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| Personal Observation |
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Previous abuses by a few who have chosen to "work the system" were
responsible for sweeping changes in the bankruptcy law. Those
that went into effect October 17, 2005 have made it difficult on
legitimate filers to qualify for Chapter 7 debt liquidation. We
shall see how this will all play out, but our personal opinion is
that the BAPCPA has done little to help the vast majority of filers.
Furthermore, it has done much to complicate the process and make it
more expensive to the consumer.
Here's a novel idea: When can we begin Means Testing the
credit guarantors? |
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If you thought that being broke was bad,
things have just gotten more difficult! The
Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA),
intended to curb abusive bankruptcy filings, affects everyone who
files for bankruptcy protection after Oct. 17, 2005.
The picture has dimmed for consumers who,
for whatever reason, have placed themselves deeply in debt.
A new Means Test determines the fate of the bankruptcy filer. Will
they qualify for the ability to file Chapter 7 (which forgives debts)?
Or will they need to file Chapter 13 (which only reschedules debts)?
Other provisions of the
BAPCPA force
consumers into costly counseling session and more expensive proceedings.
The BAPCPA also contains potential
traps. If the debtor misses one filing deadline, the bankruptcy may be
dismissed, leaving the debtor to face a series of escalating penalties when
they re-file. This serves only to make it more difficult for the
consumer to get back on their feet.
That is not the worst part. A complicated
DoJ-endorsed
means test, administered by your own attorney, will determine whether
you will be allowed to file under Chapter 7 (which forgives debt) or
Chapter 13 (which establishes as repayment plan).
It used to be that assets could be valued
at "garage sale" prices. No longer! Collateral, including
all household furnishings, motor vehicles, and other personal possessions will be assessed
at a
much higher
value. This will inflate the value of your assets, potentially
enabling your creditors to receive more money from you than in the past.
It will be much more difficult to get out from
under your installment loans, auto loans, and revolving debt (credit card
balances).
Overdue taxes and student loans, once negotiable, will be nearly
impossible to have reduced in many cases.
Many
who file for bankruptcy will do so as the result of a
catastrophic illness, accident, business
failure,
or job loss. There are dozens of exceptions which may make
it more difficult for people who legitimately need to file for bankruptcy.
Pre-filing Changes
The
means test is
the most evident change in the new bankruptcy law. It will determine
whether an individual may file under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Chapter 7 liquidates
consumer debt, while Chapter 13 requires the consumer to reschedule
their secured debt and as much of their unsecured debt as may be
possible.
Means Test Overview:
-
Income: Using
your
State's median income, your attorney determines whether your
earned income (averaged over the past 6 months)
is above or below the median for your State. The 6-month average
MUST be used, even when it
is no longer accurate (such as if the filer is unemployed or
under-employed).
-
Expenses:
After excluding housing expense, car payments, past due
taxes, child support, and up to $1,500 in private school tuition, your
attorney calculates whether the you are able to pay $100 or more per month
(over the next five years) to your unsecured creditors. These
expenses are based on IRS norms for such expenses which may be
below your actual expenses.
-
Bottom line: When your income is
ABOVE your State's median income, you MUST file under Chapter 13, unless the bankruptcy court rules that your
circumstances are extraordinary. Even if you pass the first portion of
the means test (with an income below your State's median income),
you may still fail to secure the ability to file under Chapter 7.
When
you are able to pay more than $100 per month toward your unsecured debt over the
next five years, you MUST file Chapter 13 unless the court
rules that your circumstances are extraordinary.
Collateral
valuation
Your personal possessions, including
furniture, clothes and electronics, will now be assessed at a higher
value than they may have previously been assessed. The law mandates that these
possessions (e.g., collateral) be assessed at their replacement
value, taking into consideration their age and condition.
Paperwork
The burden on the consumer to document income and expenses has increased under the new
bankruptcy law. According to the
American Bankruptcy
Institute, consumers must now provide:
-
A list of all creditors, secured and unsecured.
-
Schedules of assets and liabilities.
-
Schedules of income and expenses.
-
Certificate of
credit counseling.
-
Evidence of payment from employers, including pay
stubs of the past 60 days.
-
Statement of monthly net income.
-
Tax returns for the most-recent tax year.
-
Tax returns for several years prior to the filing,
if those returns had not been previously filed with the IRS.
-
Photo identification.
If these documents are not provided to the
bankruptcy court within 45 days of the initial filing, the court will
automatically dismiss the case. You can file for one 45-day extension,
which may or may not be granted.
Legal costs
John Penn, president of the American
Bankruptcy Institute and a partner with the law firm Haynes and Boone in
Fort Worth, Texas, estimates that legal costs involved in a bankruptcy
filing are likely to be twice that of what lawyers charged under the old law.
"The main reason it will be more expensive
is there is so much more work required of lawyers and debtors," he says.
While there is no set fee for these cases throughout the country,
typical fees currently range from $750 to $1,500, he says. Doubling
those fees drives up the cost to between $1,500 and $3,000.
