Payment Processing
The Statewide Disbursement Branch or SDB processes all child support payments. Payments are received electronically via Electronic Funds Transfer or EFT and by mail. Checks should be made payable to the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) and mailed to P. O. Box 1860, Honolulu, HI 96805-1860.
Payments are made by the non-custodial parent (NCP), employers, financial institutions and child support agencies in other states. Payments are also received through the intercept of the NCP’s state and federal tax refunds and unemployment insurance benefits.
Federal regulations require the CSEA to process payments within two (2) business days. The NCP’s payment is applied to his/her account(s) the day it is received or the following business day. A disbursement check is generated that same night and prepared for mailing the next day to the custodial parent (CP). If the CP is receiving financial public assistance in Hawaii, the payment is sent to the Hawaii Department of Human Services as reimbursement of the assistance paid to the parent. For interstate cases, where another state is providing services to the CP, the disbursement is sent to the other state via paper check or electronic funds transfer (EFT). Most interstate disbursements are transmitted via EFT.
When the NCP has more than one case with CSEA, the source of the payment determines how it is to be applied. In general, the payment is split proportionately, or on a percent-of-total basis, between the cases.
Payments are allocated to current support first. Current support is the court ordered support obligation(s) due and payable for the current month. This may include the liquidation of child support arrears. If a payment does not equal the total amount owed for all the NCP’s cases, the payment is proportionately applied. Once current support for the month is paid, payments are applied proportionately to back support owed for all cases of the NCP. Federal tax refunds are an exception to this rule. Federal regulations require these payments to be applied to arrears owed to the state first before applying it to the arrears owed to the family. Federal tax refund offset payments may not be applied to current support.
When payments are returned by the bank because of non-sufficient funds, stop payment, closed account, or any other reason, CSEA will create obligations for the amount of the returned item (including service fees). This amount is owed by the maker of the return check. If the maker of a return check (excluding employers and out-of-state child support agencies) is not the case participant, the obligation will be the responsibility of the case participant who received credit for the payment.
If you sent a payment to the Hawaii Child Support Enforcement Agency, or CSEA, that has not been cashed within 30 days of the mailing date, you must notify the CSEA immediately and provide the check information, a contact name and contact phone number. Check information includes the check number, check date, check amount, post-mark date or date mailed and maker of the check. The CSEA’s Statewide Disbursement Branch, or SDB, will research to confirm non-receipt of the payment. You will then be notified whether the check has already been processed or a stop payment should be initiated. For stopped payments, you should provide a replacement check as soon as possible. Mail the replacement check to State Disbursement Branch, P.O. Box 1860, Honolulu, HI 96805-1860. Please include a letter about the payment that is being replaced so that if the original payment is received, it can be returned to you. If the stop payment is initiated prior to notifying the CSEA of the situation, you will be responsible for any penalties or fees incurred.
It is important that disbursement and refund checks be cashed within 90 days of the date of the check to avoid stale-dating of the checks. The CP should notify CSEA immediately of any address change to avoid mailing delays and to ensure uninterrupted distribution of support payments. If there has been a hold placed on your disbursement or refund because of an invalid address, a new check will be issued the next business day following the update of your address. Invalid or stale-dated checks must be returned to the CSEA for the re-issuance of a replacement check that will be mailed the next business day.
If your child support check has been lost or stolen, you must request an AFFIDAVIT for Lost Check Replacement form. Your request can be made by mail, fax, telephone, or in person at any CSEA branch office. Mail your request- to CSEA, PO Box 1860, Honolulu, HI 96805-1860. Fax requests may be made to 808-692-7082. Once the Affidavit has been requested, a stop payment is placed on the original disbursement check and it is no longer valid. If you find the check after the Affidavit is requested and attempt to cash it, you are responsible for any fees or penalties you may incur. The original completed Affidavit with your notarized signature must be mailed to CSEA, P.O. Box 1860, Honolulu, Hawaii 96805-1860. Within one week, you will be sent the replacement check or a denial of you request with an explanation.
Custodial parents can receive disbursements via Direct Deposit. A Direct Deposit Authorization form (FFI917) must be completed to initiate the Direct Deposit process. The form can be obtained by: (1) sending a letter requesting Direct Deposit to CSEA, PO Box 1950, Honolulu, HI 96805-1950; or (2) speaking with a Customer Service Representative; or (3) selecting the Forms option on the agency’s Interactive Voice Response system. Subsequent changes other than cancellation can be requested by completing a Direct Deposit Authorization form. Cancellations can be requested by doing one of the following: (1) completing a Direct Deposit Authorization form and mailing it to the agency; or (2) in writing but must include the custodial parent’s name, Social Security Number (SSN), Personal Identification Number (PIN) and signature; or (3) in person by visiting a branch office; or (4) speaking with a Customer Service Representative over the phone. Last but not least, disbursements sent via Direct Deposit should be credited to the custodial parent’s bank account within 1-3 business days from the date of issue. Effective January 18, 2024, credits should occur on the third business day from the date of issue.
Effective July 1, 2007, the Child Support Enforcement Agency discontinues the use of the Direct Payment Credit Form, FFI903. The agency will not credit direct payments unless it is specified in the court order.
Check List (form FFI953) is a list of checks and may be requested by the CP through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, a customer service representative, or in writing. Forms generated through the use of the IVR will list all the checks, disbursements and refunds, for a case for the past 12 months. If a check list is being requested for a period of more than 12 months, contact a customer service representative or send a written request.
Financial Detail Report (FFI951) is a report of the obligations and payments for a case and may be requested by the case participants through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, a customer service representative, or in writing. IVR requests will generate a report for the past year. If a longer time period is needed, contact a customer service representative or send a written request for the required period.