The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced the beginning of Child Support Awareness Month in New York State. August is recognized as Child Support Awareness Month nationwide. 

“We must ensure that our most vulnerable families receive the financial support they need and hold accountable those who fail to live up to their obligation,” said Acting Commissioner Nonie Manion. “Struggling single-parent families rely on child support to pay for basic expenses—food, clothing, and housing—and we must do everything we can to help ensure their stability.”

The partnership between the New York State Tax Department’s Child Support Enforcement Unit and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) has led to the collection of $70.8 million in overdue child support in the 2016-17 fiscal year. More than 132,000 tax warrants were issued to partially satisfy long-overdue child support, resulting in single, individual payments as large as $236,000, $107,000, $89,000, and $82,000.

A variety of assets have also been seized, including a DeLorean DMC-12, classic cars, yachts, motorcycles, dump trucks, and jet skis. Items like these can be seized and then auctioned to pay the child support debt.

Examples of other assets seized by the Tax Department:

• 2014 Porsche;
• H2 and H3 Hummers;
• Ford Mustang GT;
• Freightliner Tractor; and a
• 22-foot Steiger Craft boat. 

The seizure of personal property is a last resort, the culmination of a detailed investigation and other attempts to collect the debt owed.

The Tax Department first contacts the noncustodial parents by mail, directing them to pay their long-overdue child support. If that initial request is ignored, the Tax Department will take other actions to collect, such as offsetting any tax refunds due, filing tax warrants, levying bank accounts, or seizing business or personal property. 

“We’re proud of our work with OTDA to enforce child-support orders—using all the collection methods at our disposal—to help single-parent families, many of whom are financially stressed,” Manion added.

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Samuel D. Roberts said, “The Tax Department plays an important role in cases where collecting child support has proven to be particularly difficult and we’re pleased to partner with them. These funds provide key economic support for families, helping them meet basic household needs. For many of these families, receiving child support payments can make the difference in avoiding poverty.”