Paying Child Support
The Child Support team has received many questions regarding how federal stimulus payments will be impacted for customers who owe child support arrears. The following website provided by the U.S. Department of Treasury provides answers to common questions: https://fiscal.treasury.gov/top/faqs-for-the-public-covid-19.html
Child Support Payment Options
Most parents pay child support through Income Withholding Orders. If this is not an option, the parent can pay their court ordered support obligation by MoneyGram, mail or online by automatic withdrawal, phone, mobile website, TouchPay or credit card.
Make Payment Online (automatic withdrawal, phone, mobile website or credit card)
A parent can pay via automatic withdrawal, phone (844-324-3856), or credit card by going to https://tn.smartchildsupport.com
Attention: A 2.5% processor fee is applied to all credit/debit card payments made through the Tennessee Child Support Internet Payment Website.
A parent may schedule non-recurring or recurring payments. We encourage parents to take advantage of the recurring payment option in order to save time and ensure support payments are made timely. Important Note: It is the parent’s responsibility to cancel their recurring payments once their obligation has been met.
If a parent has additional questions or needs assistance with making an online payment, they may select the “Contact Us” option on the website and send an e-mail. E-mail requests are monitored closely and answered within 24 hours. If the parent wishes to speak with someone by phone, they may contact the One DHS Contact Center at 1-833-772-TDHS (8347)
MoneyGram
Parents can use cash to make his/her child support payment by using MoneyGram.
Here's how it works:
1. Find a MoneyGram location. There are over 34,000 U.S. agent locations - moneygram.com/billpaylocations
2. Bring these with you:
- Cash - Enough to make your child support payment, plus the fee of $3.99
- Case Number
- Receive code: 14680
3. Pay the amount and the fee at the cash counter.
More information can be found here.
TouchPay
Child support payments can be made using TouchPay online, through the TouchPay Mobile App or in-person at a TouchPay kiosk in the Tennessee Child Support offices listed below
*In-person cash or credit/debit card payments are accepted at the following Tennessee Child Support offices through TouchPay kiosks(Visa® and MasterCard® accepted). :
- Shelby County: 3915 South Mendenhall Rd. Memphis, TN 38115
- Madison County Juvenile Court, 110 Irby Street, Jackson, TN 38301
- Davidson County 44 Vantage Way, Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37228
- Hamilton County: Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Road, Suite D-26 Chattanooga, TN 37411
- Hamilton County Juvenile Court, 1221 East Main Street Chattanooga, TN 37408
*The TouchPay Mobile App can be downloaded on any IOS or Android Device:
- IOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1549714675
- Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchpay.csapp
*A 2.95% fee is applied to all credit/debit card payments (Visa®, MasterCard®, Discover®, and American Express® accepted). For all cash transactions $100 or less, a $3 fee is applied. For cash payments greater than $100, a $2 additional fee is applied per every $100 in payment. Minimum Payment Value: $10; Maximum Payment Value: $9,700. A fee of 2.95% will be added to all PayPal payments.
To learn more about TouchPay’s quick and easy child support payments visit www.gtlfsonlinepay.com.
Income Withholding Order
An Income Withholding Order (IWO) is an order that a court or Child Support Office sends to the non-custodial parent’s employer. It provides the employer specific information on the amount to withhold from the non-custodial parent’s income to meet the child support obligation. The child support obligation is withheld automatically by the employer and sent to the State Disbursement Unit for distribution to the custodial parent. It is the non-custodial parent’s responsibility to send the payment to the State Disbursement Unit (as detailed below) until the Income Withholding Order is put into place by the employer.
Make Payment by Mail
If paying by mail, a non-custodial should make their check or money order payable to Tennessee Child Support and mail it to the following address:
State Disbursement Unit
P.O. Box 305200
Nashville, TN 37229
Payments mailed to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) must include the following information to ascertain the payment is applied to the correct child support case.
- Name of the non-custodial parent
- Docket and Court ID Number*
- Social Security Number
*If Docket Number and Court ID Number are not provided, the Tennessee Child Support Enforcement System (TCSES) case number must be provided.
Non-custodial parents should return the payment coupon received from the Department of Human Services (DHS) with their payments, or include the appropriate identifying information mentioned above on their check or money order. Payments not properly identified cannot be processed.
View Processed Payments
Both the Custodial Parent and Non-Custodial Parent may find a listing of processed payments on-line through the Child Support Payment System at https://apps.tn.gov/tcses/. The site will show the most recent payment information first. However, the search may be narrowed to payment information for the current month, the last six months, a date range, and/or full payment history.
Please note: If you enter a date range or choose payment history, the system will display payment information based on the earliest information that can be provided. The automated system was implemented in January 1996. The earliest payment information that may be available on this online service is August 1, 2005. If you had a case that was paid through the clerk’s office prior to October 1, 1999, you must obtain payment information from the clerk for those payments.
If, after selecting date range or payment history, it is felt payment information is not shown, contact should be made with the Child Support Disbursement Unit at the One DHS Contact Center at 1-833-772-TDHS(8347).
The Custodial Parent and Non-Custodial Parent will need their case number or member ID, and their own social security number to access the information.