How will i know if child support is going to garnish my tax return?

[DJS · Accepted solution]

The Department of Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) issues IRS tax refunds and Congress authorizes BFS to conduct the Treasury Offset Program (TOP). Through the TOP program, BFS may reduce your refund (overpayment) and offset it to pay:

• Past-due child and parent support;
• Federal agency non-tax debts;
• State income tax obligations; or
• Certain unemployment compensation debts owed to a state. (Generally, these are debts for (1) compensation paid due to fraud, or (2) contributions owing to a state fund that were not paid due to fraud).

You can contact the agency with which you have a debt to determine if your debt was submitted for a tax refund offset. You may call BFS's TOP call center at the number below for an agency address and phone number. If your debt was submitted for offset, BFS will reduce your refund as needed to pay off the debt and send it to the agency you owe. Any portion of your remaining refund after offset is issued in a check or direct deposited as originally requested on the return.

BFS will send you a notice if an offset occurs. The notice will reflect the original refund amount, your offset amount, the agency receiving the payment, and the address and telephone number of the agency. BFS will notify the IRS of the amount taken from your refund. You should contact the agency shown on the notice if you believe you do not owe the debt or if you are disputing the amount taken from your refund. If you do not receive a notice:

• Contact the BFS TOP call center at 800-304-3107 or TDD 866-297-0517, Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.
• Contact the IRS only if your original refund amount shown on the BFS offset notice differs from the refund amount shown on your tax return.

[Juliaseverance1969]

This says nothing about if you do not owe the child support. My ex husband owes it. I have filed an injured spouse form for 2017 and 2018. The stimulus went off of 2018 and they took it. Of course. There is noone to call or talk to because everything is closed. I was sent a letter saying who i need to contact unfortunately they do not know anything either. They have not been sent any money either. 

WHO DO I CONTACT TO GET MY MONEY?

[JotikaT2]

It depends.

The IRS operations are limited during the Covid-19 pandemic and phone agents are not available at the moment to change your refund method.  Attached is a link with more information as to what departments are available to contact at the moment.

IRS operations

The IRS is planning to issue stimulus payments throughout 2020.  Once they are able to resume operations, you may be able to contact them at that time.

In the meantime, if you end up not getting your stimulus payment, you will be able to claim a credit on your 2020 return for the amount you should have received.

Please see the following for facts related to the payments as processed by the IRS.  

FAQ for Economic payments

[Lencho2360]

How will I know if they will send any stimulus check

[Lencho2360]

Please can someone help me out on my ?

[MinhT1]

@Lencho2360

The IRS is required to mail a written notice to taxpayers no later than 15 days after distributing an Economic Impact Payment. This notice to the taxpayer will indicate the payment amount, whether the payment was mailed or direct deposited, and a phone number to call if the taxpayer did not receive the payment. The payment should be received before any communication from the IRS is received by mail.

[BishopHood92]

I didn't get my refund did child support take my refund

[DoninGA]

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@BishopHood92 wrote:

I didn't get my refund did child support take my refund

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No one here on this forum would know if you had your refund seized because of an unpaid debt such as child support.

Go to this IRS website for information on reduced refunds - https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc203

[SweetieJean]

@BishopHood92  You can also check with the Child Support authorities.