Michigan Child Support Collections and Fees

When facing wage garnishment in Michigan for child support collections and fees, it is important to understand that child support will be collected based on a percentage of the supporting parent’s income. In Michigan, that percentage is generally 50% of disposable earnings. However, not all earnings are subject to garnishment. So what types of earnings are subject to garnishment?

Income Subject to Withholding for Child Support Garnishment

Income subject to withholding for child support in Michigan includes:

• Salaries, wages, earnings, commissions and other income due to an individual presently or in the future from his or her employer and future employers.
• Payment(s) due or to be due to an individual in the future from a profit-sharing plan, pension plan, insurance contract, annuity, Social Security, unemployment compensation, supplemental unemployment benefits, or workers’ compensation.

Bonuses and Other Lump Sum Payments

Michigan employers are required to notify the issuer whenever an employee subject to a withholding order is due a bonus or lump sum payment. The employer may be required to withhold 50% of the payment.

Termination of Employment

When an employee is terminated, the employer must send to the child support enforcement agency or other person designated in the withholding order a copy of the withholding order, which will have a space for termination information to be filled in.

Administrative Fees

While employers most certainly incur expenses related to the enforcement of a child support order, in Michigan, employers may not charge a fee to recoup those expenses.

Penalty for Noncompliance

Employers who do not comply with a court order for income withholding may be subject to a fine for contempt of court and for failure to comply with a notice to pay withheld amounts to the friend of the court after the order was binding. The minimum fine is an amount equal to that which would otherwise have been withheld had the employer complied with the withholding order.

Michigan State Office of Child Support – Contact Information

Office of Child Support

State Disbursement Unit

P.O. Box 30350

Lansing, MI 48909

Phone: (800) 817-0805

Website