Enroll for Services - What We Do

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Enrolling for CSS services is easy and free! If you do not have an open active child support case with CSS, you can enroll for child support services online through the new Child Support eServices portal. Simply click “How do I enroll for child support services”, click the <Enroll> button, answer questions, provide information, then submit the enrollment. You may also print a copy for your records. CSS will notify you by email or letter when your case has been opened or why a case could not be opened. If CSS needs additional information, you will be contacted at the address provided in your enrollment. 

Note: You must complete a new enrollment form to reopen the case if the case has been closed. Also, enrolling online will give you access to eServices once your case is open and active.

Additionally, you can receive assistance with our enrollment process from the CSS Customer Service Call Center at 1-800-4278 or TTY 1-800-526-5812, or by visiting your local CSS Regional Office.  

• Locate a Parent

• Establish Parentage

• Estimate Child Support Using Income Shares Guidelines

• Obtain an Order for Child Support and medical support 

• Serve Income Withholding Order (IWO)

• Monitor and Record Payments

• Collect and Enforce a Child Support Order

•  Change a Support Amount (Modify Up or Down) 

• Connect to Family Resource Connections Resources

However, we cannot provide services nor legal advice regarding how to:

• Obtain a divorce
• Obtain or change custody or visitation
• Obtain an order to provide for college expenses 

We can assist if you do not know where the other parent lives or works. Services can still be provided even if the parent lives in another state or country.

To help locate a parent, we use multiple resources such as the U.S. Postal Service, National New Hire Reporting Service, Federal Parent Locator Service, Illinois Department of Employment Security, and the Illinois Secretary of State. 

Children with actively involved parents are more likely to have higher self-esteem, greater motivation, increased confidence in their abilities, and will generally achieve greater success in life. If parents are unmarried when a child is born, we can assist in establishing parentage through the HFS 3416B Illinois Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage (VAP). Establishing parentage creates a legal relationship that benefits the child. This process doesn’t require court involvement. We can also assist with judicial court determination of parentage. Additionally, we offer genetic testing at no cost to you. 

Illinois Child Support Guidelines consider both parents’ incomes, par­enting time, and the number of children to determine the child support obligation amount. Use the Illinois Child Support Estimator to calculate an estimated  child support obligation amount.

After parentage is established, we can help you obtain a child sup­port order through our agency or Illinois Circuit Court. This is a legal document that states when, how often, and how much a parent is to pay for child support. CSS staff have the expertise to help parents navigate through the child support journey. 

Once a child support order is estab­lished, an income withholding order (IWO) is issued to the employer. An IWO allows the employer to withhold funds from the wages of the parent responsible for paying support. These funds are sent to and processed by the State Disbursement Unit (SDU). Payments owed to you may be deposited directly into your bank account (most common), placed on an Illinois Debit Card, or issued to you by paper check. Please note that having child support payments ordered or paid through the SDU does not automatically enroll you in the Child Support Services Program. 

For orders without an IWO, payments can be made by check, money order, auto withdrawal, debit/credit card and sent directly to the SDU. These direct payments must contain identifying information to ensure proper credit and processing. See Make a Payment for more information about payment options.

Child Support Services monitors and tracks incoming payments as well as maintains a certified record of payment transactions and account balances. We also have a new Child Support eServices customer service portal that provides financial information details allowing you to easily track and monitor activity on your order.  We encourage you to utilize eServices once a case is created for you.

If support is not being paid, we have programs to help collect past-due payments. Program services include efforts to remove payment barriers by connecting parents with employment opportu­nities, support service programs, and skills training. Additionally, CSS uses varied collection and enforcement actions to obtain payments. We can help to get a parent to pay and have specialized staff to handle cases when a parent can pay but is unwilling.

If your support is not being paid, we will use special collection remedies to attempt to collect child support payments. Remedies we use include:

• Tax refund offset intercept
• Passport denial
• License denial or suspension (driver's, hunting, fishing, professional)
• Lien on bank accounts, property, etc.
• Collection from unemployment insurance benefits 

Recognizing that family circumstances can change, we can assist parents in modifying the support amount either upward or downward. If a significant change in circumstance has occurred, it is important to act quickly. Contact CSS for a modification review of your order which will determine if the child support obligation amount should remain the same, increase or decrease. See Request a Modification for more information.

Children deserve financial, emotional, and family support to grow and thrive. We are committed to helping parents by focusing on more than just money. Whether struggling with financial difficulty, unemployment, or experiencing other personal issues, CSS wants to provide assistance and guidance by connecting parents with essential services. We offer services to parents and caretakers whether receiving support or paying support. Find out more by visiting Family Resource Connections.