Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 49 - Public assistance and children and family services.
49.855 - Certification of delinquent payments.

49.855 Certification of delinquent payments.
(1)
(a) If a person obligated to pay child support, family support, maintenance, or the receiving and disbursing fee under s. 767.57 (1e) (a) is delinquent in making any of those payments or owes an outstanding amount that has been ordered by the court for past support, medical expenses, or birth expenses, for cases in which the payee is receiving services under s. 49.22 or the state is a real party in interest under s. 767.205 (2), the department of children and families shall certify the delinquent payment or outstanding amount to the department of revenue.
(b) At least annually, the department of children and families shall certify to the department of revenue delinquent payments of the receiving and disbursing fee under s. 767.57 (1e) (a) not certified under par. (a) and shall provide to the department of revenue any certifications of delinquencies or outstanding amounts that it receives from another state because the obligor resides in this state.
(2m) At least annually, the department of health services shall certify to the department of revenue any obligation owed to the department of health services under s. 46.10 if the obligation is rendered to a judgment.
(2p) At least annually, the department of corrections shall certify to the department of revenue any obligation owed to the department of corrections under s. 301.12 if the obligation is rendered to a judgment.
(2r) At least annually, the department of children and families shall certify to the department of revenue any obligation owed to that department under s. 49.345 if the obligation is rendered to a judgment.
(3) Receipt of a certification by the department of revenue shall constitute a lien, equal to the amount certified, on any state tax refunds or credits owed to the obligor. The lien shall be foreclosed by the department of revenue as a setoff under s. 71.93 (3), (6), and (7). When the department of revenue determines that the obligor is otherwise entitled to a state tax refund or credit, it shall notify the obligor that the state intends to reduce any state tax refund or credit due the obligor by the amount the obligor is delinquent under the support, maintenance, or receiving and disbursing fee order or obligation, by the outstanding amount for past support, medical expenses, or birth expenses under the court order, or by the amount due under s. 46.10 (4), 49.345 (4), or 301.12 (4). The notice shall provide that within 20 days the obligor may request a hearing before the circuit court rendering the order under which the obligation arose. Within 10 days after receiving a request for hearing under this subsection, the court shall set the matter for hearing. Pending further order by the court or a circuit court commissioner, the department of children and families or its designee, whichever is appropriate, is prohibited from disbursing the obligor's state tax refund or credit. A circuit court commissioner may conduct the hearing. The sole issues at that hearing shall be whether the obligor owes the amount certified and, if not and it is a support or maintenance order, whether the money withheld from a tax refund or credit shall be paid to the obligor or held for future support or maintenance, except that the obligor's ability to pay shall also be an issue at the hearing if the obligation relates to an order under s. 767.804 (3) (d) 1., 767.805 (4) (d) 1., or 767.89 (3) (e) 1. and the order specifies that the court found that the obligor's income was at or below the poverty line established under 42 USC 9902 (2).
(4)
(a) The department of revenue shall send the portion of any state tax refunds or credits withheld for delinquent child or family support or maintenance or past support, medical expenses, or birth expenses to the department of children and families or its designee for deposit in the support collections trust fund under s. 25.68 and shall send the portion of any state tax refunds or credits withheld for delinquent receiving and disbursing fees to the department of children and families or its designee for deposit in the appropriation account under s. 20.437 (2) (ja). The department of children and families shall make a settlement at least annually with the department of revenue. The settlement shall state the amounts certified, the amounts deducted from tax refunds and credits, and the administrative costs incurred by the department of revenue.
(b) The department of administration shall send the portion of any federal tax refunds or credits received from the internal revenue service that was withheld for delinquent child or family support or maintenance or past support, medical expenses, or birth expenses to the department of children and families or its designee for deposit in the support collections trust fund under s. 25.68 and shall send the portion of any federal tax refunds or credits received from the internal revenue service that was withheld for delinquent receiving and disbursing fees to the department of children and families or its designee for deposit in the appropriation account under s. 20.437 (2) (ja).
