Many people pay child support by having payments automatically withheld from their paycheck through an income withholding order. However, some need to find a different way to pay child support, such as those who do not have a typical job (self-employed workers, entrepreneurs, etc.). In Pennsylvania, there are various methods a non-custodial parent can use to make support payments.
Parents who owe support should go over their options and identify the most convenient payment method. This can save time and money and reduce the likelihood of missing payments.
Paying child support in Pennsylvania
According to the Pennsylvania Child Support Program, parents who need to pay child support have a number of options in this state. For example, parents can submit payments to the State Collection and Disbursement Unit (SCDU) via check or money order for free, or make a payment over the phone with a credit card (although this results in a fee).
In addition, parents can pay support online using their bank account, credit card or debit card through certain platforms, and some retail locations also process child support payments.
Child support payments and processing times
It is crucial for parents to realize that child support payment methods have different processing times. For example, a payment made over the phone with the SCDU becomes processed the following business day, while other methods can take four to seven business days. Parents should pay early enough to ensure that their child support payment goes through on time, especially since late payments can create serious problems.
