Am I entitled to a visitation credit against my child support obligation when I have the children?

If your child support order grants a credit for visitation then your monthly support obligation can be reduced by the percentage specified in your order. Credit should be requested after the visitation has occurred. You will need to provide the agency with a written request for the credit, along with documentation to show the visitation occurred. (See below for examples of the documentation necessary to receive visitation credit.) If your court order indicates a specific period of time for the visitation to occur, you must provide the agency written notification that the visitation is occurring and provide the actual dates of visitation.

If your court order does not specify a certain period of visitation but allows a visitation credit, you must provide proof of the visitation. Proof can be:

• Written verification from the custodial parent that the visitation was exercised
• School records showing dependents were enrolled
• Day care receipts during the visitation period
• Airline tickets or itinerary
• Affidavits from neighbors or relatives of the paying parent attesting that the dependents were in the residence with the paying parent during the visitation time frames.

If your child support order does not grant a visitation credit or does not specify the percentage or amount of credit you are to receive, CSED cannot apply a visitation credit until your order is modified to include those details regarding the visitation credit. Be aware that when an order is modified to include a visitation credit, the entire order is modified and this may affect your monthly support obligation.

Credit for transportation costs and/or expenses will only be given if your order states the costs will be offset against your child support obligation.

Visitation credit can be given only if both parties agree to the credit in writing, and specify the percentage of credit to be given.