There is over $100 Billion in accumulated unpaid support owed to 18 million children in United States, according to The Federal Office of Child Support in Preliminary Statistics for 2003. Most states cannot explain existence of “undistributed funds” nor do they know to whom money rightfully belongs. The “undistributed funds” are created when non-custodial parents decide to make a check out to a child support agency or custodial parent and avoid putting a docket number or case number on check. It is honorable to pay child support. It is foolish to think that a check or money order made out incorrectly will get to intended custodial parent and child.

If you pay child support and you think state disbursement agency has not forwarded support funds to custodial parent, there are a few things you can do:

Establishing Paternity 1. Every child has right to know both parents and have father’s name appear on birth certificate. Voluntarily establishing paternity is not expensive and does not have to involve an attorney or attorney fees. Both parents may contact State Department/Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Central Paternity Registry, or Department of Community Health and request an Affidavit of Paternity. There may be a small fee for filing this document but it will ensure legal paternity is established.