Oklahoma’s child support enforcement collected more than $17.8 million in federal tax intercepts during the first five months of 2002 alone. This tops the more than $17.6 million collected for all of last year.

"Tax intercepts are a very effective way of collecting past due child support," said Ray Weaver, Director, Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Support Enforcement Division. "There are thousands of kids who depend on that money, and we’re working harder than ever to make sure they are taken care
of."

Under federal and state law, Child Support Enforcement can attach any federal and state tax refunds from individuals who have outstanding child support payments and apply those refunds to their arrears. This remedy is available only through Child Support Enforcement.

Though collection through state tax intercepts for the first five months of 2002 are slightly lower than last year, $1.65 million compared to $1.7 million in 2001, the average amount collected from state taxes is up from $249 in 2001 to $251 for this year.

"We’ve become much more sophisticated about how we approach this remedy," added Weaver. "The bigger the income from the delinquent parent, the bigger the tax refund, the more we collect for the kids."