Besides increased costs, lawyers will labor
under increased burdens. They will be required to certify that their
clients' claims for their assets, liabilities, income and expenses are
accurate, and could face court sanctions if they are not.
Lawyers are also placed in the odd position of being
unable to advise their clients to take on new debt before they file for
bankruptcy, including the debt of legal fees. "You ca not advise your
client to incur additional debt, but paying the lawyer will result in
more debt," says Ehrenberg. "You have violated the code if you have
encouraged them to incur an additional debt, whether that is legal fees
or other costs, even if that is the best advice you can offer."
Re-filing
If your bankruptcy case is dismissed for
any reason and you still cannot pay your bills, you must re-file.
Before the law went into effect, it was not an issue because
completing a case is much easier and there were not penalties for re-filing.
That has since changed.
When a bankruptcy case is filed, the court
automatically stops debt collection activities by those representing
both secured and unsecured creditors. Secured creditors are those with
loans secured by property such as a home, car or boat. Unsecured
creditors are those that do not have any interest in property -- mostly
credit card companies.
However, this stay is not automatic if you
previously filed a bankruptcy case that was dismissed. Under the new
law, such re-filings are automatically treated as abusive, even if the
prior case was dismissed because you were not aware that you had to file
certain documents or you made a mistake.
You'll have to ask the court for a stay
within 30 days of your second filing. If the court finds that this
filing was made in good faith, you'll get the stay on creditors. If not,
you wo not, and your house or other property could be repossessed despite
the fact that you are in bankruptcy. If it is your third time around,
the stay is even more difficult to get.
Serial filers
While the old bankruptcy law required consumers to wait
specific time periods between successive bankruptcy filings, it was much easier
to file for one type of bankruptcy after filing for another. In legal circles, consumers who filed a Chapter 13 to
retain control of
their secured property might then file a Chapter 7 to release
debts held over under Chapter 13. These abusers are known as "Chapter 20" filers.
Likewise, abusers with two Chapter 7s on their credit profiles are known
as "Chapter 14" filers.
Working the system has become much more
difficult under the new law. The new law extends the required time
period
between Chapter 7 filings to eight years. Furthermore, there must be at
least four years
between filing a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 13; and at least two years between consecutive
Chapter 13 filings.
Reducing Unsecured
Claims
The bright spot in the new law, if there is
one, allows
bankruptcy courts to impose debt reductions of up to 20 percent on
unsecured creditors who do not cooperate with a consumer credit counseling
agencies' effort to negotiate payment plans with these creditors. While
many creditors are often willing to reduce interest rates under repayment
plans, few will reduce of principal. This provision gives
consumers and consumer credit counseling agencies some real leverage in
negotiating, says Plunkett.
In many cases, unsecured creditors are the
credit card companies who were a driving force behind this bill. And
while credit card companies ultimately stand to recoup more from
consumers in bankruptcy, this provision will actually let consumers do
something meaningful to reduce their overall debt load into a more
payable amount.
A court can force this 20-percent reduction
of principal on unsecured creditors if they refuse an offer from a
debtor through a consumer credit counseling agency, offering to pay 60
percent of the debt due if the plan is proposed within 60 days of filing
a bankruptcy petition.
Enhanced
disclosures
For debtors who sign agreements with
creditors to continue paying back debt during and after bankruptcy,
known as reaffirmation, the law specifies that these consumers must be
fully informed of their rights and the exact terms of these agreements.
Consumers have the right to change their minds within a certain period
and receive documents stating the date payments are to begin, as well as
the interest rate to be paid.
Retirement and
college savings gain protection. If a consumer entering
bankruptcy has funds in a retirement plan such as a 401(k),
403(b) or an IRA, those funds are not included in the
bankruptcy as an asset available to creditors. College savings accounts
for children are also exempt, and debtors are allowed to continue to
fund retirement plans, if they can.
Support
obligations
Child support obligations now receive top
priority in bankruptcies, ahead of all other unsecured claims except
administrative and legal fees. Debtors in Chapter 13 must pay back all
child support arrears before their bankruptcy can be completed or
discharged.
Consumer Credit Counseling
Provisions in the new bankruptcy law
mandate credit counseling before a bankruptcy can be filed and
requires attending a
personal financial management seminar before the bankruptcy is complete.
Known as Bankruptcy
Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (PABCPA), the bill was passed by Congress in March
and signed into law by President Bush in April. This law went into effect Oct. 17,
2005.
There is no free lunch
-- most consumers will have to pay at least a nominal fee for both of
these classes, adding to the financial burden of a bankruptcy filing. In
fact, the entire process has become more expensive and
complex as a result of the new bankruptcy law.
Passage of BAPCPA set off a
mad scramble by various Federal agencies, courts, attorneys, and credit
counseling agencies in order to deal with the new sets of rules. BAPCPA
restricts the ability of debtors to wipe out their debts under Chapter
7, to file repeated bankruptcy petitions, and to select a more favorable
jurisdiction for bankruptcy filings. In the past, abuses enabled
far too many debtors to skirt the law, now everyone seeking bankruptcy
protect gets to pay for prior abuses by others.
