The Child Support Enforcement Program was established in 1975 under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, to help state and local agencies locate absent parents and to collect child support from parents legally obligated to pay.
Child support obligations are renewable from month to month. Although each monthly payment satisfies that month’s obligation, the next month immediately begins a new obligation, to be satisfied by the next payment. The entire support obligation is not considered satisfied until the child reaches the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for that state has been reached.
Report data in the standard Metro 2 Format, including the Header Record.
Report full file on a monthly basis.
Report the complete name, social security number, and address of the obligor.
Report the phone number and birth date, when available.
An acceptable reason for deleting accounts is when Child Support cases are withdrawn by the courts.
In the Identification Number field, report the internal code that identifies the child support agency where the information is verified.
All parties reporting credit information must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and any applicable state laws.
All parties reporting credit information must respond to consumer inquiries.
Note: The guidelines contained in this document are specific to your industry and should be used in conjunction with the specifications in the Metro 2 Format. Refer to the Metro 2 Format for detailed information on segments and field information.
1A. State agencies that are able to age the accounts should report the following Account Status Codes:
Status 11
Reported for all open, current accounts, and for cases that have been brought current. Use this status when the child, or youngest child (in the case of multiple children), has not yet reached the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has not been reached.
Status 13*
Reported when the Office of Child Support Enforcement rates this case “satisfied.” Use this status when the child, or youngest child (in the case of multiple children), has reached the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has been reached.
Status 62
Reported when the Office of Child Support Enforcement rates this case as “satisfied” and the account was previously a collection. Use this status when the child, or youngest child (in the case of multiple children), has reached the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has been reached.
Status’s 71, 78, 80, 82–84**
Reported to reflect the appropriate stage of delinquency (30 days to 180 or more days past the due date).
Status 93**
Reported when the Office of Child Support Enforcement rates this case as in collections.
Status DA
Reported when a Child Support case is withdrawn by the courts. The action taken by the consumer reporting agencies is to delete the account from their files.
Status 05*
Reported when the child support case is transferred to another state because of the relocation of the obligor. This usually occurs with a URESA (Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement Support Act) account. The state agency is responsible for notifying another agency when the account is being transferred to their jurisdiction.
Report the Payment History Profile, which provides up to 24 months of payment history, in order for the agency to control and maintain the payment history.
* When the Account Status is 05 or 13, the Payment Rating must also be reported.
** When Status 71, 78, 80, 82-84 or 93 is reported, the account should be reported with a Special Comment “CS” each month in order to overlay the date of first delinquency. Special Comment “CS” is reported only until the child or youngest child reaches the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has been reached.
1B. State agencies that are unable to age the accounts should report the following Account Status Codes (Base Segment, Field 17A):
Status 11
Reported for all open, current accounts, and for cases that have been brought current. Use this status when the child, or youngest child (in the case of multiple children), has not yet reached the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has not been reached.
Status 13*
Reported when the Office of Child Support Enforcement rates this case “satisfied” and the account was previously reported as current. Use this status when the child, or youngest child (in the case of multiple children), has reached the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has been reached.
Status 62
Reported when the Office of Child Support Enforcement rates this case “satisfied” and the account was previously a collection. Use this status when the child, or youngest child (in the case of multiple children), has reached the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has been reached.
Status 93
Reported when the Office of Child Support Enforcement rates this case as in collections. If a Status 93 is reported, the account should be reported with a Special Comment “CS” each month in order to overlay the date of first delinquency. Special Comment “CS” is reported only until the child or youngest child reaches the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has been reached.
Status DA
Reported when a Child Support case is withdrawn by the courts. The action taken by the consumer reporting agencies is to delete the account from their files.
Status 05*
Reported when the child support case is transferred to another state because of the relocation of the obligor. This usually occurs with a URESA (Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement Support Act) account. The state agency is responsible for notifying another agency when the account is being transferred to their jurisdiction.
* When the Account Status is 05 or 13, the Payment Rating must also be reported.
2. Portfolio Type (Base Segment, Field 8) — O (Open)
3. Account Type Codes (Base Segment, Field 9)
50 – Family Support
93 – Child Support
4. Date Opened (Base Segment, Field 10) — the date the case was initiated with the state agency
5. Highest Credit or Original Loan Amount (Base Segment, Field 12) — zero
6. Terms Duration (Base Segment, Field 13) — 001
7. Scheduled Monthly Payment Amount (Base Segment, Field 15) — the monthly debt obligation of the obligor
8. Special Comment Codes (Base Segment, Field 19) — Any Special Comment Code can be reported on accounts that do not require Special Comment Code can reported on accounts that do not require Special Comment CS.
Refer to Exhibits 6 and 7 in the Metro 2 Format for descriptions of Special Comment Codes.
9. Compliance Condition Codes (Base Segment, Field 20) — Report Compliance Condition Codes in conjunction with Account Status Codes and Payment Ratings when comments are required for legal compliance.
Refer to the Metro 2 Format Field 20 Definition for descriptions of Compliance Condition Codes.
10. Current Balance (Base Segment, Field 21) — the total amount due from outstanding support payments. This amount must equal, at a minimum, one Scheduled Monthly Payment Amount.
11. Amount Past Due (Base Segment, Field 22) — the total amount in arrears
12. FCRA Compliance/Date of First Delinquency (Base Segment, Field 25) — the activity date
The FCRA Compliance/Date of First Delinquency must freeze when the child, or youngest child (in the case of multiple children), reaches the age of majority or emancipation, or the statute of limitations for judgments in that state has been reached.
13. ECOA Code (Base Segment, Field 37) — 1 (individual) on all records
14.Consumer Information Indicator (Base Segment, Field 38) —Report code T (Credit Grantor Cannot Locate Consumer) and code U (Consumer Now Located) when appropriate.