the Alaska Child Support Services Division (CSSD), which operates under the Department of Revenue. Employers are required to withhold the specified amount from the parent's paycheck and send it directly to the CSSD, which then distributes the funds to the custodial parent. Employers must comply with the income withholding order within seven business days of receiving it and face penalties for non-compliance. The CSSD provides assistance in enforcing child support orders, including locating non-custodial parents and initiating income withholding.