In the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, a State Disbursement Unit (SDU) is a

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

government agency that collects and disburses

child support Child support (or child maintenance) is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child (state or parent, caregiver, guardian) following the end of a marriage or other similar relationship. Child maintenance is ...

payments from one parent to the other. States are required to establish as State Disbursement Unit by federal law, specifically Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Tasks

SDUs do not determine child support payments, this happens in court. The court also decides whether child support is to be paid directly to the receiving parent, or via the responsible SDU. The main tasks of a SDU are: * collecting payments from the parent required to pay support - usually either by direct payment or by directing the parent's employer to withhold the payments from their wages * in some cases, deducting money to recollect state welfare paid previously to the receiving parent * distributing the money to the receiving parent * keeping track of the money received and disbursed, to aid all parties in determining whether payments were made and disbursed correctly

References

{{reflist Child support Processes from the Code of Federal Regulations