CHAPTER 252I
SUPPORT PAYMENTS — LEVIES AGAINST ACCOUNTS

  252I.1  Definitions.
  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
  1.  “Account” means “account” as defined in section 524.103, “share account or shares” as defined in section 534.102, the savings or deposits of a member received or being held by a credit union, or certificates of deposit. “Account” also includes deposits held by an agent, a broker-dealer, or an issuer as defined in section 502.102 and money-market mutual fund accounts and “account” as defined in 42 U.S.C. §  666(a)(17). However, “account” does not include amounts held by a financial institution as collateral for loans extended by the financial institution.
  2.  “Bank” means “bank”, “insured bank”, and “state bank” as defined in section 524.103.
  3.  “Court order” means “support order” as defined in section 252J.1.
  4.  “Credit union” means “credit union” as defined in section 533.102.
  5.  “Financial institution” means “financial institution” as defined in 42 U.S.C. §  669A(d)(1). “Financial institution” also includes an institution which holds deposits for an agent, broker-dealer, or an issuer as defined in section 502.102.
  6.  “Obligor” means a person who has been ordered by a court or administrative authority to pay support.
  7.  “Savings and loan association” means “association” as defined in section 534.102.
  8.  “Support” or “support payments” means “support” or “support payments” as defined in section 252D.16.
  9.  “Unit” or “child support recovery unit” means the child support recovery unit created in section 252B.2.
  10.  “Working days” means only Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, but excluding the holidays specified in section 1C.2, subsection 1.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1034, §15; 97 Acts, ch 175, §110; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §33; 2007 Acts, ch 174, §91; 2008 Acts, ch 1031, §109
Referred to in 

  252I.2  Purpose and use.
  1.  Notwithstanding other statutory provisions which provide for the execution, attachment, or levy against accounts, the unit may utilize the process established in this chapter to collect delinquent support payments provided that any exemptions or exceptions which specifically apply to enforcement of support obligations pursuant to other statutory provisions also apply to this chapter.
  2.  An obligor is subject to the provisions of this chapter if the obligor’s support obligation is being enforced by the child support recovery unit, and if the support payments ordered under chapter 232, 234, 252A, 252C, 252D, 252E, 252F, 598, 600B, or any other applicable chapter, or under a comparable statute of a foreign jurisdiction, as certified to the child support recovery unit, are not paid to the clerk of the district court or the collection services center pursuant to section 598.22 and become delinquent in an amount equal to the support payment for one month.
  3.  Any amount forwarded by a financial institution under this chapter shall not exceed the amounts specified in 15 U.S.C. §  1673(b) and shall not exceed the delinquent or accrued amount of support owed by the obligor.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §2
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  252I.3  Initial notice to obligor.
  The unit or district court may include language in any new or modified support order issued on or after July 1, 1994, notifying the obligor that the obligor is subject to the provisions of this chapter. However, this chapter is sufficient notice for implementation of administrative levy provisions without further notice of the provisions of this chapter.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §3; 2005 Acts, ch 112, §12

