How do I establish paternity?
Paternity can be established by a court order or by having the father sign a paternity affidavit. Your local county prosecutor's office, Child Support Division offers paternity establishment services. You will need to call or visit their office to schedule an appointment. Genetic testing must be court ordered and is done when requested by the respondent in the legal proceeding.

My payor is not paying.  How do I start getting child support?
A custodial parent may apply for services at the local county prosecutor's office in his/her county of residence (Local  prosecutor offices).  Please take all relevant court orders, payment records and information on the other parent with you to your appointment. There is a nonrefundable $25.00 application fee that must be paid by money order before your case is opened with that office. However, if you or your children are receiving TANF, Medicaid/Hoosier Healthwise, no fee will be charged for services.
You will be asked to provide photo identification when opening your case and when signing affidavits.

What are the different ways I can get my support?
You may choose to receive your support via direct deposit to your personal bank account or through the use of the Indiana Visa Debit Card.  Some cash payments posted at the Office of the County Clerk may be sent via the U.S. Postal Service.

What is the Indiana Visa Debit Card?
All payments posted by the Indiana State Central Collection Unit (INSCCU) or by the Allen, Marion, or Vanderburgh County Clerks are sent to custodial parents electronically, either by direct deposit or by using the Indiana Visa® Debit Card.   The debit card provides enhanced customer service, a free withdrawal for each deposit made to the account, convenient ATM locations, and free balance inquiries via the web.  Custodial parents may choose which method of electronic payment they prefer.  The payment method selected will be in effect for all child support cases belonging to a custodial parent.

What happens if my child support check is lost or stolen?
Requests for a Lost Check Search through the Indiana State Child Support Bureau are accepted 30 calendar days from the issue date of the check. The process in completing a lost warrant search can take 45-90 days. If your child support check was issued by the Child Support Bureau (not a county clerk of court), you may call the Kidsline at (317) 233-5437 or (800) 840-8757 to initiate a lost check search.  If your check was issued by the clerk of court, contact the issuing clerk.

When can my child support order be modified?
To be eligible for modification, the court order must be at least one year old and the parents’ income(s) must have changed significantly.

How do I get my child support order modified (increased or decreased)?
In a case where the custodial party is a Title IV-D participant, the non-custodial parent must call or submit a written request for review and adjustment to the local prosecutor's office that manages the case. During this process, both parties will be advised as to what information should be provided for the review. An evaluation will be conducted to determine whether the amount of child support increases, decreases, or remains unchanged. If the evaluation indicates a decrease, the non-custodial parent will be provided with a packet that they may use to file in a court action to modify the order.

Can the prosecutor’s office help me with child custody or visitation issues?
No.  Civil matters such as divorce, custody, or visitation cannot be addressed through the Title IV-D Child Support Program.  You may wish to seek legal advice in these matters.

My child’s father/mother has not been paying his/her support as ordered.  Is he/she still entitled to parenting time (visitation) with the child?
Yes.  The payment of child support and permissible visitation are not correlated.

How can I get verification of the support I receive?
Payment information is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, via the Child Support Bureau’s automated Kidsline at (317) 233-5437 or (800) 840-8757.  This information can also be obtained by choosing “Check Support Payments” in the menu at left.  An official "certified" computer print out can be obtained from the County Clerk's Office where the support order was entered (a small fee may be required).

How do I change my name/address?
If you are a TANF recipient, you must contact your TANF caseworker to change your address.  (In order to find the address and phone number of county Division of Family Resources office, click on http://www.in.gov/fssa/apply/.)  

If you do not receive TANF, you may call the Kidsline at (317) 233-5437 or (800) 840-8757 from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (Indianapolis time) Monday through Friday.  You will be asked to provide information to verify your identity, or you will be mailed a change of address form to complete.  Another way to change your name/address is to contact the County Clerk’s Office in the county where your support order was entered.  Appropriate identification will be required.     

Who can I call if I have other child support questions?
A Customer Service Representative is available via the Kidsline at (317) 233-5437 or (800) 840-8757 from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (Indianapolis time) Monday through Friday   If you have an established child support case that is being enforced by a county prosecutor’s office, you should contact that office.