Consumer advocates say
the law imposes too many burdens on consumers overwhelmed by debt.
Travis Plunkett, legislative director of the Consumer Federation of
America, or CFA, notes that there are two critical issues in the credit
counseling and personal financial management provisions: 1) whether
consumers can find a reputable agency that will actually help them deal
with their debts and 2) whether the timing is right for them to benefit
from such help.
Credit counseling
briefing
One of the most significant changes is that under the new law, consumers
who want to file for bankruptcy must complete a credit counseling
briefing, designed to inform them of their options in dealing with their
debts, six months prior to filing. The course must be at least 90
minutes long and cannot cost more than $50. Accredited agencies may not
turn anyone away based on their ability to pay.
The briefing can be
provided through one-on-one, in-person counseling; group classes or over
the phone or Internet. The U.S. Trustee Program of the Department of
Justice, which administers various aspects of the new bankruptcy law,
must approve the curriculum.
Credit counseling agencies rushed to get on
the government's approved list, but few made it by the time the law went
into effect. If you want an in-person counseling session, you may be in for
quite a drive.
As of Oct. 17, the government's
list of approved vendors included only a handful of agencies.
Someone in Albuquerque, N.M., for example, would have to drive 226 miles
to El Paso, Texas, to get an in-person interview. A Miamian would have
to drive 650 miles to Atlanta for a similar one-on-one session. That
leaves telephone or Internet classes as the only real options for most
people. This will improve as more agencies are approved.
Topics covered in the
briefing include examining the underlying causes of a consumers'
financial problems; a look at their budget, in terms of their income and
expenses; helping them understand the debt-to-income ratio; providing
guidance as to whether a debt-management plan will help the consumer;
and the consequences of filing for bankruptcy and other alternatives to
bankruptcy, according to Gail Cunningham, vice president of business
relations with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas, an
agency that has applied to provide these classes.
If a consumer works with
a credit counseling agency's representative who believes they could benefit
from a debt management plan, the plan must be included
with the consumers' bankruptcy petition -- even if the consumer does not
believe he has the ability to meet the obligations of such a plan.
Timing
Consumer advocates question whether this credit counseling briefing will
really help consumers. Most consumers may have already
made the decision to seek bankruptcy because, in most cases, they only learn about this provision through their bankruptcy attorney.
Financial
management
The back end of the twin requirements is a two-hour personal
financial management education class that consumers must attend before a
bankruptcy can be completed, or debts discharged.
According to the US Trustee's Office, the curriculum for this class
must include:
-
Budget development: Learning how
to set short and long-term financial goals, the difference between
net and gross income and classifying expenses as "fixed, variable or
periodic."
-
Money management: Learning to keep good financial
records, how to comparison shop, differentiate between wants and
needs, types of insurance and what coverage is necessary, and the
difference between short- and long-term savings.
-
Using credit wisely: Learning the types and sources
of loans and credit; identifying potential credit problems, how to
use credit appropriately and understanding credit ratings.
-
Consumer information: Learning about consumer
resources, consumer laws, and regulations.
This class also will have a fee, although it
has not
been specified as yet. Nevertheless, agencies cannot turn away anyone because of
their inability to pay. If a couple is filing for bankruptcy, each
must take both courses and receive individual certificates. This
doubles the fees charged in most cases.
Approved providers
The US Trustees Program has designed procedures and applications to vet
applicants who wish to provide these classes. Nonprofit credit counseling
agencies and attorneys are eligible to provide the credit counseling
briefing and personal financial education seminar. In addition, certified
public accountants, certified financial planners and teacher certificate
holders, among others, are also qualified to conduct the personal financial
education seminars.
While most consumer credit counseling agencies
that will provide these services are qualified as nonprofits by the IRS,
it is believed that some agencies should not qualify because they engage
in activities outside the scope of traditional nonprofits. What many
consumers do not realize, is that the consumer credit
counseling industry was founded by credit guarantors such as banks that issue credit cards.
The consumer credit counseling industry still receives a great deal of funding from
credit guarantors.
Credit card industry is interested in
recouping as much of their money as possible from consumers that experience financial
troubles. Credit counseling agencies are often rewarded by credit card
companies for
steering consumers into debt-management programs. These programs
consolidate consumers' unsecured debt and may offer an incentive in the form
of reduced interest rates. If this appears as a conflict of interest,
that's because it is!
Secured debt -- including
mortgages and vehicle loans -- are never a part of these plans, even though
secured debt may be among the many reasons that cause consumers to consider
filing bankruptcy. Adjustable rate mortgages and home equity lines of
credit may experience interest rate increases over time. That is the
nature of financial markets, but too many loan officers never explain this
properly to their customers, and even when they do, the consumer may not
fully understand the concept. Fortunately, homes tend to appreciate
over time. Their increasing values may compensate for any increases in
the interest rate or payment size. Vehicle loans too often incorporate
a significant portion of the consumer's previous vehicle loan balance,
placing them "upside down" in their loan before they make their first
payment. Unfortunately, vehicles are depreciating assets.