  252I.4  Verification of accounts and immunity from liability.
  1.  The unit may contact a financial institution to obtain verification of the account number, the names and social security numbers listed for the account, and the account balance of any account held by an obligor. Contact with a financial institution may be by telephone or by written communication. The financial institution may require positive voice recognition and may require the telephone number of the authorized person from the unit before releasing an obligor’s account information by telephone.
  2.  The unit and financial institutions doing business in Iowa shall enter into agreements to develop and operate a data match system, using automated data exchanges to the maximum extent feasible. The data match system shall allow a means by which each financial institution shall provide to the unit for each calendar quarter the name, record address, social security number or other taxpayer identification number, and other identifying information for each obligor who maintains an account at the institution and who owes past-due support, as identified by the unit by name and social security number or other taxpayer identification number. The unit shall work with representatives of financial institutions to develop a system to assist nonautomated financial institutions in complying with the provisions of this section.
  3.  The unit may pay a reasonable fee to a financial institution for conducting the data match required in subsection 2, not to exceed the lower of either one hundred fifty dollars for each quarterly data match or the actual costs incurred by the financial institution for each quarterly data match. However, the unit may also adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to specify a fee amount for each quarterly data match based upon the estimated state share of funds collected under this chapter, which, when adopted, shall be applied in lieu of the one hundred fifty dollar fee under this subsection. In addition, the unit may pay a reasonable fee to a financial institution for automation programming development performed in order to conduct the data match required in subsection 2, not to exceed the lower of either five hundred dollars or the actual costs incurred by the financial institution. The unit may use the state share of funds collected under this chapter to pay the fees to financial institutions under this subsection. For state fiscal years beginning July 1, 1999, and July 1, 2000, the unit may use up to one hundred percent of the state share of such funds. For state fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2001, the unit may use up to fifty percent of the state share of such funds. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a financial institution shall have until a date provided in the agreement in subsection 2 to submit its claim for a fee under this subsection. If the unit does not have sufficient funds available under this subsection for payment of fees under this subsection for conducting data matches or for automation program development performed in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, the cost may be carried forward to the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000. The unit may also use funds from an amount assessed a child support agency of another state, as defined in section 252H.2, to conduct a data match requested by that child support agency as provided in 42 U.S.C. §  666(a)(14) to pay fees to financial institutions under this subsection.
  4.  a.  A financial institution is immune from any liability in any action or proceeding, whether civil or criminal, for any of the following:
  (1)  The disclosure of any information by a financial institution to the unit pursuant to this chapter or the rules or procedures adopted by the unit to implement this chapter, including disclosure of information relating to an obligor who maintains an account with the financial institution or disclosure of information relating to any other person who maintains an account with the financial institution that is provided for the purpose of complying with the data match requirements of this section and with the agreement entered into between the financial institution and the unit pursuant to subsection 2.
  (2)  Any encumbrance or surrender of any assets held by a financial institution in response to a notice of lien or levy issued by the unit.
  (3)  Any action or omission in connection with good faith efforts to comply with this chapter or any rules or procedures that are adopted by the unit to implement this chapter.
  (4)  The disclosure, use, or misuse by the unit or by any other person of information provided or assets delivered to the unit by a financial institution.
  b.  For the purposes of this section, “financial institution” includes officers, directors, employees, contractors, and agents of the financial institution.
  5.  The financial institution or the unit is not liable for the cost of any early withdrawal penalty of an obligor’s certificate of deposit.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §4; 97 Acts, ch 175, §111; 99 Acts, ch 127, §3; 2000 Acts, ch 1096, §3, 4; 2000 Acts, ch 1232, §90, 95

  252I.5  Administrative levy — notice to financial institution.
  1.  If an obligor is subject to this chapter under section 252I.2, the unit may initiate an administrative action to levy against the accounts of the obligor.
  2.  The unit may send a notice to the financial institution with which the account is placed, directing that the financial institution forward all or a portion of the moneys in the obligor’s account or accounts to the collection services center established pursuant to chapter 252B. The notice shall be sent by regular mail, with proof of service completed according to rule of civil procedure 1.442.
  3.  The notice to the financial institution shall contain all of the following:
  a.  The name and social security number of the obligor.
  b.  A statement that the obligor is believed to have one or more accounts at the financial institution.
  c.  A statement that pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, the obligor’s accounts are subject to seizure and the financial institution is authorized and required to forward moneys to the collection services center.
  d.  The maximum amount that shall be forwarded by the financial institution, which shall not exceed the delinquent or accrued amount of support owed by the obligor.
  e.  The prescribed time frame which the financial institution must meet in forwarding amounts.
  f.  The address of the collection services center and the collection services center account number.
  g.  A telephone number, address, and contact name of the child support recovery unit contact initiating the action.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §5; 2005 Acts, ch 112, §13
Referred to in 

  252I.6  Administrative levy — notice to support obligor.
  1.  The unit may administratively initiate an action to seize accounts of an obligor who is subject to this chapter under section 252I.2.
  2.  The unit shall notify an obligor subject to this chapter, and any other party known to have an interest in the account, of the action. The notice shall contain all of the following:
  a.  The name of the obligor.
  b.  A statement that the obligor is believed to have one or more accounts at the financial institution.
  c.  A statement that pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, the obligor’s accounts are subject to seizure and the financial institution is authorized and required to forward moneys to the collection services center.
  d.  The maximum amount to be forwarded by the financial institution, which shall not exceed the delinquent or accrued amount of support owed by the obligor.
  e.  The prescribed time frames within which the financial institution must comply.
  f.  A statement that any challenge to the action shall be in writing and shall be received by the child support recovery unit within ten days of the date of the notice to the obligor.
  g.  The address of the collection services center and the collection services center account number.
  h.  A telephone number, address, and contact name for the child support recovery unit contact initiating the action.
  3.  The unit shall forward the notice to the obligor by regular mail within two working days of sending the notice to the financial institution pursuant to section 252I.5. Proof of service shall be completed according to rule of civil procedure 1.442.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §6; 2008 Acts, ch 1019, §10

