Enforcing a Child Support Order by Levying on a Bank Account

Produced by Attorney Jeff Wolf for MassLegalHelp
Reviewed June 2013

If you disagree with the amount that the Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement Division (DOR/CSE) says you owe, you can ask for an Administrative Review.

The form to ask for an Administrative Review comes with the Notice of Child Support Delinquency.

You must send DOR/CSE evidence to show that you do not owe the money.  Your evidence might be cancelled checks or pay stubs to show that you have paid.  If the child support order ended or changed, send a copy of the order.

Fill out the form and mail it to the DOR/CSE within 30 days of the date on the Notice of Delinquency. 

The DOR/CSE cannot take any other enforcement actions until they finish the review. For example, they cannot levy your bank account or suspend your license.

After you send in your request for Administrative Review, the DOR/CSE has 30 days to look over your case.  When they finish, they will write to you with their decision.

The DOR/CSE encourages payors that disagree to call their caseworker. DOR/CSE provides interpreters for phone calls with caseworkers.

What if I disagree with the results of an Administrative Review?

After DOR/CSE finishes your Administrative Review, they will send you their decision in writing.

If you disagree with the results of the Administrative Review, you can ask a court to look at the DOR/CSE’s decision. This is a “judicial review.”

Judicial review is a complicated process. Talk to a lawyer to find out about judicial review.

To get a judicial review, you must file a Complaint for Judicial Review within 45 days of the date on DOR/CSE’s written decision.

Find Legal Aid

You may be able to get free legal help from your local legal aid program. Or email a question about your own legal problem to a lawyer.

Stop DOR from collecting

If you owe back child support to DOR, use this guided interview to stop DOR from collecting.

Ask a Law Librarian

If it's
Monday-Friday
between
9am - 12pm and 1pm - 4pm