What Is Wage Garnishment?
Wage garnishment is when a portion of an employee’s earnings is automatically withheld by their employer to pay off a debt—in this case, child support. Instead of the paying parent (often called the noncustodial parent) manually sending payments, the money is taken directly from their paycheck and forwarded to the appropriate agency.
How It Works in New Jersey
In New Jersey, wage garnishment for child support is handled through an Income Withholding Order (IWO). Here’s how the process typically works:
Court Order: When a child support order is established or updated, the court usually includes an IWO.
Employer Notification: The IWO is sent to the noncustodial parent’s employer.
Automatic Deductions: The employer deducts the child support amount from the employee’s wages.
Payment Processing: The deducted funds are sent to the New Jersey Family Support Payment Center (NJFSPC), which then distributes the payment to the custodial parent.
This system ensures that child support payments are consistent and traceable, reducing the risk of missed or late payments.
Do All Child Support Orders Include Wage Garnishment?
Yes—unless both parents agree to a different arrangement and the court signs off on it. By default, wage garnishment is included in all new or modified child support orders in New Jersey, even if the paying parent is current on their payments.
What If the Paying Parent Changes Jobs?
The noncustodial parent is responsible for notifying the court and the New Jersey Child Support Program if they change employers. This allows a new IWO to be issued so payments can continue without disruption.
Wage garnishment can apply to various types of income, including:
Regular wages and salaries
Bonuses and commissions
Overtime pay
Unemployment benefits
Workers’ compensation
Final Thoughts
Wage garnishment offers a reliable way to ensure child support is paid on time and in full.