  252I.7  Responsibilities of financial institution.
  Upon receipt of a notice under section 252I.5, the financial institution shall do all of the following:
  1.  Immediately encumber funds in all accounts in which the obligor has an interest to the extent of the debt indicated in the notice from the unit.
  2.  No sooner than fifteen days, and no later than twenty days from the date the financial institution receives the notice under section 252I.5, unless notified by the unit of a challenge by the obligor or an account holder of interest, the financial institution shall forward the moneys encumbered to the collection services center with the obligor’s name and social security number, collection services center account number, and any other information required in the notice.
  3.  The financial institution may assess a fee against the obligor, not to exceed ten dollars, for forwarding of moneys to the collection services center. This fee is in addition to the amount of support due. In the event that there are insufficient moneys to cover the fee and the support amount due, the institution may deduct the fee amount prior to forwarding moneys to the collection services center and the amount credited to the support obligation shall be reduced by the fee amount.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §7
Referred to in 

  252I.8  Challenges to action.
  1.  Challenges under this chapter may be initiated only by an obligor or by an account holder of interest. Actions initiated by the unit under this chapter are not subject to chapter 17A, and resulting court hearings following certification shall be an original hearing before the district court.
  2.  The person challenging the action shall submit a written challenge to the person identified as the contact for the unit in the notice, within ten working days of the date of the notice.
  3.  The unit shall, upon receipt of a written challenge, review the facts of the case with the challenging party. Only a mistake of fact, including but not limited to, a mistake in the identity of the obligor or a mistake in the amount of delinquent support due shall be considered as a reason to dismiss or modify the proceeding.
  4.  If the unit determines that a mistake of fact has occurred the unit shall proceed as follows:
  a.  If a mistake in identity has occurred or the obligor is not delinquent in an amount equal to the payment for one month, the unit shall notify the financial institution that the administrative levy has been released. The unit shall provide a copy of the notice to the support obligor by regular mail.
  b.  If the obligor is delinquent, but the amount of the delinquency is less than the amount indicated in the notice, the unit shall notify the financial institution of the revised amount with a copy of the notice and issue a copy to the obligor or forward a copy to the obligor by regular mail. Upon written receipt of instructions from the unit, the financial institution shall release the funds in excess of the revised amount to the obligor and the moneys in the amount of the debt shall be processed according to section 252I.7.
  5.  If the unit finds no mistake of fact, the unit shall provide a notice to that effect to the challenging party by regular mail. Upon written request of the challenging party, the unit shall request a hearing before the district court in the county in which the underlying support order is filed.
  a.  The financial institution shall encumber moneys if the child support recovery unit notifies the financial institution to do so.
  b.  The clerk of the district court shall schedule a hearing upon the request by the unit for a time not later than ten calendar days after the filing of the request for hearing. The clerk shall mail copies of the request for hearing and the order scheduling the hearing to the unit and to all account holders of interest.
  c.  If the court finds that there is a mistake of identity or that the obligor does not owe the delinquent support, the unit shall notify the financial institution that the administrative levy has been released.
  d.  If the court finds that the obligor has an interest in the account, and the amount of support due was incorrectly overstated, the unit shall notify the financial institution to release the excess moneys to the obligor and remit the remaining moneys in the amount of the debt to the collection services center for disbursement to the appropriate recipient.
  e.  If the court finds that the obligor has an interest in the account, and the amount of support due is correct, the financial institution shall forward the moneys to the collection services center for disbursement to the appropriate recipient.
  f.  If the obligor or any other party known to have an interest in the account fails to appear at the hearing, the court may find the challenging party in default, shall ratify the administrative levy, if valid upon its face, and shall enter an order directing the financial institution to release the moneys to the unit.
  g.  Issues related to visitation, custody, or other provisions not related to levies against accounts are not grounds for a hearing under this chapter.
  h.  Support orders shall not be modified under a challenge pursuant to this section.
  i.  Any findings in the challenge of an administrative levy related to the amount of the accruing or accrued support obligation do not modify the underlying support order.
  j.  An order entered under this chapter for a levy against an account of a support obligor has priority over a levy for a purpose other than the support of the dependents in the court order being enforced.
  6.  The support obligor may withdraw the request for challenge by submitting a written withdrawal to the person identified as the contact for the unit in the notice or the unit may withdraw the administrative levy at any time prior to the court hearing and provide notice of the withdrawal to the obligor and any account holder of interest and to the financial institution, by regular mail.
  7.  If the financial institution has forwarded moneys to the collection services center and has deducted a fee from the moneys of the account, or if any additional fees or costs are levied against the account, and all funds are subsequently refunded to the account due to a mistake of fact or ruling of the court, the child support recovery unit shall reimburse the account for any fees assessed by the financial institution. If the mistake of fact is a mistake in the amount of support due and any portion of the moneys is retained as support payments, however, the unit is not required to reimburse the account for any fees or costs levied against the account. Additionally, for the purposes of reimbursement to the account for any fees or costs, each certificate of deposit is considered a separate account.
94 Acts, ch 1101, §8