Single-wide, double-wide, and triple wide mobile homes are also depreciating
assets. As such, loans may incorporate prior loan balances. No
matter how creative the financing, it is very unlikely that there will be
any equity position until the closing months of the loan term.
In April of 2003, the Consumer Federation of
America and the National Consumer Law Center issued a
report titled "Credit Counseling in Crisis: the Impact on Consumers of Funding
Cuts, Higher Fees and Aggressive New Market Entrants." This report charged
that many consumers were being badly served by the credit counseling industry
and that for some consumers, these agencies were making their problems worse
rather than better. Congress also became involved, holding hearings
that resulted in a Senate report titled, "Profiteering
in a Non-Profit Industry: Abusive Practices in Credit Counseling." The
IRS has followed with a crackdown on some of the credit counseling agencies,
revoking the non-profit status of several.
MAKING A FRESH START
If you are in financial "hot water", you
must face
stricter bankruptcy rules that went into effect in October of 2005. The main
difference being that it is now more difficult for some people to qualify
for a
Chapter 7 discharge, which wipes out most debts.
There is nothing
that says that you cannot stage a two-pronged attack on your money problems. Attempt
to
improve your financial situation and, only when needed, investigate your bankruptcy
options. Regardless of which directions you take, a few suggestions of
how to regain control of your finances follow:
-
Plan To Do Battle. Set aside
a small block of time to gather your bills for analysis.
A. Secured Debts: Mortgages,
Installment loans, vehicle loans, etc. How much are the monthly
payments? What are the interest rates?
B. Mandatory Expenses: utilities,
telephone, insurance, groceries, vehicle expenses, etc. How much
per month?
C. Unsecured Debts: Revolving card
debt (where most people leap merrily to their own financial demise),
student loans, personal bank debt, etc. How much are the new,
higher minimum monthly credit card payments? What are the
interest rates? Can your student loans be consolidated?
What are their interest rates?
D. Luxuries:
Cable/dish TV, dining out, clothing, club memberships, and all other
optional purchases. Yes, this may even include a reevaluation of
Internet access! Dial-up is a viable option for many.
Now that you have a grasp of your monthly
expenses -- begin slashing expenses!
Analyze each category to look for ways to
economize. Can your housing expenses be reduced? If you
own a home, can equity be tapped to reduce your monthly expenses?
Can you reduce your electric, telephone, gasoline, and other budgets?
Can luxuries be eliminated or greatly reduced?
Always remember to pay your rent or
mortgage(s) first. Vehicle loans come second. Everything
else is negotiable.
If you have gotten yourself in so far
over your head, it is time for radical surgery.
-
Undergo Shock Therapy. Go on
a cash diet. Set aside a small cash allowance for your daily
expenses.
Do not cheat! Brown-bag your lunches (this may save $100 to $200
per month). Stop paying five bucks for designer coffee (that may
save $100 to $200 per month alone). Stop smoking (another $80 to
$200 monthly savings).
Provided that you are not "upside down" in your vehicles (far too many
consumers are), consider selling one or more. Driving a used car
or truck (even an old "junker") is not as big a disgrace as being
evicted or facing foreclosure! Again, this may save hundreds of
dollars per month.
These few simple exercises will enable you to accelerate payment of
high-interest credit card debt or high-risk finance company
installment loans. Clark Howard, host of a nationally syndicated
consumer radio program, worked with one particular couple who used this
method to dig out from $35,000 in debt in 18 months. They had a
household income of $90000, and after placing themselves on a strict allowance, they put $2200 a month toward
their credit card debt. "It was so
empowering for them," says Howard. "And the allowance method can really
work. You create a scarce resource."
-
Work As A Team! Get your family
involved -- place them on your team. The couple who placed themselves on
an allowance had a big problem at the grocery store. Namely,
their kids! The
little ones would plead for all kinds of products, which their mom would
buy. Then at the checkout, she would place this expensive junk on her
credit card. BAD IDEA! (Never, ever buy groceries
or other essentials on credit, unless you intend to pay off the
balance each month.)
Turn savings into a game, in which the children can become willing
participants. Encourage the kids to look for coupons or specials
on luxury foods that they enjoy. The game is that you need to
keep the total bill as low as possible. Reward the children with
the treat that offered the biggest savings or allow them to keep
one-quarter of the overall savings.
-
SELL OFF ASSETS! Most people
overlook this aspect of "belt-tightening". Target items that
have cash value, but not sentimental value.
Collectables, antiques, art, tools, clothes, sporting goods (e.g.,
guns, boats, RVs, golf clubs, snowmobiles, etc.), and unnecessary
items of every description. Hold a yard or garage sale.
