Rule 5101:12-80-05.4 | Exception item processing and resolution.
(A) The purpose of this rule is to identify the responsibilities of the office of child support (OCS) and the child support enforcement agency (CSEA) to process an exception item in order to disburse the payment.
(B) Suspense payment.
(1) A suspense payment is a payment that is deposited and viewable in the child support payment central (CSPC) automated system, but is not applied to a support enforcement tracking system (SETS) case/order number, a recoupment account, or a recollection account.
(2) The CSEA will research a suspense payment when requested by CSPC. The CSEA will reply with instructions on how to apply the payment within two business days of receiving the request from CSPC.
(C) Unidentified payment.
(1) An unidentified payment is a payment that has been deposited and posted by CSPC to SETS, but cannot be applied to the correct case/order combination or recoupment account due to SETS system processing rules (e.g., case closed). An unidentified payment will display on the unidentified payment list in SETS.
(2) The CSEA will review the unidentified payment list in SETS each business day to research and resolve an unidentified payment. The CSEA will immediately take the necessary action (e.g., reopen case) and release the payment from the unidentified list.
(D) Misapplied payment.
(1) A misapplied payment is a payment or a portion of a payment that has been applied incorrectly. A misapplied payment is the result of:
(a) A CSPC processing error or when the payment information forwarded from CSPC differs from the instructions provided; or
(b) A CSEA case management error including:
(i) A case setup error;
(ii) A case update error;
(iii) A delay in updating a case timely;
(iv) An incorrect balance caused by a manual balance adjustment error; or
(v) When the CSEA provides incorrect posting instructions.
(c) A misapplied payment does not include a remitter error.
(2) When a misapplied payment occurs due to a CSEA error, within two business days of the CSEA becoming aware of the error, the CSEA will take appropriate actions to resolve the misapplied payment. When necessary, the CSEA will submit through SETS a request to payment analysis and account reconciliation (PAAR) for a financial correction to resolve a misapplied payment.
(3) PAAR will complete a financial correction to resolve a misapplied payment when necessary, either upon a financial correction request from the CSEA or CSPC, or based on PAAR research. When PAAR denies a financial correction request, PAAR will notify the CSEA of the reason for denial.
(E) Incorrect disbursement.
(1) An incorrect disbursement occurs when a misapplied payment is disbursed.
(2) When an incorrect disbursement occurs because of an OCS error, funds will be transferred from a make-whole account to the OCS master concentration account and a payment will be disbursed to the correct payee.
(3) When an incorrect disbursement occurs because of a CSEA error, the CSEA will cover the fiscal impact. Unless alternate arrangements have been made with OCS, OCS will withhold from the monthly summary accounting report check an amount equal to the amount of funds that was incorrectly disbursed, and a payment will be disbursed to the correct payee.
(F) Return deposit item.
(1) A return deposit item (RDI) is a payment that has been deposited and is returned unpaid by the remitter's financial institution. This includes checks with non-sufficient funds, checks lacking an endorsement, and checks from a closed account.
(2) When CSPC deposits a payment that is returned unpaid by the remitter's financial institution, CSPC may take action to prevent receiving another RDI from the same remitter. Subsequent payments from the remitter will be in the form of certified check, money order, or cashiers check. The RDI may be sent to the attorney general or a collection agency for recovery.
(3) When the CSEA learns that the remitter has requested or may request a stop payment on a check issued to CSPC, the CSEA will notify CSPC by email to the CSPC finance mailbox. If the CSEA fails to notify CSPC of a known stop payment or to comply with payment processing protocols as indicated on the JFS 07736, "Child Support Enforcement Agency Payment Processing Declaration" (effective or revised effective date as identified in rule 5101:12-80-99 of the Administrative Code), which results in an RDI, the CSEA will cover the fiscal impact of the RDI.
Last updated May 1, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Supplemental Information
Amplifies: 3121.43, 3121.50, 3123.81, 3125.03
Five Year Review Date: 5/1/2030
Prior Effective Dates: 10/1/1985 (Emer.), 1/1/1986 (Emer.), 4/1/1986, 11/15/1986, 12/1/1987 (Emer.), 2/29/1988, 6/10/1988, 12/20/1988, 9/1/1989 (Emer.), 11/30/1989, 8/1/1990, 1/1/1991, 4/1/1992, 6/1/1993, 12/1/1994, 6/1/1995, 7/1/1996, 1/1/1998, 4/24/2000 (Emer.), 7/10/2000, 10/15/2001, 5/8/2003, 4/3/2005, 1/15/2008, 9/15/2013, 2/15/2020