Colorado Judicial Branch
About Income Assignments / Income Withholding Orders
Income Assignment/Withholding is used to collect maintenance (spousal support) and child support.
This process notifies the responsible party’s employer to withhold funds from the responsible party’s paycheck for support. For Garnishments, please see JDF 31 Writ of Garnishment for Support.
Criteria for Income Assignment / Income Withholding Order (IWO)
This option is available if you have a support order for child support, maintenance, and/or health/dental insurance and/or the party has failed to pay in full and timely, or an IWO was issued by the court.
How to File for an Income Assignment/IWO
How to File for an Income Assignment/IWO
- Complete the Federal Office of Management and Budget Form: Income Withholding for Support OMB 0970-0154
- For instructions and access to the form go to: www.acf.hhs.gov/css/resource/income-withholding-for-support-form
- For additional information regarding Colorado specific requirements, please review Colorado Revised Statute §14-14-111.5: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help-resources
- For information on the employer’s responsibility regarding income withholding, please review: https://childsupport.state.co.us/siteuser/do/vfs/Frag?file=/cm:incomeWithholdingIns.jsp&pageID=employer
- Mail and file the OMB 0970-0154
- Mail the original of this form to the employer by first class mail along with a certified copy of your Support Order.
- File a copy of the form with the court where your existing family/support case is.
- There is no fee filing.
- The Other Party may file an Objection to the Activation of an Income Assignment JDF 1808
- Fill out the caption only on this form (the case number and party information)
- Mail the form to the responsible party’s (Obligor) last-known address.
- If you have a Child Support Order requiring the other parent to pay health/dental insurance, you may:
- Complete the Notice to Employer to Deduct for Health/Dental Insurance JDF 1809
- Mail the original of this form by first-class mail to the employer.
- File a copy of the form with the court where your existing family/support case is.
- There is no fee filing.
Forms and Paperwork Required
Forms and Paperwork Required
- Use the links above to download and complete the forms. For detailed instructions on how to fill out these forms, review JDF 1801 Instructions for Completing Income Withholding for Support (Income Assignment).
- Paperwork Tips
- You and the person who owes you support will have the same "identities" to the court as you did in the original case in which the court awarded you support. For example, if you were the Petitioner in the original case, you would be the Petitioner when you file this paperwork.
- You will use the same case number from your original case.
- How to File:
- File at the court where your case is located, in-person, by mail, or E-file at: www.jbits.courts.state.co.us/efiling
- Additional forms regarding Income Assignment/IWO:
What Happens Next?
Employer will begin withholding child support from the employee’s paycheck within 14 calendar days of the date listed on the top right corner of the IWO. Child support IWOs will always take priority over other income garnishments, with one exception. If the employee has a tax levy in place, that must be paid before any child support.
When an IWO is issued, payments must be processed through the Colorado Family Support Registry (FSR). Payments will be withheld each pay period and sent to the FSR within seven business days of the payroll date.