Take out local newspaper ads. Sell to thrift stores or
consignment shops. Open an eBay account (or other internet
auction site). Take a booth at a flea market.
Check your garage, your closets, your attic, and other odd locations
to find out how much
old junk you really can live without! Packrats often
discover that they never really needed to consider bankruptcy once
they clean out their storage lockers.
-
Consumer Credit
Counseling Service. Set an appointment with a local affiliate of the National Foundation for
Credit Counseling. Avoid the fast-buck artists (and crooks) that
advertise on television and the Internet. Trained
credit counselors will help you analyze your budget and help draft a
budget you can afford.
Use extreme caution. Take their budgeting advice, but be very
careful to avoid entering into a debt management program! When
you enter into a debt management program with CCCS, it will adversely
impact your credit scores and indelibly brand your credit tradelines
as "in consumer credit counseling" or "settled for less than full
amount". This is never good. CCCS is considered by some
lenders as being much worse than any bankruptcy. At the very
least, it carries the same weight as does a Chapter 13. This
will ride with your credit for many years.
-
Negotiate Your Debts. If you
are unwilling to turn your future reputation to a debt management plan
(and the variable quality of their managers), you might want to take
over the process on your own. This is easier to do than you
might first imagine.
You will first need to establish the current status of each
account. Is the account open or closed? Is it above or near its
credit limit? Has it been closed or charged off and turned
over to collections? Accounts generally go to collection when they
are 90 to 150 days past due. If you have stellar credit, you may
be given more latitude (e.g., 150 days). If you have poor
credit, it is unlikely that you will be granted more than 120 days to
bring the account current.
Many creditors are open to negotiate your
balances once you get behind in payments. However, you must ask
them for help. A handful of creditors (most notably Discover and
MBNA) may even allow negotiations prior to going into default.
Begin by asking to have the interest rate lowered, even temporarily
eliminated. Then ask to have the payment lowered, although this may be
difficult since minimum payments are scheduled to increase in 2006.
It may be easier to request that previous accrued interest be reduced or
eliminated. This is, after all, the same strategies used by debt
settlement organizations established by major credit card companies in
an attempt to avoid having consumers discharge debts through bankruptcy.
Either the credit guarantor settles for receiving the original principal, or they risk
losing their interest and principal. Creditors are not
stupid. They will negotiate.
Alternately, some companies have
"hardship" or "intervention" programs which allow them to make
radical, temporary changes to your account. The changes may be
expressed as a formal forbearance agreement or may be an informal
agreement. Whatever you do, do not deviate from the agreed plan
or it is likely that your plan will backfire, often will calamitous
consequences. Those with a previously clean track record with
the creditor, and those with financial resources on which to draw, are
likely to have the edge.
Above all, be courteous, yet persistent.
You may not receive any offers of assistance on your very first call
to a creditor. If you sense resistance, escalate your request to
the next level by asking for the representatives supervisor in a very
respectful and polite tone of voice. This is something you must
always remember, whether negotiating a debt, validating a debt, or in
any negotiations with a creditor or collector. We are talking
about saving your reputation, for goodness sakes!
NOTICE TO CLAIM
HOLDER
|
NOTICE TO STATE
AGENCY
|
|
ALABAMA
Department of
Human Resources
50 Ripley Street
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, Alabama
36130 - 1801
Office: (334)
242-9300
FAX: (334) 242-0606 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
Department of Human
Resources
50 Ripley Street
P.O. Box 304000
Montgomery, Alabama
36130-1801 |
|
ALASKA Child Support
Services Division
Department of
Revenue
550 West 7th Avenue,
Suite 310
Anchorage, Alaska
99501-6699
Office: (800)
478-3300
FAX: (907) 269-6868 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support
Services Division
550 West 7th Avenue,
Suite 310
Anchorage, Alaska
99501 |
|
ARIZONA Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of
Economic Security
P.O. Box 40458, Site
Code 021A
Phoenix, Arizona
85067
Office: (602)
252-4045
FAX: (602) 274-8250 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
15 South, 15th
Avenue
Second Floor, Site
Code 775C
Phoenix, Arizona
85007 |
|
ARKANSAS Office of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of
Finance and
Administration
P.O. Box 8133
Little Rock,
Arkansas 72203-8133
Office: (800)
264-2445
