State sees record month for halting tax refunds in child support cases

Friday, April 30, 2004 | 9:32 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Welfare Division says a one-month record was achieved in March in intercepting federal income tax refunds due to parents who owe child support in Nevada.

Leland Sullivan, head of the child support enforcement program, said Thursday that $2.6 million in income tax refunds were diverted to the state, a 111 percent increase over March 2003.

Of that total the state retained $1.2 million and sent the rest to the custodial parent. The money kept by the state goes to reduce the cost of the welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

The state works with the Internal Revenue Service in a federally mandated program to collect on families' past-due support debt by intercepting the noncustodial parent's IRS refund.

Overall collections in child support for this fiscal year, which started in July, have totaled nearly $97 million, an increase of 10 percent from the same period of a year ago.

More than $15 million has been collected so far this fiscal year for families who no longer receive state welfare payments, Sullivan said.