Income Withholding

Responsibilities

Upon receipt of an Order/Notice to Withhold Income for Child Support or Notice of an Order to Withhold Income for Child Support, an employer is considered to have been officially notified to begin income withholding from the employee named and to remit the amount withheld.

To comply with the Order/Notice, an employer will do the following:

  • Begin withholding for child support no later than the first pay period that occurs after the date the Order/Notice is received.
  • Deduct child support on the regular pay dates, similar to deductions for FICA and federal income tax withholding.
  • Submit payments to the address specified in the Order/Notice on the pay date or for payments made by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), transmit payments no later than the second business day after the pay date.
  • Withhold according to the terms of the Order/Notice until otherwise notified.

Administrative Income Withholding Follow-up (AIWF)

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) maintains an Employer Maintenance Unit (EMU) that contacts employers to follow-up and track Administrative Income Withholding (AIW) orders.

If an employer has not responded to an AIW order or complied with one by garnishing wages and remitting them to the Texas State Disbursement Unit (SDU), the EMU will contact the employer by phone or fax.

Employers who follow these simple best practices can see a reduction of calls or faxes:

  • Notify the OAG, as directed by law, of employee terminations timely.
  • Submit child support payments promptly.
  • Obtain Income Withholding Orders electronically.
  • Respond to all calls and faxes from the EMU promptly.

For additional information on the AIWF process contact the Employer Maintenance Unit at (800) 591-7614.

Please Select a Topic

Top of page