Quick answer: In Indiana, each delinquent child support payment is a judgment and a lien on the obligor’s property. Interest is not automatic: a court may, on request, order up to 1.5% a month. Licenses can be suspended once you are delinquent by at least $2,000 or three months.
This Indiana child support arrears calculator adds up the unpaid weekly installments, lets you test a monthly interest rate and flags the thresholds in IC 31-25-4-2 and the federal $2,500 passport line. A court cannot retroactively modify a delinquent payment, so the way to stop arrears growing is to give notice of a petition before installments fall due.
Indiana child support arrears and interest at a glance
| Rule | What Indiana says |
|---|---|
| Each delinquent payment | Treated as a judgment against the obligor (IC 31-16-16-2) |
| Lien | A lien is created against the obligor’s real and personal property in the amount of the judgment (31-16-16-3) |
| Interest | The court may, on request, order not more than 1.5% a month on a delinquent payment (31-16-12-2) |
| Delinquent for IV-D license action | At least $2,000 or three months past due (31-25-4-2) |
| Driver’s license | A court that finds an intentional violation orders suspension (31-16-12-7); the IV-D agency gives 20 days to pay, set a plan or ask for a hearing (31-25-4-32) |
| Withholding | Immediate income withholding in orders, including arrearage and interest (31-16-15-0.5) |
How do child support arrears work in Indiana?
- Interest and method. See the Indiana child support interest rate.
- Collection. See what happens if you do not pay child support in Indiana.
- Time limits and forgiveness. See whether Indiana child support arrears expire or can be forgiven.
What does this arrears calculator check?
You enter the weekly support and the number of weekly installments unpaid, and optionally a monthly interest rate to test (the statutory ceiling is 1.5%). By default no interest is added. The calculator flags the $2,000 or three-month delinquency threshold and the $2,500 passport line. It does not model partial payments. To change the amount going forward, see the Indiana child support modification calculator, and for when the obligation stops, the Indiana child support end date calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Does Indiana charge interest on child support arrears?
Not automatically. A court may, on request by the person or agency entitled to support, order interest of not more than 1.5% a month on a delinquent payment.
Is a missed Indiana child support payment a judgment?
Yes. A delinquent payment under a support order is treated as a judgment against the obligor, and a lien is created in that amount.
When can an Indiana license be suspended for unpaid child support?
When the obligor is delinquent by at least $2,000 or three months in IV-D cases, after a 20-day notice; a court also orders driver's license suspension on an intentional violation.
Does Indiana put a lien on property for unpaid child support?
Yes. A lien is created against the obligor's real and personal property in the amount of the judgment, and the holder has the priority of an unperfected secured creditor.
Does Indiana child support debt end when the child turns 19?
No. The obligation to pay arrearages does not terminate when the duty to support the child ceases.
Official sources
- IC 31-16-16-2: delinquent payments are judgments
- IC 31-16-16-3: liens
- IC 31-16-12-2: interest on delinquent payments
- IC 31-16-12-7: driver’s license suspension
- IC 31-25-4-2: delinquent defined
- IC 31-25-4-32: IV-D notice and license sanctions
- IC 31-16-15-0.5: immediate income withholding
- 42 U.S.C. 652(k): denial of passports