topic Re: Question about child support arrears reporting in General Credit Topics

Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:19:47 GMT

I have child support arrears, i've been paying on it for years.

The state put it on my credit report way back in 2001 when i first got behind, it eventually came off after 7 years

Then I moved out of state, the state i moved to, put it back on my report again in 2015, i wasn't behind on current payment, they just put it on my report, it came back off, then they put it back on again, so i got it removed through credit repair

Now they're sending me another notice saying it's going back on again next month.

I thought according to the FCRA, the shelf life is only 7 years, yet they keep reaging it and putting it back onto my report, is this legal for them to do?

This is what the FCRA says regarding it:

§ 622. Information on overdue child support obligations
[15 U.S.C. § 1681s-1]
Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a consumer reporting agency
shall include in any consumer report furnished by the agency in accordance
with section 604 [§ 1681b] of this title, any information on the failure of the
consumer to pay overdue support which
88
§ 623 - 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2
(1) is provided
(A) to the consumer reporting agency by a State or local child
support enforcement agency; or
(B) to the consumer reporting agency and verified by any local,
State, or Federal government agency; and
(2) antedates the report by 7 years or less.

Any input would be appreciated, thank you

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

pizzadude — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:05:44 GMT

Are you still paying on this or has it been paid in full yet ?

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:48:36 GMT

Hello,

Still paying, but i thought just like with any other account, once 7 years is up, that's it, it falls off, or if it's removed, it can't be replaced back onto the report since 7 years has expired.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

pizzadude — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:30:22 GMT

@Rob303 wrote:
Hello,

Still paying, but i thought just like with any other account, once 7 years is up, that's it, it falls off, or if it's removed, it can't be replaced back onto the report since 7 years has expired.

Accounts only age off from credit reports after they're closed - open accounts generally remain as long as they're still active and I'm guessing that's why this is continuing to show? You are current with the payments now though is that accurate ?

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:46:16 GMT

Yes, im current, but do not want it on there.

Also, how can it be put back on there once taken off, it's been on and off my report about 4 x since 2001.

Which is also well over the 7 year period it states in the FCRA.

So yes, the case itself is still open, which means i still owe it, but as far as reporting it, i don't see how what they're doing is legal, based on what the FCRA states.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

JoeRockhead — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:47:00 GMT

You’re mixing up how the 7-year rule works.

That limit applies to most negative accounts, but child support is different. If you still owe arrears, the state can keep reporting it as an active obligation. It’s not really “re-aging” in the normal sense. It’s being reported again because the debt still exists.

The law you quoted doesn’t say it can only ever be reported once for 7 years total. It allows reporting of overdue support that’s been verified within that timeframe, and states can keep updating that info. If the balance or details are wrong, that’s something you can dispute. But just the fact that it keeps coming back doesn’t automatically make it illegal.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:57:08 GMT

Let's say that's correct, that child support is somehow different, like student loans indefinitely can report, or tax liens 10 years as example..

Where can i find this information regarding child support though? I've had people tell me "State can keep reporting it", but then others will say, it's no different than a credit card or auto loan that runs it's 7 year course, and can't legally be put back on the report based on the FCRA rules.

They report it like it's a personal loan on the report

So I just want to see what laws been changed or rules governing child support, proving they are allowed to keep doing this.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

pizzadude — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:04:00 GMT

Good points above, also it sounds like there aren't any lates or negative notations so there won't be any impact to your FICO scores.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:21:03 GMT

True, i don't think it impacts it, aside from it actually showing on my report.

I personally believe it hurts even though it's not showing negative just because some lenders i think hold it against you, just for the fact it's child support.

I could be wrong, but I've heard of situations, and even experienced it myself in situations where i don't think i should have been turned down for credit.

My scores are well into the 700's, zero missed payments on anything

I just don't see though how it's legal what they're doing, unless i can see in writing a law or rule that's been changed that overrides the FCRA.

I hear some people tell me it's different for support, but i've yet to see where this is in writing that it is.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

ForwardLooking — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:10:11 GMT

Speaking from personal experiance -- in red....

@Rob303 wrote:
True, i don't think it impacts it, aside from it actually showing on my report.
It will not impact your scores.

I personally believe it hurts even though it's not showing negative just because some lenders i think hold it against you, just for the fact it's child support.
I have never had an issue with lenders seeing it on my credit report and denying me a loan because of it.