(4m)
(a) In this subsection, “vendor" means a person providing goods or services to this state under subch. IV or V of ch. 16 or under ch. 84 or any medical assistance provider, as defined under s. 49.43 (10).
(b) The department of revenue may provide a certification that it receives under sub. (1), (2m), (2p), or (2r) to the department of administration. Upon receipt of the certification, the department of administration shall determine whether the obligor is a vendor or is receiving any other payments from this state, except for wages, retirement benefits, or assistance under s. 45.352, 1971 stats., s. 45.40 (1m), this chapter, or ch. 46, 108, or 301. If the department of administration determines that the obligor is a vendor or is receiving payments from this state, except for wages, retirement benefits, or assistance under s. 45.352, 1971 stats., s. 45.40 (1m), this chapter, or ch. 46, 108, or 301, it shall begin to withhold the amount certified from those payments and shall notify the obligor that the state intends to reduce any payments due the obligor by the amount the obligor is delinquent under the support, maintenance, or receiving and disbursing fee order or obligation, by the outstanding amount for past support, medical expenses, or birth expenses under the court order, or by the amount due under s. 46.10 (4), 49.345 (4), or 301.12 (4). The notice shall provide that within 20 days after receipt of the notice the obligor may request a hearing before the circuit court rendering the order under which the obligation arose. An obligor may, within 20 days after receiving notice, request a hearing under this paragraph. Within 10 days after receiving a request for hearing under this paragraph, the court shall set the matter for hearing. A circuit court commissioner may conduct the hearing. Pending further order by the court or circuit court commissioner, the department of children and families or its designee, whichever is appropriate, may not disburse the payments withheld from the obligor. The sole issues at the hearing are whether the obligor owes the amount certified and, if not and it is a support or maintenance order, whether the money withheld shall be paid to the obligor or held for future support or maintenance, except that the obligor's ability to pay is also an issue at the hearing if the obligation relates to an order under s. 767.804 (3) (d) 1., 767.805 (4) (d) 1., or 767.89 (3) (e) 1. and the order specifies that the court found that the obligor's income was at or below the poverty line established under 42 USC 9902 (2).
(c) Except as provided by order of the court after hearing under par. (b), the department of administration shall continue withholding until the amount certified is recovered in full. The department of administration shall transfer the amounts withheld under this paragraph to the department of children and families or its designee, the department of health services, or the department of corrections, whichever is appropriate. The department of children and families or its designee shall deposit amounts withheld for delinquent child or family support, maintenance, or receiving and disbursing fees or past support, medical expenses, or birth expenses in the appropriation account under s. 20.437 (2) (ja).
(d) A setoff under s. 73.12 (3) has priority over withholding under this subsection.
(5) Certification of an obligation to the department of revenue does not deprive any party of the right to collect the obligation or to prosecute the obligor. The department of children and families or its designee shall immediately notify the department of revenue of any collection of an obligation that has been certified to the department of revenue.
(6) If the state implements the child and spousal support and establishment of paternity and medical support liability program under ss. 49.22 and 59.53 (5), the state may act under this section in place of the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5).
History: 1981 c. 20, 391; 1983 a. 27; 1987 a. 27; 1987 a. 312 s. 17; 1987 a. 421; 1989 a. 31; 1989 a. 56 s. 259; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16, 481; 1995 a. 27 s. 9126 (19); 1995 a. 201, 227, 279; 1995 a. 404 ss. 50 to 59; Stats. 1995 s. 49.855; 1997 a. 3, 27, 35, 237, 252; 1999 a. 9, 32; 2001 a. 16, 61, 105; 2005 a. 22, 25, 304; 2005 a. 443 s. 265; 2007 a. 20 ss. 1711 to 1718, 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 96; 2009 a. 113, 180; 2015 a. 55, 172; 2019 a. 95.
The state's right to certification and interception is not extinguished by a child's attainment of majority. Marriage of Howard v. Howard, 130 Wis. 2d 206, 387 N.W.2d 96 (Ct. App. 1986).

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