What is Child Support and When does it Occur in Louisiana?

Child support in Louisiana is a part of the welfare stipulations for involved children during the legal process of a divorce, separation or annulment. It is a financial responsibility of divorcing parties as imposed by the state laws to ensure the child does not suffer because of the parents’ decision.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching more straightforward, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the document or person involved

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party websites may vary.

What is Louisiana Child Support?

According to the Louisiana legislature, child support is a parent’s obligation in providing support to a child in at least three ways: emotional, financial, and medical. The Department of Children and Family Services plays a major role in ensuring that concerned parties fulfill these obligations.

What Does Child Support Cover in Louisiana?

The child support payments formula in Louisiana is to cover the expenses of food, accommodation, education, clothing and other esse trial activities. These costs do not cover non- essential extra-curricular activities, private health insurance, and special needs that amount to ostentatious living.

What is the Average Child Support Payment in Louisiana?

By the stipulations of the state, a child should be comfortable with $1000 a month. It brings costs to $12,000 a year. Non-custodial parents have a 66.6% share of this allocation after combined income calculations, while the custodial parent sponsors the balance. The custodial parent is the party that spends over 50% of the parenting time with the child. In Louisiana, the custodial parent gets compensated for the time by bearing only a third of the financial support required.

How Do I Apply for Child Support in Louisiana?

The Department of Child and Family Services in Louisiana (DCFS) has the sole responsibility of managing child support payments in the state. The starting point for applying for child support services depends on the circumstances surrounding the arrangement. If the non-custodial parent is compliant, applications are easier and straightforward. If there is a need to locate the non custodial parent, the agency can assist by partnering with the Federal Parent Locator Service, a federal initiative that provides information about social security status of citizens, and pension schemes for veterans. Louisiana also partners with the Electronic Parent Locator Network (EPLN),, a database from a consortium of 18 US states. Should it be necessary to enforce the obligation, the Child Support Enforcement Locator Services will assist in the process, at a fee. It is $10 if the social security number of the non-custodial parent is available, and $14 if unavailable.

If there is a controversy on paternity, the agency assists in establishing this through a series of affidavit documents, court process and genetic testing.

If it is a question of how the child support is to be paid, the agency works in line with the award guidelines for child support, and with the court to calculate how much non custodial parents must pay. Visit the nearest agency office to the child’s county of residence to begin the process. Use the 'Find an Office' link to locate the relevant address. Be clear about the reason for the visit to guarantee getting the right paperwork. Follow the instructions provided for each type of case. Processed applications initiate a collection and distribution of payments by the payor to the custodial parent respectively. The Centralized Collection Unit of the agency carries out this task. Payments usually get posted a day after they come in. Below is the address of the unit:

Centralized Collection Unit
P. O. Box 260222
Baton Rouge, LA 70826

Note that there are private collection agencies that help custodial parents collect child support. It is the decision of the custodial parent where he or she wishes to collect payments. However, it does not stop them from getting assistance in support enforcement from the state.

How Do I Get Out of Paying Child Support in Louisiana?

Getting out of child support is not a simple process in Louisiana, unless the child reaches the age of 18 years, and there is no court approved basis for extension. Reasons for extension include:

• The child is unmarried
• The child is a full time student
• There are developmental disabilities. Here, payments stop at the ages of 22 years.

The asking party can request modification after showing through evidence that there is a downward material shift between the time of the award and the request for modification. By the laws of the state (La Rev Stat 9:31(e), the court must approve the modification before the asking party can effect the changes. Otherwise, the asking party may be found liable to failure in compliance.

What is Back Child Support in Louisiana?

Back child support refers to unpaid child support arrears by the non-custodial parent. The Department of Social Services in Louisiana maintains a list of defaulters of this type as delinquent payors. There is also a degree of severity assessed by the agency for each case. The most wanted category are payors that have not paid in the last six months, and owe up to $10,000 arrears payments. The agency publishes their names and addresses on their website.

How Do I Get Back Child Support Paid in Louisiana?

The DCFS agency can assist custodial parent t to enforce payments by the following ways:

• Interception of state and federal tax refunds
• Suspension of occupational or professional licenses
• Passport denials
• Motor vehicle registration suspension
• Assignment of incomes
• Contempt of court hearings leading to heavy fines and incarceration for up to 6 months

Is There a Louisiana Statute of Limitation on Child Support?

The Louisiana statute of limitation for back child support is 10 years from the age of majority (Revised Statutes 13:4291; LA Civil Code Article 3501.1.). There is no statute of limitation imposed on paternity establishment. However, under the laws of the state. a child must establish paternity within one year after the death of the supposed father.