r/CRedit • u/kmart25888 • 18d ago

Mortgage Can I get child support removed from my credit report? (Not in arrears)

Is it possible for me to get child support off my credit report. I am not in arrears and have never been late. But it’s affecting my debt to income ratio for purchasing a home. How can I get it to not be reported ?

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

43 comments sorted by

4

u/HelpfulMaybeMama 18d ago

What credit report has child support when you're not delinquent? Are you in the US?

2

u/kmart25888 18d ago

Yeah California.

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u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago edited 18d ago

California's child support system actively reports payment information, including arrears, to major credit bureaus like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

Here's a breakdown of how child support arrears are reported in California:

Automatic Reporting: All child support orders are reported, regardless of whether the paying parent is in arrears.

However, timely payments prevent negative marks on your report.

https://childsupport.ca.gov/faq/

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It is the law in CA —>

Credit Reporting

All child support orders are reported to credit reporting agencies.

The reports lists names, social security numbers, amounts owed, and whether the paying parent is a good or bad credit risk as reflected by their child support payment history.

This reporting is done, by law, in all cases - even if the paying parent is paying as court ordered and is not in arrears.

Equifax, Transunion & Experian are the three major credit reporting agencies.

If a paying parent disputes any of the child support agency information being reported in his/her credit report, the paying parent should submit their dispute in writing to each of the 3 major credit reporting agencies for each child support case they are disputing and specify exactly what the issues are in reference to the child support agency information.

Upon receipt of the dispute, each credit reporting agency will electronically submit the dispute to the child support agency to update the credit reporting information as appropriate based on a thorough review of the paying parents case(s).

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u/kmart25888 18d ago

So basically I can’t get it removed?

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u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago edited 18d ago

Correct.

Dispute it ONLY if there is an ERROR —> such as the Child Support agency is reporting your monthly obligation as $1200 / month and your court ordered obligation is actually $800/ month.

Computers typically update / transfer obligation changes and payment records and any arrears balances automatically on a monthly basis.

-Worked in Child Support Enforcement for 26 years-

1

u/HelpfulMaybeMama 18d ago

Thanks. It's specific to CA then. I didn't realize that. Thanks for the education.

OP there's nothing you can do. CA wants to make sure yoir future lenders know about this obligation. You also want them to fairly assess the loan you can afford.

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u/HelpfulMaybeMama 18d ago

So, what credit report had this information? My guess is it's not EQ, EX, or TU but the secondary bureaus the lender uses so they can see all of your debt obligations. That way they make sure you can afford your loan payments.

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u/traker998 18d ago

Don’t they report to all three in California? Why are you saying it’s not the big three?

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u/HelpfulMaybeMama 18d ago

I asked before I learned that CA was an exception to the rule. Other states don't add child support payments to your credit report UNLESS you're in default. So, those payments are, in general, not going to show up if you're on time/in compliance.

1

u/traker998 18d ago

Okay the comment I replied to was you replying to OPs comment that it was in California. That’s why I was surprised you didn’t know it was in California. Sorry.

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u/HelpfulMaybeMama 18d ago

Someone explained afterwards that CA was different and that they reported. They included a link as well but I didn't find information about California reporting child support there. I Googled and was able to find it that way.

When the OP stated they were in CA, that was responding to my question about living in or outside of the US. I didn't know at that point that CA was different. There are probably a few other states that do report, but the vast majority don't, which I confirmed with several articles from Google before my original response.

I wasn't aware that any did, consulted Google to confirm, and none of the articles I opened shared that some states did report that information, so I was confident that I was correct. It wasn't until someone corrected me that I went back to Google and specified CA that information confirming that showed up.

I think I even thanked the poster that I learned something new.

Does it makes sense now?

1

u/kmart25888 18d ago

All The 3 major bureaus report it

1

u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago

All 3 major Credit Bureau in the USA:

Experian, Equifax, TransUnion

1

u/HelpfulMaybeMama 18d ago

I've never seen child support on your credit report unless you're in arrears. Do you have information that says otherwise for the majority of states (not the exception for states like CA), because I cannot find information that agrees with you?

2

u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago

That is how the law is in many states —> it is ONLY reported to the credit bureau IF there a delinquency. But laws change. State of California has a law in place to report all child support obligations ever when there has never been any delinquency.

1

u/HelpfulMaybeMama 18d ago

Yes, so that's the exception and not the rule. But you were saying that all 3 bureaus report child support, even when they're not in arrears.

Therefore, child support is not added to credit reports unless you're delinquent in most states which is why I was confused. Someone else had already responded that it was different in CA.

Edited because I didn't realize you were the person who both pointed out that it was specific to CA and said that it was for all the bureaus (when my question specifically only asked about it when you were not delinquent).

