Child Support
(Pensión Infantil)

Both parents need to take responsibility for their children. If you are a parent, you must cooperate with the child support agency by providing the information needed to secure child support, including identifying the father of your child, in order to be eligible for WFNJ benefits.

"Child Support...It's More Than Just Money"

• First, child support is additional income for you and your children. As a WFNJ recipient, you may receive up to $50 per month from the child support payments that are collected. Once you are working and off welfare, you will receive your entire child support payment, in addition to your paycheck.

• Second, it makes both parents responsible for the children's needs. This is what personal responsibility is all about.

• Third, child support orders help to get medical benefits for each child.

When you apply for WFNJ benefits, you will be asked to provide your caseworker with certain information that will help locate the absent parent, if he or she is not involved or doesn't know about your dependent child. This includes his or her full name and address and at least three of the following items, if you know them or can reasonably obtain them:

• date of birth

• Social Security number

• Employer

• make and model of motor vehicle and license plate number

Establishing Paternity
If the father has never been legally identified, the mother will need to establish paternity as the first step in obtaining benefits.

The Paternity Opportunity Program (POP) makes establishing paternity easy. If both parents agree, the father simply signs a Certificate of Parentage that identifies him as the child's father. This certificate is a legal document that can be voluntarily signed by both parents at the hospital when the child is born.

If the child is older, the father can sign the form at the state or local registrar's office or at the county child support office.

Child Support Collections
While you are receiving cash assistance, you will need to assign your child support rights to the county. This means that child support payments will be collected on behalf of your children who are receiving welfare. The payments are then sent to the county welfare agency.

For more information about child support, visit the website at www.njchildsupport.org or call toll-free: 1-877-NJKIDS1 (1-877-655-4371).

Remember!

• When you are in the Work First NJ program, you may receive up to $50 per month of child support payments that are collected.

• When you're off welfare and working, the entire child support payment will go to you.

• If you are a victim of family/domestic violence, you may request a waiver from child support requirements.