FAX: (501) 682-6002 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Arkansas OCSE
400 E. Capitol
Little Rock,
Arkansas 72203 |
|
CALIFORNIA Department of Child
Support Services
P.O. Box 419064
Mail Station
B 10
Rancho Cordova,
California
95741-9064
Office: (866)
249-0773
|
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Department of Child
Support Services
P.O. Box 419064
Mail Station
B 10
Rancho Cordova,
California
95741-9064 |
|
COLORADO Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Human
Services
1575 Sherman Street,
5th floor
Denver, Colorado
80203-1714
Office: (303)
866-4300
FAX: (303) 866-4360 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Division of Child
Support
Enforcement/DHS
1575 Sherman Street,
5th floor
Denver, Colorado
80203-1714 |
|
CONNECTICUT Department of Social
Services
Bureau of Child
Support Enforcement
25 Sigourney Street
Hartford,
Connecticut
06105-5033
Office: (860)
424-4989
FAX: (860) 951-2996
|
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
DSS / Bureau of Child
Support Enforcement
25 Sigourney Street
Hartford,
Connecticut 06106 |
|
DELAWARE Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Delaware Health and
Social Services
P.O. Box 904
New Castle, Delaware
19720
Office: (302)
326-6200
FAX: (302) 324-6246
Customer
Service:
(302) 577-7171 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Division of
Child Support
Enforcement
P.O. Box 904
New Castle, Delaware
19720 |
|
DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA Child Support
Services Division
Office of the
Attorney General
Judiciary Square
441 Fourth Street
N.W., 5th Floor
Washington, District
of Columbia 20001
Office: (202)
724-2131
FAX: (202) 724-3710 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Office of the
Attorney General,
CSSD
441 Fourth Street
N.W., 6th Floor
North
Washington, District
of Columbia 20001 |
|
FLORIDA
Child Support
Enforcement
Department of
Revenue
P.O. Box 8030
Tallahassee, Florida
32314-8030
Office: (850)
922-9590
FAX: (850) 414-1698 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
DOR General Counsel's
Office
P.O. Box 6668
Tallahassee, Florida
32314-6668 |
|
GEORGIA
Child Support
Enforcement
Department of Human
Resources
P.O. Box 38050
Atlanta, Georgia
30334-0450
Office: (800)
227-7993
FAX: (404) 657-3326 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
Department of Human
Resources
2 Peachtree Street,
N.W., Suite 20.460
Atlanta, Georgia
30303-3142 |
|
HAWAII
Child Support
Enforcement Agency
Department of
Attorney General
601 Kamokila
Boulevard, Suite 251
Kapolei, Hawaii
96707
Office: (808)
692-7000
FAX: (808) 692-7134 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Family Law Division
- Room B-2
465 South King
Street
Honolulu, Hawaii
96813 |
|
IDAHO
Bureau of Child
Support Services
Department of Health
and Welfare
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho
83720-0036
Office: (800)
356-9868
FAX: (208) 334-5571 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Bureau of Child
Support Services
Department of Health
and Welfare
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho
83720-0036 |
|
ILLINOIS
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Illinois Department
of Public Aid
509 S. 6th Street,
6th Floor
Springfield,
Illinois 62701
Office: (800)
447-4278
FAX: (217) 524-4608 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
DCSE / MRU
P.O. Box 19405
Springfield,
Illinois 62794-9405 |
|
INDIANA
Child Support Bureau
Department of Child
Services
402 West Washington
Street, Room W360
Indianapolis,
Indiana 46204-2739
Office: (317)
233-5437
FAX: (317) 233-4932 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support Bureau
Department of Child
Services
402 West Washington
Street, Room W360
Indianapolis,
Indiana 46204-2739 |
|
IOWA
Bureau of
Collections
Department of Human
Services
400 S.W. 8th Street,
Suite M
Des Moines, Iowa
50319-4691
Office: (515)
281-5647
FAX: (515) 281-8854 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
Bureau of
Collections
400 S.W. 8th Street,
Suite M
Des Moines, Iowa
50309 |
|
KANSAS
Child Support
Enforcement Program
Department of Social
& Rehabilitation
Services
P.O. Box 497
Topeka, Kansas
66601-0497
Office: (785)
296-3237
FAX: (785) 296-5206 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
KS Child Support
Enforcement -
Central Office
P.O. Box 497
Topeka, Kansas 66601 |
|
KENTUCKY
Division of Child
Support
Cabinet for Families
and Children
275 E. Main Street
P.O. Box 2150
Frankfort, Kentucky
40602-2150
Office: (502)
564-2285
FAX: (502) 564-5988 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
DCS
P.O. Box 2150
Frankfort, Kentucky
40601 |
|
LOUISIANA
Office of Family
Support
Support Enforcement
Services Division
P.O. Box 94065
Baton Rouge,
Louisiana 70804
Office: (225)
342-4780
FAX: (225) 342-7397 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Support Enforcement
Services
Division/OFS
P.O. Box 94065
Baton Rouge,
Louisiana 70804-4065 |
|
MAINE
Division of Support
Enforcement &
Recovery
Bureau of Family
Independence, DHHS
11 State House
Station
Augusta, Maine
04333-0993
Office: (800)
