Custody battles in New Jersey can end with one parent paying the other to assist with the expenses of raising their child. Custodial parents receive these child support payments from the noncustodial parent often in monthly installments. But when the custodial parent moves, it can be hard for those checks to reach their destination. According to reports, this has resulted in millions of dollars in unclaimed child support across the nation.

Many people believe that simply changing their address with the post office is enough for these checks to find their way to a new residence. When someone forwards their address with the post office, it only lasts for a single year, according to an expert on unclaimed money. She believes that if recipients of child support told officials their new address during the move, much of the missing support would not be missing — it would instead be in the hands of the designated recipients.

One woman who was told that she was owed support because of a move she made in 2003 said that state organizations should do more to make contact with individuals who are owed. According to her, a person can be found with a simple search on the Internet. In the state which she moved from, these unclaimed checks are transferred from the Department of Children and Families to the office of the state treasurer. The next step is to post the names of individuals who are owed online so that they may find themselves there.

Once an owed person makes contact with the state, certain information must be verified. The process can be completed within 24 hours in some cases, allowing funds to be claimed and repaid at an astonishingly fast rate.

Source: The Post-Crescent, “Many child support checks go unclaimed,” Ben Jones, Dec. 5, 2011