All family support, paternity, and interstate cases must be referred by the State of Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS).  Contact the Office of Child Support Enforcement at 1-866-661-0005 or 1-866-540-0008.  The referral is then sent by DHS to the FOC and the initiation process begins.  This process takes 1-4 months for completion.

In Paternity cases, parties have the opportunity to request genetic testing; the testing on cases referred by the Michigan Department of Human Services is less than $100.00.  If paternity is established, the child support is established using the Michigan Child Support Formula.  The Michigan Child Support Formula uses both parties’ income in the child support calculation.

In divorce or custody cases, support may be established by way of an Ex Parte order or by filing a motion with the Wayne County Clerk’s Office.  The use of an attorney is highly recommended in these cases.

Parties may enter into a stipulation (agreement) regarding support if they agree to the amount indicated by the child support formula.  Once the agreement is prepared in the form of a court order and signed by a judge, it will become an order of the court.

You are not required to have an attorney to file a motion for support.  However, you may find an attorney’s help useful when filing papers and following specific rules.

Yes, unless the FOC or the judge finds a clear reason why using the formula is “unjust or inappropriate.”  This reason must be stated on the record or in writing.

The court order will require payments for support to be made through the Michigan State Disbursement Unit (MISDU), P.O. Box 30351, Lansing, MI  48909-7851 so that a permanent record of all payments may be kept.  The MISDU will periodically mail payment coupons to payers for weekly and/or monthly payments to be made.

You should not make court-ordered payments of support directly to the custodian of the children unless the court has so authorized.

Use the convenient Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System which gives you automated information and service.  The number is 1-877-543-2660.  If you wish to speak with a customer service representative, please dial 1-844-785-7593 and follow the prompts to speak with a Friend of the Court representative.

Payments are disbursed in accordance with Welfare Reform guidelines as outlined in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996.

Upon receipt of a support payment, the MISDU will enter the payment in the Michigan Child Support Enforcement System (MICSES) and issue a check to the payee.  Payments received for children receiving public assistance are sent to the DHS.

For address, employer, social security number, and / or  name changes,  you may dial 1-844-785-7593 and speak with a Friend of the Court representative, or fax a signed Address and Demographic Change Form (FD-FOC4041) located on our website to 313-237-9290.

For name and Social Security number changes, a copy of your driver’s license, Social Security card, plus your Court order which confirms these change requests must be included in your fax.  You may also mail this information to:

Be sure to include the case number and the full names and addresses of both parties.  Also, report any changes such as those in personal appearance, including tattoos and visible scars.

Child support is effective on the commencement date stated in the court order.

Child support may continue past age 18 only if certain conditions are met.  You must notify the FOC in writing and provide written documentation from the high school advising that your child will continue to be enrolled as a full-time student past his/her 18th birthday.  A full-time student generally attends classes for at least 35 hours per week.  The school must also provide the anticipated month, day, and year of graduation.

The custodial parent must provide this information prior to the child’s 18th birthday to ensure the continuation of child support and any child support withholding.  Support may continue up to age 19½ if the child “is regularly attending high school on a full-time basis with a reasonable expectation of completing sufficient credits to graduate from high school while residing on a full-time basis with the payee of support or at an institution."

If support arrearages are due, payments must be made until they are paid in full.  If no support is owed, call 1-844-785-7593 for assistance, or e-mail FOC-HELP@3rdcc.org. 

Yes.  Parenting time and support are separate parts of a court order.  Each has enforcement procedures to be used when that part of the order is disobeyed.

Contact a Friend of the Court representative by phone at 1-844-785-7593 or visit our Information Services Department to seek enforcement if the unpaid support equals or exceeds the amount due for one month.  You may also obtain your own legal counsel.

Please allow 10 days from the date the employer mailed the payment.  All payments are to be sent to the Michigan State Disbursement Unit (MISDU) in Lansing.  If the payment was sent to FOC’s offices, it will be re-directed to the MISDU, which may delay the payment.  If you have not received it after 10 days, call 1-877-543-2660 and press the prompts to speak with a MISDU representative.

No, not unless your court order is modified to allow direct payment.  If you fail to pay through the MISDU, the designated agency, you will not receive credit for the payment.

No.  The FOC must send to the State any child support payments made while you are on public assistance.

If you have questions regarding this program, contact your DHS Support Specialist.

Parties may request a child support review every 36 months or when there is a change in circumstances such as employment and income changes.  You can also file a motion to change the support order.

You must wait 30 days from the date the check was issued by the MISDU.  After 30 days, call 1-877-543-2660 and press the selection for MISDU. MISDU handles lost and stolen cards.

State law requires that child support funds must be turned over (escheated) to the State Treasurer when there has been no owner-generated activity in the account for one year and all attempts to contact the owner have failed.  The owner or owner’s heirs may claim the funds from the Treasury and there is no time limit on when an owner may claim the funds.  The Department of Treasury contact information is:  Unclaimed Property Division, Michigan Department of Treasury, P.O. Box 30756, Lansing, MI  48909; telephone:  (517) 636-5320; Fax:  (517) 322-5986; website: www.michigan.gov/treasury 

Michigan law requires support to be set in accordance with parties’ incomes and the child support formula.  An incarcerated payer’s support obligation does not stop, but it may be modified if a motion to change support is filed.  This motion may be filed by either party of the FOC.  See In Pro Per in FOC Forms.

Call 1-844-785-7593 to report the name and address of the non-custodial parent’s employer.  You may also fax this information to (313) 237-9290.  The FOC will process the Income Withholding Notice.  The employer, as well as both parties, will receive a copy of the notice.  You should give the withholding process six to eight weeks to be completed.

Michigan law requires the FOC to charge the payer of support a fee on all child support orders as a partial offset of administrative costs.  The current fee is $42.00 per year.