If you owe child support, or you are in the process of getting divorced and expect to have these obligations in the near future, you need to review strategies to ensure that you stay current on payments. Many non-custodial parents have support withheld from their wages, but others pay child support by credit card, such as self-employed individuals.
If you want to make child support payments via credit card, familiarize yourself with the process and ensure that you understand how this method works.
Child support payments and credit card fees
On their portal, the Division of Child Support Services provides an overview of making child support payments with a credit card. According to the DCSS, parents who pay support using this method have to pay convenience fees as well as FSR fees. Parents can only use certain approved cards to make payments and you can also make payments using an e-wallet account.
For credit card payments, a 2.5% convenience fee applies, based on the FSR fee and the amount of support paid. Moreover, FSR fees are $1.50 or, if less, 5% of the payment.
Processing child support payments made with a credit card
If you pay child support with your credit card, you also need to recognize the amount of time it can take to process your payments. If the agency receives your payment before 11 PM, they will apply it to your account within two business days. However, if the payment exceeds $2,500, they could hold it for as long as 10 days.
Regardless of how you pay support, make sure you stay current.