I could be wrong, but I've heard of situations, and even experienced it myself in situations where i don't think i should have been turned down for credit.
The only time it was even discussed with a lender is when I was getting a mortgage for my house. I do not think it was specifically because of it being reported on my credit reports, but rather from the disclosures in the mortgage application where I had to disclose I was paying child support. I simply provided the ledger from the Texas OAG Child Support division showing I was current and verified the amount being paid. It was used in DTI calculations, but no issues there for me. You are required by law to disclose it in at least Fannie and Freddie backed mortgage applications even if it is not showing on your credit report, so it is kind of moot having it on your report.

My scores are well into the 700's, zero missed payments on anything
Good Job!

I just don't see though how it's legal what they're doing, unless i can see in writing a law or rule that's been changed that overrides the FCRA.
Child support obligations are similar to student loans (as you eluded before) and other debt that falls outside of normal reporting constraints. It can be actively reported and remain until the obligation is satisified (i.e. child ages out) and there are no arrearages. Your state's child support agency sets the policy for how they report, they are different between states, so you should check with them to understand the policy that affects you specifically. Just like any other credit item, they can remain on your report after they are closed out until they naturally age off.

I hear some people tell me it's different for support, but i've yet to see where this is in writing that it is.
FICO claims it is not used in scoring calculations. It is visible to lenders as you already know, but it would not be a real issue unless it is showing you behind on payments. States are required to report child support arrearages under (42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(7)). States may still report to the credit burreaus reguardless of if it is current or in arrearage based on their individual policies, there is no law or regulation stopping them from doing so. I personally had a bogus late hit my report from an incorect administrative error after a modification order was mis-entered in their system. They corrected the issue, removed the late as I was never late, but they do still report monthly as green check marks. At the end of the day, I just think of it as proof that I am not a deadbeat rather than get upset that they are reporting my perfect payment history on child support.

What's Not Included in Your Credit Score?| myFICO

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Tue, 05 May 2026 11:33:33 GMT

"Just like any other credit item, they can remain on your report after they are closed out until they naturally age off."

Right, but that's the thing, once it ages off, are they legally able to re-age and place it back on?

That's the issue im running into. You stated different states have different rules, but the FCRA states 7 years for cs reporting.

So I don't see how it can be the same as student loans owed to the government, which never go away, and can be re-inserted onto the credit report even after it's removed or ages out.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Tue, 05 May 2026 11:42:03 GMT

"FICO claims it is not used in scoring calculations. It is visible to lenders as you already know, but it would not be a real issue unless it is showing you behind on payments. States are required to report child support arrearages under (42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(7))"

I forgot to address this part, yes i know that once it gets behind a couple of months, this section allows them to report it to the credit bureaus.

But my issue is, the re-aging, it's been put back onto my report 4 different times after it's been either removed through credit repair, or aged off after 7 years

FCRA states 7 years for cs, so i don't see how they're allowed to do this is my issue.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

JoeRockhead — Tue, 05 May 2026 12:28:45 GMT

Unfortunately you’re still trying to force this into the 7 year reporting framework, and that’s where things keep going in the same circle.

The 7 year rule under FCRA 15 U.S.C. §1681c applies to adverse items tied to a specific delinquency event... like a charge off, or collection. As I said previously, child support arrears don’t work that way. This isn’t a one time event that ages off. It’s an ongoing, past due legal obligation that still exists today, yes?... Yes.

As we already know, child support enforcement agencies are authorized furnishers under federal law 42 U.S.C. §666(a)(7), and the bureaus are required to include that information when it’s reported. As long as there’s an active obligation or arrears balance, they can continue reporting current status updates. That’s not re-aging old debt... It’s reporting an existing one.

You’ve also mentioned that it was removed during disputes and then came back. That doesn’t prove it isn’t reportable. It just means it wasn’t verified within the required time frame or wasn’t being reported correctly at that moment. When you dispute something, the bureau has to confirm it with the furnisher. If the agency doesn’t respond in time or the data doesn’t match exactly, it can get deleted as part of the process. That’s just procedural... It’s not a ruling that the item can’t be reported. Once the agency corrects or re-verifies the information, they’re allowed to report it again and that's why it keeps coming back.

So what you’re seeing isn’t a violation of the 7 year rule... It’s the difference between how disputes work and how ongoing obligations are reported. At this point, it’s not really about interpretation. You’re applying a rule that governs closed, event based delinquencies to something that's still active and legally enforceable.

If you can point to where the FCRA requires removal of an active child support obligation after 7 years, that would change the discussion. But absent that, this is functioning the way the law allows it to. If your goal is to have it stop reporting, be removed, and more importantly... stay removed... The only path here is resolving the arrears so the obligation is no longer active. Until the delinquent balance is addressed, the reporting isn’t going to change permanently.

Re: Question about child support arrears reporting

Rob303 — Wed, 13 May 2026 23:43:16 GMT

Ok, ty for your input