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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58663</law_id><section_number>20-79.2</section_number><catch_line>Immediate income deduction; income withholding</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>20-60.3</reference><reference>20-79.1</reference><reference>20-79.3</reference><reference>63.2-1929</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Desertion and Nonsupport</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For the purposes of this section, the terms &#x201C;employer&#x201D; and &#x201C;income&#x201D; shall have the same meanings ascribed to them in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/63.2-1900/">63.2-1900</a>. <a id="paragraph-214998" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-79.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Every initial <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered on or after July 1, 1995, directing a person to pay child support shall include a provision for immediate withholding from the income of the obligor for the amount of the support <span class="dictionary">order</span>, plus an amount for the <span class="dictionary">liquidation</span> of arrearages, if any, unless the obligor and either the obligee or the Department on behalf of the obligee, agree in writing to an alternative payment arrangement or one of the parties demonstrates and the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds good cause for not imposing immediate withholding. In determining whether good cause is shown, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall consider the obligor&#x2019;s past financial responsibility, history of prior payment under any support <span class="dictionary">order</span>, and any other matter that the <span class="dictionary">court</span> considers relevant to the likelihood of payment in accordance with the support <span class="dictionary">order</span>. An alternative payment arrangement may include but is not limited to, a voluntary income assignment pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Enforcement of support orders; income deduction; penalty for wrongful discharge" href="/20-79.1/">20-79.1</a> or <a class="law" title="Assignment of earnings to be honored; inapplicability of &#xA7; 40.1-31" href="/63.2-1945/">63.2-1945</a>.
			An <span class="dictionary">order</span> that modifies an initial <span class="dictionary">order</span> may include a provision for immediate income withholding.
			The total amount withheld shall not exceed the maximum amount permitted under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Maximum portion of disposable earnings subject to garnishment" href="/34-29/">34-29</a>.
			A withholding <span class="dictionary">order</span> issued to an obligor&#x2019;s employer pursuant to this section shall conform to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Information required in income deduction order" href="/20-79.3/">20-79.3</a>. The rights and obligations of the employer with respect to the <span class="dictionary">order</span> are set out in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Information required in income deduction order" href="/20-79.3/">20-79.3</a>. The <span class="dictionary">order</span> shall direct the employer to forward payments to the Department for recording and disbursement to the obligee, or as otherwise required by <span class="dictionary">law</span>. The Department shall not charge a fee for recording and disbursing payments when it is providing support enforcement services to the obligee pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Administrative support remedies available for individuals not receiving public assistance; fees" href="/63.2-1904/">63.2-1904</a> or <a class="law" title="Payment of public assistance for child or custodial parent constitutes debt to Department by noncustodial parents; limitations; Department subrogated to rights" href="/63.2-1908/">63.2-1908</a>. <a id="paragraph-214999" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-79.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1988, c. 906; 1990, cc. 836, 896; 1991, c. 534; 1995, c. 714; 1998, c. 727; 2020, c. 722.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
