Kansas Child Support

The support payments cannot be deducted from taxes.

Child support payments are not considered a taxable income for the person receiving the payments. These payments should not affect your taxes.

The support payments are usually distributed after taxes are already processed.

Yes, federal law allows a parent who is owed back child support to collect intercepted federal income tax refunds. The parent must be behind at least $500 before such an action can be taken.

Paternity is assumed when the parents are married, but otherwise, a father will need to voluntarily acknowledge paternity through official paperwork at the hospital. In other cases, a court order may be needed to legally establish paternity.

A child’s birth certificate will list their legal father’s name. When the father’s name isn’t on the birth certificate, the child may be considered legally fatherless until paternity is established by a court.

A mother can try to convince the father that they do not have a right to a paternity test, but it’s within a father’s right to have a paternity test when he believes he may be the father of a child.

When the father is deceased, a mother may want to establish paternity for inheritance or other reasons. It can be more difficult to prove paternity in these cases, but modern-day genetic testing can help courts confirm or deny paternity in these situations.

If the mother continuously refuses to consent to a paternity test, then a father’s only option may be to pursue a court order and paternity hearing. It is within the father’s rights to know if he is biologically responsible for the life of a child.

An acknowledgment or affidavit of paternity (AOP) can be signed at the hospital within 72 hours of the child's birth, or at the local health department. Both the mother and the father must sign the affidavit in Kansas. Within 60 days of signing of the affidavit, however, anyone who is entitled to file a paternity case can file a case and ask for genetic testing.

Yes. Kansas courts will review any requests for modification on existing child support orders. It’s possible to have the order modified when certain conditions are met.

Child support can be modified when there has been a significant change in the child’s age, childcare or medical needs or a significant change to the income of one of the parents.

To file for a modification of child support, parents will need to fully complete a Motion to Modify Child Support. They will also have to provide verification of their current financial status before courts will review the request.

The support orders are rarely appealed unless paternity can be disproven by genetic testing or other rare and similar circumstances.

No, parents do not need to hire a lawyer to modify child support orders.

Processing times are affected by things like whether or not paternity needs to be established and if a non-custodial parent can be located.

When you aren’t receiving child support payments, Child Support Services can help. Contact the call center at 1-888-757-2445 or hire a personal attorney to help learn about your options for enforcing the support order.

The agency can intercept federal income tax returns, suspend the non-paying parent’s license or put other pressures on the parent to encourage them to pay.

If the support payments are overdue for longer than two years or in amounts exceeding $10,000, then the non-paying parent could be charged with a felony based on federal law.

Because the government strongly believes each parent should be financially responsible for their child, the support debts are rarely forgiven.

A support order can be stopped by requesting a modification of the order.

When the child turns 18 or graduates high school, whichever comes first.

When children reach the age of majority, which is 18 in Kansas, custodial parents can request this modification.

Usually, support is extended until the child graduates high school. Don’t stop paying the support until you have confirmed your obligation has ended.

18 is the age of majority in Kansas.