On February 8, 2006, former President George W. Bush signed into the law the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA).  The DRA makes several changes to the child support program.

In order to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), families must assign (e.g., give up) their rights to child support payments, including any arrears (e.g., past due child support) owed to the family, to the state. The state uses the child support money that the families would ordinarily receive to repay itself and the federal government for the TANF money the families received. 

Currently, families who apply for TANF must also assign their rights to arrears that existed before they applied for TANF.  Effective October 1, 2009, however, families who apply for TANF benefits will no longer have to assign their rights to arrears existing before they applied for TANF. Any arrears that arise while the families are receiving TANF, however, will be assigned to the state. This is a mandatory change in the law that all state IV-D programs must follow. 

If you have any questions about the Deficit Reduction Act or how if affects your child support case, please call the Child Support Services Division at (202) 442-9900.