Does Child Support Change If My Ex Spouse Moves Out of State?

If you receive child support in Pennsylvania through a court order, you may be concerned if your former spouse moves out of state.

The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) is in place to help people in your situation. You can register the child support order with the court in the state where your former spouse lives. You can then apply directly to that state to enforce your child support order.

The Act was passed in 1996 and all states were required to adopt UIFSA by January 1, 1998 or face loss of federal funding for child support enforcement. Every U.S. state has adopted either the 1996 or a later version of UIFSA.

“UIFSA has procedures under which an enforcement official (or private attorney) can refer a case to another tribunal within the United States. The laws can be used to establish paternity and to establish, modify, or enforce a support order,” said the UIFSA’s handbook.

Prior to 1996, two states could potentially get caught between conflicting support orders. This made it difficult to determine how much support was owed, as well as how/in what state it should be collected.

The UIFSA simplifies the process. You can make sure your children will be provided for and existing child support orders will be honored.

If you have any questions about child support or family mediation, please contact one of our central Pennsylvania divorce law attorneys in the Harrisburg and York area.