Getting Credit for Direct Payments (and Why It's Risky)

Handing money straight to the other parent feels simpler. It's also how a paid-up parent ends up showing arrears.

The core risk

Most orders require payment through the State Disbursement Unit (SDU). A direct payment may never post to the official ledger — even with a receipt — leaving your account showing arrears you actually paid.

What it takes to get credit

Gather bank statements, money-order stubs, canceled checks, and signed receipts from the recipient. Screenshots alone carry little weight — pair them with financial records proving the money left your account. Then request a credit review through the agency portal, asking for written confirmation with an "as of" date. While you wait, start routing new payments through the SDU so they post cleanly.

The in-kind trap

Rent, groceries, diapers, and similar direct expenses usually don't reduce arrears unless the order explicitly authorizes them. They help the child — but they won't satisfy the support obligation, and unrecognized "payments" can trigger tax intercepts, license suspensions, or contempt.

Since 1997, the San Antonio child support attorney team at Sinkin Law Firm has recovered unpaid support for parents statewide.