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1. How do I apply for child support services?

The easiest and quickest way to apply is by completing an online application.  You may also print an application, complete it, and bring it into Morrison County Social Services or mail it to:  Morrison County Social Services, 213 SE First Avenue, Little Falls, MN 56345.  Applications may also be picked up at Morrison County Social Services or mailed to you by calling 320-632-2951.  

There are two levels of services available. It is important to learn about the two options and decide which will best meet your needs. You can print applications from the links below.

•    Full services include help establishing parentage, getting an order for support, enforcing an existing order, collecting payments and more.

•    Income withholding-only services are generally limited to processing support payments and keeping track of what is owed.

If you are currently receiving public assistance benefits through Morrison County, a worker from your Eligibility Team will automatically refer your case to a child support worker.

2. How or where can I make a payment if I do not have an employer that is sending in payments for me?

There are a variety of ways that you can make a payment:

• Automatic withdrawal   
• Minnesota Child Support Online
• Pay Near Me
• MoneyGram at a variety of locations
• You can mail a check to:
  •  Minnesota Child Support Payment Center
  •  P.O. Box 64326 
  • St. Paul, MN 55164-0326
•  Make a payment at Morrison County Social Services

MN Department of Human Services Child Support Payment Options 

3. What is child support and who can apply for it?

Minnesota’s Child Support Program helps ensure that children receive support from both parents.  You may need help getting a child support order established, enforcing an order or even locating the other parent.  These and many other services are available at little or no cost to parents.

4. How do I find payment information?

Once a parent has applied for child support services, all payments must go through the Minnesota Child Support Payment Center.

Parents can get up-to-the minute information about payments online or by phone 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Online: Minnesota Child Support Online, which is a secure website. Learn more about what you need to use the website and phone line to get your case information.

Phone: The Child Support Information Line is a secure, automated line.

651-431-4340 - Twin Cities metro area

800-657-3512 - Outside the metro area

TTY Users - use your preferred relay service

5. When does an order change take effect?

There are also laws that govern the effective date of a new order. This is usually included in the order. 

The most common provision the county experiences are that the change takes effect based upon the date the initiating paperwork is filed with the court. This is why counties often indicate that filing a "Pro Se" action or requesting an attorney to bring your action ends up being quicker.  Representing yourself is called pro se (pronounced ’pro-say’).

6. Who can request a modification of a child support order?

Either parent may request a review of their child support their county child support office.  If you think you qualify for a modification, you  may find it helpful to use the Child Support Guidelines Calculator to estimate the payment before requesting a review.

7. What services can the Morrison County Child Support Staff help me with?

We can help with locating parents, establishing parentage, establishing court orders for basic, medical and child care support, reviewing and asking the court to modify basic, medical and child care support orders when appropriate, adjusting support orders based on changes in the cost of living, enforcing support orders, working with other states to enforce support orders, processing payments the Child Support Payment Center receives for child support and spousal maintenance including income withholding as well as locating potential sources of income and serving an income withholding notice on the employer of the parent owing support.

8. What services are the Morrison County Child Support Staff unable to help with?

If you are in need of the following services, please contact an attorney or legal services office:  divorce assistance, parenting time or custody issues, legal advice or counsel, spousal maintenance order establishment or modification, collection of bills not related to support, property settlements or attorney’s fees (except in limited circumstances per MN Statue 518a.735).

9. What does it cost to apply for child support services?

Minnesota Law requires the parent who applied for full child support services to pay a fee, which is called a cost recovery fee.  This fee is two percent (2%) of the amount of the support.  This fee is collected monthly until the yearly maximum is reached.  The fee is not charged during the time the parent or child receives public assistance.

10. How is the amount of child support determined?

When setting a support obligation, the court uses the Minnesota child support guidelines that are in state law.  The guidelines are a formula used to calculate support obligations. They are reviewed every four years and they help determine support amounts using the income of both parents, number of children, cost of raising a child at different income levels, as well as the availability and cost of medical support.

You may estimate the amount of child support that may be ordered on a case using the Child Support Guidelines Calculator.  The estimate is informational only. The court has the authority to order child support.

11. How do I request a review of my child support order?

Call, e-mail or write to your county child support worker and state the reason(s) for the review.  

The county office will determine whether your request meets the review requirements.

If needed, you will be asked to complete further documents in support of your review change.

12. What is medical support and who must provide health care coverage?

Medical support means providing health care coverage for a joint child by carrying or contributing to the cost of:

• health care coverage through an employer or other group plan;
• an individual policy purchased in the private market;
• public coverage (medical assistance); or
• unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses.

In Minnesota, every child support order must include health care coverage for the child(ren).  A parent’s obligation will include medical support and will be part of their child support case. The court order will specify:

• if a parent is ordered to provide or maintain health care coverage for the child(ren),
• the cost of premiums and how that cost is divided between the parents,
• how costs not paid by health insurance (unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses) will be divided and collected by the parents, and
• reasons, if any, the obligation to provide health care coverage will shift from one parent to the other.

13. How long does it take for me to get child support?

The timelines that county offices are required to follow are much longer than the ones that an attorney or you must follow when proceeding Pro Se.  Representing yourself is called pro se (pronounced ’pro-say’). The timeline is often determined by how quickly the paperwork gets done. 

For example:  A person breaks their leg and is unable to work.  Do not assume that your order will change effective with the date of the injury.  If paperwork is not completed and filed with the court, the law can limit the change to occur effective with the date of the filing of the documents.

14. Does the County Attorney's Office or the Child Support Office represent me when handling a child support matter?

You should know that the County Attorney and/or the Child Support Agency that is handling your child support matter does not represent any of the parties in a case. The role of the County Attorney and/or the Child Support Agency is to represent the best interests of the County or the State based upon what the statutes and case laws provide can occur in a child support matter.