While you are on public assistance, you will not get the entire child support amount. The SCU will keep the support and give you a $50 “pass-through” on your budget for your household. This means you will only get $50 even if you have custody of more than one child, and even if the child support order is for a lot more money.
If you close your public assistance case, you MUST inform the SCU. You can then ask to have your case moved to the Family Court of the borough where the child lives. You will then receive the entire child support amount. However, if the parent paying child support has missed payments that were supposed to be made to the SCU, they will be paid first. Money the parent owes is called arrears (a-REERS). You will receive child support when all the arrears have been paid.