OAR 137-055-6200
Adjusting Case Arrears When an Error is Identified
(1)
“Complete payment record” means that the Division of Child Support (DCS) has kept the payment record for the support judgment from the date of the first support payment required under the judgment, or the obligee or the administrator established arrears for the time period when DCS did not keep the payment record on the case.(2)
A notice will only be sent as provided for in this rule when the amount of arrears to be adjusted is at least $5.(3)
If the error occurred within the current billing cycle, the administrator will adjust the arrears on the case record.(4)
If DCS has a complete payment record for the support payment judgment and the error occurred prior to the current billing cycle, the administrator will adjust the arrears on the case record and send a notice to the parties advising of:(a)
The change in the case arrears; and(b)
The right to, within 30 days of the date of the notice from DCS, submit a written request for an administrative review to determine if DCS’s record-keeping and accounting related to the adjustment of arrears is correct.(5)
DCS will conduct the administrative review within 30 days of receiving the party’s written request, and will send written notification to the parties of the results of the review. The notice will include a citation of the parties’ rights to appeal the decision under ORS 183.484 (Jurisdiction for review of orders other than contested cases).(6)
If DCS does not have a complete payment record for the support payment judgment and the error occurred prior to the current billing cycle, but within the previous 180 days, the administrator will:(a)
Send a notice to the parties that the administrator will adjust the arrears on the case record as indicated in the notice if none of the parties object within a 30-day period following the date of the notice;(b)
If none of the parties object within 30 days of the notice, the administrator will adjust the arrears on the case record as indicated in the notice;(c)
If any party objects within 30 days of the notice, the administrator will establish the arrears under the process found in ORS 25.167 (Procedure for determining arrearages) or 25.540 (Notice of intent to establish and enforce arrearages).(7)
If DCS does not have a complete payment record for the support payment judgment and the error occurred over 180 days ago, the administrator will establish the arrears under the process found in ORS 25.167 (Procedure for determining arrearages) or 25.540 (Notice of intent to establish and enforce arrearages).(8)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this rule, if under a contingency order the error is due to a failure to accurately reflect on the case record the periods of residence of the child in state care, the administrator will adjust the arrears on the case record and notify the obligor unless the Department of Human Services or Oregon Youth Authority directs otherwise.(9)
On a closed case:(a)
If all the arrears to be added to the case are assigned to the state, the administrator will not open the case if it is for a period of less than four months of accrual or less than $500;(b)
If all the arrears to be added to the case are assigned to the state and the arrears are for a period of a least four months or $500, the administrator will open the case and establish the arrears under the process found in ORS 25.167 (Procedure for determining arrearages) or 25.540 (Notice of intent to establish and enforce arrearages);(c)
If any of the arrears to be added to the case are owed to the obligee, the administrator will send a notice to the obligee and, if the arrears are for at least $25, ask if the obligee wants enforcement of the arrears. If the obligee requests enforcement, the administrator will open the case and establish the arrears under the process found in ORS 25.167 (Procedure for determining arrearages) or 25.540 (Notice of intent to establish and enforce arrearages);(d)
If any of the arrears to be added to the case are owed to an adult child as defined in OAR 137-055-5110 (Child Attending School), the administrator will send a notice to the adult child but will not open the case for the adult child until the adult child qualifies as a child attending school under ORS 107.108 (Support or maintenance for child attending school) and OAR 137-055-5110 (Child Attending School);(e)
Except as otherwise provided in OAR 137-055-4455 (Expiration of Support Judgment Remedies) or 137-055-6220 (Recovery of Overpayments and Collection of Receivable Accounts), if the error was due to an accounting error of the administrator and the adjustment to arrears will cause a credit balance, the administrator will return the excess amount to the obligor if the amount is at least $5 and the payment was applied to a state account; or(f)
If the error was not due to an accounting error of the administrator and the adjustment to arrears will cause a credit balance, the administrator will send an informational notice to the parties.(10)
Notwithstanding section (6) or section (9), on any case in which the applicant for services has requested non-enforcement and the error only affects the amount of arrears owed to the obligee, the administrator will update the case record appropriately.
Source:
Rule 137-055-6200 — Adjusting Case Arrears When an Error is Identified, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=137-055-6200
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