Quick answer: In Iowa, interest on unpaid child support starts 30 days after each payment is due and runs at 10% a year (simple). Support orders have the force of judgments, income withholding can start once you are one month behind and license sanctions apply at three months in a Child Support Services case.
This Iowa child support arrears calculator adds up the unpaid principal and the 10% interest under Iowa Code 535.3 and flags the withholding, license and passport thresholds. The court can only modify retroactively from three months after service, so give notice before installments fall due.
Iowa child support arrears and interest at a glance
| Rule | What Iowa says |
|---|---|
| Interest | No interest for 30 days after a periodic payment is due; then 10% a year (Iowa Code 535.3(2)) |
| Withholding exception | No interest on amounts being paid through withholding when the delay is only the payor’s pay cycle (535.3(2)) |
| Orders as judgments | Support orders have the force of judgments when entered in the judgment docket and lien index (598.22(3)) |
| Withholding | Delinquent in an amount equal to one month: an ex parte income withholding order (252D.1) |
| Licenses | Delinquent in an amount equal to three months in a services case: license sanctions, including hunting, fishing and vehicle licenses (252J.2) |
| Payments | Only payments to the clerk or the collection services center satisfy support (598.22(1)) |
How do child support arrears work in Iowa?
- Interest and method. See the Iowa child support interest rate.
- Collection. See what happens if you do not pay child support in Iowa.
- Time limits and forgiveness. See whether Iowa child support arrears expire or can be forgiven.
What does this arrears calculator check?
You enter the monthly support and the number of installments unpaid. The calculator adds simple interest at the annual rate starting 30 days after each due date, and flags the one-month withholding trigger, the three-month license trigger and the $2,500 passport threshold. It assumes no payments or withholding. To change the amount going forward, see the Iowa child support modification calculator, and for when the obligation stops, the Iowa child support end date calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the interest rate on child support arrears in Iowa?
10% a year, simple, starting 30 days after each periodic payment becomes due and owing.
Does Iowa charge interest on child support paid through withholding?
Not for the time a payment is unpaid solely because the payor withholds on its regular pay cycle rather than the order's dates.
When can Iowa start income withholding for unpaid child support?
When support is delinquent in an amount equal to one month, Child Support Services or the court may enter an ex parte withholding order.
When can an Iowa license be suspended for unpaid child support?
When payments are delinquent in an amount equal to three months in a Child Support Services case, subject to the department's rules.
Do payments made directly to the other parent count in Iowa?
Generally not. Payments to persons other than the clerk or the collection services center do not satisfy the obligation, with limited exceptions.
Official sources
- Iowa Code 535.3: interest on judgments and support
- Iowa Code 598.22: support payments, defaults and security
- Iowa Code 598.22A: satisfaction of support payments
- Iowa Code 252D.1: delinquent support and income withholding
- Iowa Code 252J.2: licensing sanctions
- Iowa Code 598.23: contempt
- 15 U.S.C. 1673: restriction on garnishment
- 42 U.S.C. 652(k): denial of passports