Madison – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today highlighted an added service for parents receiving child support and alimony. Parents can now opt to receive their payments through direct deposit. An added benefit of this service is the potential for the state to save up to $2.2 million each year, if parents elect to use direct deposit for their payments.
The recently introduced service, which offers parents convenience and added security, also provides savings to taxpayers. The service reduces the costs of preparing and mailing checks to custodial parents.
Annually, DWD issues 5.6 million checks to parents. Each check costs approximately $0.46 to print and mail. The cost of direct deposit is $0.06 per check. If all child support checks were issued via direct deposit, the state would realize savings of $2.2 million per year. So far, 25% of all child support recipients had opted to receive their payments via direct deposit, resulting in savings of $560,000.
“This service for child support and alimony payments is a prime example of the Governor’s commitment to make government more responsive and to provide services as cost effectively as possible,” said Secretary Gassman. “We are pleased to be able to provide this convenient and secure option for parents while also saving taxpayers money. While we have already realized substantial savings, we would like to encourage even more parents to have their checks directly deposited into their savings or checking accounts.”
For those families who do not have bank accounts, DWD and the Wisconsin Department of Administration will offer a debit card option in the near future. The debit card will allow all families access to the increased level of service and generate additional savings for taxpayers.
Customers can obtain a direct deposit application form from the web at http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/bcs/ddbrochure.pdf, from their county child support agency, or by contacting the Wisconsin Support Collection Trust Fund, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at:
Metro Milwaukee area: (414) 615-2400
Outside the Metro Milwaukee area: (800) 991-5530
TDD: (877) 209-5209
Customers may also sign up to view their payments via the web at https://www.dwd.state.wi.us/bcs/payments/. More information about the child support program in general can be found at childsupport.wisconsin.gov.
