Family Support Registry (FSR)
I have seen many couples end a relationship with one promising to pay child support regularly and on time. There is a request that the payments be made directly to the other parent, without going through the Family Support Registry. Often the parent receiving money agrees, hoping things will come faster that way. For the paying parent, an income assignment can feel like a garnishment for bad debts when it comes up at work.
Some couples manage to support each other in raising a child for years, and without any form of court order. However, even with good will, unexpected job changes can severely test the very best parents. In these circumstances, the existence of open books, kept by an honest broker can really help defuse arguments about who paid how much, and when. In court, there is a special rule that lets FSR records come into evidence easily, which makes proving who has or has not paid much simpler than relying on handwritten notes or scraps of paper. For all these reasons, I think the Family Support Registry (FSR) is good for parents who pay, not just those who receive. There are many misconceptions about the FSR. For starters, it is not the same bit of government as your local county child support enforcement unit: it is a separate entity run by the Colorado Department of Human Services. Paying into the FSR is different from having your wages garnished. It is easy to set up an income assignment and have payments automated, but you can do automatic deposits from your bank or just write FSR a check, so that it can be quite private. Local county child support enforcement units can help set things up. If you do want to use an income assignment, there are forms for this on the State of Colorado Courts' website. If you already have a child support order, you can begin by searching for form jdf 1801 which contains instructions for completing an income assignment based on existing child support or maintenance orders. |
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