Treasurer Stenberg Encourages Parents, Employers To Use Electronic Means to Pay Child Support
Nebraska Ranked 2nd in Country in Use of Electronic Funds Transfer

The Nebraska Child Support Payment Center is encouraging parents and employers, who pay on employees’ behalf, to pay child support through electronic means to receive the best service possible, Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg said today.

“While Nebraska continues to be recognized as a national leader in both receiving and disbursing child support payments, we want to encourage parents who pay child support and employers who pay on behalf of their employees to look into the many convenient and secure electronic ways we offer to make those payments,” Stenberg said.

The Nebraska center receives as many as 136,000 child support payments a month from around the world, he said, noting that many parents make payments for more than one child. Nebraska law requires employers with more than 50 employees to submit child support payments through electronic means

The Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reported recently that Nebraska ranked second in the country – at 82 percent – for the percent of payments received by electronic means in 2017. Only Pennsylvania ranked higher.

The national average for electronic funds transfer (EFT) for child support payments was 62.5 percent in 2017.

“The Nebraska Child Support Payment Center has been at the forefront of adapting technology to improve efficiency and security and to lower the cost of processing child support payments. We are working hard to continue our excellent record,” Stenberg said. “The use of electronic funds transfer saves the State of Nebraska thousands of dollars in paper, printing, postage, and staff time and serves families well, making it possible for payments to be processed promptly and for parents to receive child support in a manner that is efficient, accurate, and secure.”

While 82 percent of child support payments are received by electronic methods, far more payments—98 percent—are paid out to families through electronic funds transfer, resulting in money getting to families quickly and securely, Stenberg said.

The Child Support Payment Center, a division of the Nebraska Treasurer’s Office, is responsible for collecting and disbursing child support payments through an interagency agreement with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). DHHS and county attorneys are responsible for enforcement of parents’ responsibilities for child support.

Stenberg said the Nebraska Child Support Payment Center is focused on providing convenient payment options for parents to pay child support and providing multiple locations where payments can be made. The Nebraska center was the first in the country to offer PayPal, an option that has seen steady growth, especially in payments from parents living outside the United States.

Other payment options are PayNearMe, MoneyGram, Western Union, banks’ online bill payment systems, and mobile bank apps. Payments can be made over the phone, through the payment center’s website, and at self-service kiosks at the payment center in Lincoln and at the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court in Omaha. Payments also can be made at U.S. Payments’ PaySite kiosks at some 400 locations in 40 states and through PayNearMe at Casey’s, Family Dollar, 7-Eleven, Ace Cash Express, and CVS Pharmacy. Additionally, a large number of payers make payments through their employers.

The center uses text messages and email to send billing notifications with QR codes that can be scanned by mobile devices and used to pay at the kiosks. The center is implementing a Universal Payment Identification Code (UPIC) to enhance security and prevent fraud, which is expected to save an estimated $240,000 a year in bank fees, and a notification system to enable parents to opt-in to receive text alerts and to select their preferred method of communication.

The Child Support Payment Center downsized last October, moving from its home for the past 16 years at 233 S. Tenth St. a few blocks away to 421 S. Ninth St. The smaller facility has allowed the center to reduce its rent and to increase the availability of its self-service kiosk where payments can be made by cash, e-check, or bank card from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days a week including holidays.

For more information about making child support payments, contact customer service at 877-631-9973, Option 3, or https://childsupport.nebraska.gov/ncp/.

  • Jana Langemach
  • Director of Communications
  • 402-471-8884