Connecticut General Statutes 52-362e – Withholding federal income tax refunds in amount equal to support arrearage. Procedures. Eligibility. Regulations
(a) Subject to the provisions of section 52-362h, whenever an order of the Superior Court or a family support magistrate for support of a child or children is issued, and, in IV-D support cases as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, the person against whom such order was issued owes past-due support in the amount specified in subsection (c) of this section, the state shall submit to the Internal Revenue Service through the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement the name of such person and request the withholding from refunds of federal income taxes owed to such person of an amount equal to the past-due support, and payment of such withheld amount to the state for distribution in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, after first deducting from any amount payable to the guardian or custodial parent of such child a collection fee sufficient to reimburse the Internal Revenue Service and the state for the cost of the offset procedure.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 52-362e
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
(b) (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, whenever an order of the Superior Court or a family support magistrate for support of a child or children is issued, and, in IV-D support cases, the person against whom such support order is issued owes past-due support in the amount specified in subsection (c) of this section, the Department of Social Services shall submit to the Commissioner of Administrative Services the name of such person and request the withholding from refunds of state income taxes owed to such person of an amount equal to the past-due support, and payment of such withheld amount by the Commissioner of Revenue Services to the state for distribution in accordance with subsection (d) of this section.
(2) Whenever an order of the Superior Court or family support magistrate is issued against a parent to cover the cost of health insurance for a child who is eligible for Medicaid and such parent has received payment from a third party for the costs of services provided under such health coverage for such child but such parent has not used such payments to reimburse, as appropriate, either the other parent or guardian or the provider of such services, the Commissioner of Social Services shall submit to the Commissioner of Administrative Services the name of such person and request the withholding from refunds of state income taxes owed to such person of an amount necessary to reimburse the Department of Social Services for such costs under the Medicaid program, and payment of such amount shall be withheld by the Commissioner of Revenue Services and distributed to the Department of Social Services for reimbursement. However, any claims for current or past due child support shall take priority over any such claims for the costs of such services.
(c) The amount of past-due support qualifying a IV-D support case for use of the federal income tax refund withholding procedure under subsection (a) of this section or the state income tax refund withholding procedure under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section shall be: (1) One hundred fifty dollars or more in temporary family assistance cases under section 17b-112; and (2) five hundred dollars or more in nontemporary family assistance cases.
(d) Support collected pursuant to this section shall be distributed as required by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.
(e) The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, setting forth procedures in compliance with federal law and regulations under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act providing for adequate notice of (1) the right to a review by Support Enforcement Services of the Superior Court, (2) the right to a fair hearing before a hearing officer, (3) a list of available defenses including the defense described in section 52-362h, and (4) procedures for a fair hearing for any person who is alleged to owe past-due support and is subject to the provisions of this section.