371-3101
FAX: (207) 287-2886 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
DHHS / DSE&R
11 State House
Station - Whitten
Road
Augusta, Maine 04333 |
|
MARYLAND
Child Support
Enforcement
Administration
Department of Human
Resources
Saratoga State
Center
311 West Saratoga
Street, Room 329
Baltimore, Maryland
21201-3521
Office: (410)
767-7606 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Maryland Child
Support Enforcement
Administration
311 West Saratoga
Street
Baltimore, Maryland
21201 |
|
MASSACHUSETTS
Child Support
Enforcement Division
Department of
Revenue
P.O. Box 9561
Boston,
Massachusetts
02114-9561
Office: (617)
626-4064
FAX: (617) 887-7550 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Massachusetts
Department of
Revenue/CSE
P.O. Box 9561
Boston,
Massachusetts
02114-9561 |
|
MICHIGAN
Office of Child
Support
Family Independence
Agency
P.O. Box 30037
Lansing, Michigan
48909-7978
Office: (517)
373-7570
FAX: (517) 373-4980 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Office of Child
Support
Family Independence
Agency
P.O. Box 30037
Lansing, Michigan
48909-7978 |
|
MINNESOTA
Office of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Human
Services
444 Lafayette Road,
4th floor
St Paul, Minnesota
55155-3846
Office: (651)
215-1714
FAX: (651) 297-4450 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support
Enforcement Division
Enforcement Unit
444 Lafayette Road,
4th floor
St Paul, Minnesota
55155-3846 |
|
MISSISSIPPI
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Human
Services
750 North State
Street
Jackson, Mississippi
39202
Office: (800)
434-5437
FAX: (601) 359-4415 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
Division of Child
Support
Department of Human
Services
P.O. Box 352
Jackson, Mississippi
39205 |
|
MISSOURI
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Social
Services
615 Howerton Court
Building
P.O. Box 2320
Jefferson City,
Missouri 65101
Office: (800)
859-7999
FAX: (573) 751-0507 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Clay County
Prosecuting Attorney's
Office
11 S. Water
Liberty, Missouri
64068 |
|
MONTANA
Child Support
Department of Public
Health & Human
Services
3075 N. Montana
Avenue, Suite 112
Helena, Montana
59620
Office: (800)
346-5437
FAX: (406) 444-1370 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
CSCD/Suite E
2121 Rosebud Drive
Billings, Montana
59102 |
|
NEBRASKA
Office of Economic &
Family Support
Department of Health
and Human Services
P.O. Box 94728
Lincoln, Nebraska
68509-4728
Office: (402)
479-5510
FAX: (402) 471-5543 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Nebraska Department
of Health and
Human Services
Child Support
Enforcement Unit
P.O. Box 94728
Lincoln, Nebraska
68509 |
|
NEVADA
Welfare Division
Child Support
Enforcement
1470 E. College
Parkway
Carson City, Nevada
89706-7924
Office: (775)
684-0705
FAX: (775) 684-0702 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support
Enforcement Program/NSWD
1470 E. College
Parkway
Carson City, Nevada
89706 |
|
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Division of Child
Support Services
Health & Human
Services
129 Pleasant Street
Concord, New
Hampshire 03301-8711
Tele: (800)
852-3345
FAX: (603) 271-4787
Customer Service: (603) 271-4427 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
NH DHHS / DCSS
B Legal Unit
129 Pleasant Street
Concord, New
Hampshire 03301-3857 |
|
NEW JERSEY
Office of Child
Support
Department of Human
Services
P.O. Box 716
Trenton, New Jersey
08625-0716
Office: (609)
588-2915
FAX: (609) 588-2354 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
New Jersey DFD / OCSS
P.O. Box 716
Trenton, New Jersey
08625-0716 |
|
NEW MEXICO
Child Support
Enforcement Bureau
Department of Human
Services
P.O. Box 25110
Santa Fe, New Mexico
87504
Office: (505)
476-7207
FAX: (505) 476-7045 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
NM HSD CSED
B Central
Registry
P.O. Box 25110
Santa Fe, New Mexico
87502-5110 |
|
NEW YORK
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Office of Temporary
Assistance And
Disability
40 North Pearl
Street, 13th Floor
Albany, New York
12243-0001
Office: (518)
474-9081
FAX: (518) 486-3127 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Office of Temporary
Assistance And
Disability
40 North Pearl
Street, 13th Floor
Albany, New York
12243-0001 |
|
NORTH CAROLINA
Child Support
Enforcement
Department of Human
Resources
P.O. Box 20800
Raleigh, North
Carolina 27619-0800
Office: (919)
225-3800 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
NC Child Support
Enforcement
P.O. Box 20800
Raleigh, North
Carolina 27619-0800
|
|
NORTH DAKOTA
Child Support
Enforcement Agency
Department of Human
Services
P.O. Box 7190
Bismarck, North
Dakota 58507-7190
Office: (701)
328-3582
FAX: (701) 328-5497 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support
Enforcement Agency
P.O. Box 7190
Bismarck, North
Dakota 58507-7190 |
|
OHIO
Office of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Human
Services & Jobs and
Family Services
30 East Broad
Street, 31st
Floor
Columbus, Ohio