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u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago edited 18d ago

Federal Law mandates child support cases are reported to credit bureaus when arrears are over $1000 but each state can make their own stricter law.

Florida starts reporting threshold is at $400 in arrears.

California reports all child support cases even if there are no arrears.

Once your case is reported to credit bureau is stays on the record …. Even if case is brought up to date and is brought below the reporting arrears threshold. Meaning if the arrears balance is below $1000 that does not mean the child support case stops being reported to the credit bureau. It remains on there.

Explained that the Obligor many times over the 26 years I worked in Child Support.

You can look up the current credit bureau reporting law for whichever state you are interested with a just a google search. That was how I found current CA law for the OP.

1

u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago

Each state has its own law regarding when they report child support to the major credit bureaus.

5

u/aSe_DILF 18d ago

Credit reporting aside, you have to disclose child support on a mortgage application.

3

u/Tiny_Leave_2856 18d ago

I been paying child support for 15years & I still need 3years more I never seen that in my credit report

1

u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago edited 18d ago

I will explain that.

Most states do not require reporting to credit bureau follow the Fed guideline of reporting only when child support arrears hit threshold of $1000 ( or in state of Florida they have stricter law of $400 arrears bal ).

California has the most strict law that reports all child support cases even if there have never been any late payments.

California tends to be one of the most aggressive states as far as passing new laws for child support enforcement.

-Worked in Child Support Enforcement for 26 years-

4

u/Cranberry-Electrical 18d ago

Ask your attorney

2

u/Crinklytoes Credit Commenter 18d ago

Sorry, seems mandatory to report child support payment information to credit bureaus (which is handled by state Child Support Services agencies)

  • Federal Requirement: Federal law mandates states to report delinquent child support payments to credit bureaus.
  • Reporting Thresholds: States have varying rules on when to report overdue payments, with federal law requiring reporting for delinquencies exceeding $1,000. Some states, like Florida, have stricter rules and require reporting for lower amounts

2

u/kmart25888 18d ago

I’m not delinquent though. And never have been. It’s on time every month and not in arrears. I just want it off my report

2

u/PayNo6007 18d ago

Some states only report to credit bureau if there is child support delinquency of a dollar amt threshold.

California law reports ALL Child Support cases to credit bureau by law even when there was never been any late payments.

1

u/Crinklytoes Credit Commenter 18d ago edited 18d ago

Your Attorney can clarify your state's mandatory child support reporting laws, which require reporting of all on-time and arrears payments to credit bureaus.

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u/Voidfang_Investments 17d ago

Even without a credit report, the banks ask if you have any other obligations. Lying would constitute mortgage fraud.

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u/No-Solid-294 17d ago

Lenders generally require you to disclose child support obligations, even if it’s not on your credit report.

1

u/Lovegem85 17d ago

You have to disclose it regardless if it’s on your credit. They’ll find out regardless.

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u/Metermanohio 15d ago

It will fall off rather quickly. It did in my case.

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u/kmart25888 15d ago

What you mean

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u/Metermanohio 15d ago

It doesn’t take long to come off your credit report once paid and over.

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u/kmart25888 15d ago

lol I got 12 years To go buddy.

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u/Mickeynutzz 18d ago edited 18d ago

You might not be able to remove it - new laws in some states want it to be included after a prior delinquency or even if never late …..so your Debt to Income ratio is calculated correctly for potential lenders.

Even after it has been brought up to date it might stay on your credit record. But it is correcting reflecting that you are making timely payments.

There are different laws in different states. Check the current credit reporting law re child support in your state.

-Worked in Child Support Enforcement for 26 years-

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u/mrgrooberson 18d ago edited 18d ago

Child support should never be included on credit reports. It's insane that it is. 

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u/traker998 18d ago

Are you sure? It’s well publicized it does in California and OP says that’s where they are. Do you have sourcing they don’t report in California? The California child support website says they do.

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u/mrgrooberson 18d ago

Where did I say it wasn't? Did you confuse my comment with someone else's?

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u/traker998 18d ago

You said it should never be included? Are you just saying philosophically you don’t think your debts should be reported to the credit reports?

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u/matabei89 18d ago

Get a document showing true balance. Under writer will adjust in the backend. Had issue with written off discover, showed the doc and taxes I paid on. They removed from the calculations . Big pain in the butt.

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u/traker998 18d ago

It is the true balance. OP isn’t disputing that. You got accurate information removed? I doubt Californians going to do this.

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u/matabei89 17d ago

They removed from their calculations, still on my credit..think drop off in oct. Hit 7 year mark. Fha loan not sure if do same for conventional