Quick answer: In South Carolina, a recorded child support arrearage has the force of a judgment, and judgments draw interest at the prime rate plus four points, set each January. The Court of Appeals applied simple interest from each due date to child support. Unpaid support of $1,000 or more is a lien.
This South Carolina child support arrears calculator adds up the unpaid installments and simple interest at the rate you enter under S.C. Code 34-31-20(B), and flags the withholding, lien, license and passport thresholds. Enter the rate in the Supreme Court’s current order.
South Carolina child support arrears and interest at a glance
| Rule | What South Carolina says |
|---|---|
| Interest on judgments | Prime rate in the first Wall Street Journal of the year plus four points, compounded annually; the Supreme Court confirms the rate each January (S.C. Code 34-31-20(B)) |
| Child support method | A Court of Appeals decision applied simple interest from the date each payment came due (SC Lawyers Weekly summary) |
| Judgment | A recorded arrearage has the same force and effect as a judgment; the lien is not dischargeable in bankruptcy (63-17-1600) |
| Delinquency | Overdue by at least one month of support; income withholding applies (63-17-1410, 1420) |
| Lien | Unpaid support of $1,000 or more is a lien on the obligor’s property (63-17-2710) |
| Licenses | Compliance means arrears of no more than $500 and full support paid for the last two consecutive months; 45 days’ notice (63-17-1020, 1030) |
How do child support arrears work in South Carolina?
- Interest and method. See the South Carolina child support interest rate.
- Collection. See what happens if you do not pay child support in South Carolina.
- Whether arrears can be changed. See whether South Carolina child support arrears expire or can be forgiven.
What does this arrears calculator check?
You enter the monthly support, the number of installments unpaid and the annual rate. The calculator adds simple interest from each due date and flags the one-month delinquency, the $1,000 lien, the $500 license line and the $2,500 passport line. It does not model partial payments. To change the amount going forward, see the South Carolina child support modification calculator, and for when the obligation stops, the South Carolina child support end date calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Does South Carolina charge interest on child support arrears?
Money judgments draw interest, and a Court of Appeals decision applied post-judgment interest to child support from each due date; the state agency's practice may differ.
What is the South Carolina interest rate on child support arrears?
The judgment rate: the prime rate in the first Wall Street Journal of the year plus four points, confirmed each January by the Supreme Court.
Is South Carolina child support interest simple or compound?
The statute says compounded annually, but the Court of Appeals held simple interest applies to child support.
When does a South Carolina lien arise for unpaid child support?
When unpaid support reaches $1,000.
How long do I have to respond to a South Carolina license notice?
Forty-five days after receiving the notice, to pay the arrears or sign a payment agreement.
Official sources
- S.C. Code 34-31-20: legal rate of interest
- SC Lawyers Weekly: child support interest decision
- South Carolina Attorney General opinion on interest on recorded arrearages
- South Carolina Supreme Court order on the judgment interest rate
- S.C. Code Title 63, chapter 17: withholding, liens, licenses
- 15 U.S.C. 1673: restriction on garnishment
- 42 U.S.C. 652(k): denial of passports