43215-3414
Office: (614)
752-6561
FAX: (614) 752-9760 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Office of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Human
Services and
Jobs and Family
Services
30 East Broad
Street, 31st
Floor
Columbus, Ohio
43215-3414 |
|
OKLAHOMA
Child Support
Enforcement Division
Department of Human
Services
P.O. Box 53552
Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma 73152
Office: (405)
522-5871
FAX: (405) 522-2753 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Oklahoma Child
Support Enforcement
P.O. Box 53552
Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma 73152 |
|
OREGON
Division of Child
Support
Oregon Department of
Justice
494 State Street
S.E., Suite 300
Salem, Oregon 97301
Office: (503)
986-6166
FAX: (503) 986-6158 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Oregon Department of
Justice
Division of Child
Support
1495 Edgewater
Street, N.W., Suite
170
Salem, Oregon 97304 |
|
PENNSYLVANIA
Bureau of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Public
Welfare
P.O. Box 8018
Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania
17105-8018
Office: (800)
727-7238 |
Bankruptcy
Reporting Contact
Bureau of Child
Support Enforcement
P.O. Box 8018
Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania 17105 |
|
RHODE ISLAND
Department of Human
Services
Rhode Island Child
Support Agency
77 Dorrance Street
Providence, Rhode
Island 02906
Office: (401)
222-4368
FAX: (401) 222-3835 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support
Enforcement
77 Dorrance Street
Providence, Rhode
Island 02903 |
|
SOUTH CAROLINA
Child Support
Enforcement Division
Department of Social
Services
P.O. Box 1469
Columbia, South
Carolina 29202-1469
Office: (803)
898-9210
Toll Free: (800) 768-5858
FAX: (803) 898-9201 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support
Enforcement Division
P.O. Box 1469
Columbia, South
Carolina 29202-1469 |
|
SOUTH DAKOTA
Division of Child
Support
Department of Social
Services
700 Governor's Drive
Pierre, South Dakota
57501-2291
Office:
(605) 773-3641
FAX: (605) 773-5246 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Division of Child
Support
700 Governor's Drive
Pierre, South Dakota
57501-2291 |
|
TENNESSEE
Child Support
Services
Department of Human
Services
400 Deadrick Street
Nashville, Tennessee
37248-7400
Office:
(615) 313-4880
FAX: (615) 532-2791 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Child Support
Enforcement
Department of Human
Services
400 Deadrick Street
Nashville, Tennessee
37248-7400 |
|
TEXAS
Child Support
Division
Office of the
Attorney General
P.O. Box 12017
Austin, Texas
78711-2017
Office: (800) 252-8014 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
OAG/CSD/Mail Code 38
P.O. Box 12017
Austin, Texas
78711-2017 |
|
UTAH
Child Support
Services
Department of Human
Services
Office of Recovery
Services
P.O. Box 45033
Salt Lake, Utah
84145-0033
Office:
(801) 536-8500
FAX: (801) 536-8509 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Office of Recovery
Services
P.O. Box 45033
Salt Lake, Utah
84145-0033 |
|
VERMONT
Office of Child
Support
103 South Main
Street
Waterbury, Vermont
05671-1901
Office:
(802) 786-3214
FAX: (802) 244-1483 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Vermont Office of
Child Support
Enforcement
103 South Main
Street
Waterbury, Vermont
05671-1901 |
|
VIRGINIA
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
7 N. Eighth Street,
First Floor
Richmond, Virginia
23219
Office: (800) 257-9986
FAX: (804) 726-7476 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
DCSE Customer
Services Unit
Virginia Division of
Child Support
Enforcement
7 N. Eighth Street,
First Floor
Richmond, Virginia
23219-3301 |
|
WASHINGTON
Division of Child
Support
Department of Human
Services
P.O. Box 9162
Olympia, Washington
98507-9162
Office: (360)
664-5441 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Division of Child
Support
Department of Human
Services
P.O. Box 9162
Olympia, Washington
98507-9162 |
|
WEST VIRGINIA
Bureau for Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Health
and Human Resources
350 Capitol Street,
Room 147
Charleston, West
Virginia 25301-3703
Office: (800)
249-3778 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Bureau for Child
Support Enforcement
350 Capitol Street,
Room 147
Charleston, West
Virginia 25301 |
|
WISCONSIN
Bureau of Child
Support
Division of Economic
Support
201 E. Washington
Avenue, E200
P.O. Box 7935
Madison, Wisconsin
53707-7935
Office: (608)
266-9909
FAX: (608) 267-2824 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
Bureau of Child
Support/DES
201 E. Washington
Avenue, E200,
P.O. Box 7935
Madison, Wisconsin
53707-7935 |
|
WYOMING
Division of Child
Support Enforcement
Department of Family
Services
Hathaway Building,
Room 361
Cheyenne, Wyoming
82002-6068
Office: (307)
777-7631
FAX: (307) 777-7747 |
Bankruptcy Reporting
Contact
CSE Central Registry
Department of Family
Services
2300 Capitol Avenue,
Room 374
Cheyenne, Wyoming
82002 |
|
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