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 Massachusetts, income withholding is a common method used to collect 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. This order can be issued by a court or administratively by a child support agency, such as the Massachusetts Department of Revenue's Child Support Enforcement Division. Employers are required to withhold the specified amount from the parent's paycheck and send it directly to the state's child support agency, which then distributes the funds to the receiving parent. Employers must comply with the income withholding order within the timeframes specified by state law, and failure to do so can result in legal penalties. Income withholding is designed to ensure timely and consistent child support payments to help provide for the child's needs.