Navigating the Family Support Registry in Colorado

The Family Support Registry, or FSR, is Colorado’s central system for processing child support and maintenance payments. It receives each payment, sends it to the parent who is owed support, and keeps an official record of what was paid and when.

Using the FSR keeps money moving without direct contact between parents, and it creates a payment history both parents can rely on later. Here is how the account is set up, how payments move, and what records you can get.

What the Family Support Registry Does

When a court orders Colorado child support or maintenance to be paid through the registry, the FSR handles each payment in the middle. By statute, it receives, processes, disburses, and keeps a record of child support, maintenance, arrears, and child support debt paid under a court or administrative order.¹

The FSR processes payments for cases a county child support office manages and for private orders that no county is enforcing. It does not decide how much support is owed; the court order does that.

Setting Up an FSR Account

You do not open an FSR account yourself. Accounts are set up automatically, and each parent receives a notice by mail with an FSR account number that identifies the case.²

There may be a gap between the order and the first processed payment. Keep paying as ordered during that time and keep proof of every payment made directly.

When a decree orders child support, it must also include an order for an income assignment.³ That assignment lets an employer withhold support from wages and send it to the registry.

Making Payments

A paying parent can send payments several ways, and every payment should include the FSR account number. Options include:

• Payroll withholding through an income assignment.
• Mailing a check or money order payable to the Family Support Registry.
• Paying online by credit or debit card through the state’s payment website.
• Paying in cash at a MoneyGram location or a payment kiosk.

Payments are generally sent on to the parent who receives support within two business days after the FSR receives them.⁴

Payment records can matter in enforcement and modification disputes, so it pays to get the setup right from the first order. Johnson Law Group offers a no-pressure consultation to review how your support is paid, so schedule a consultation before a dispute starts.

Receiving Payments and Getting Records

A parent who receives support can choose direct deposit or a Child Support Payment Card, which works like a prepaid debit card. The FSR can also provide a legal record of all payments made on an account.⁵

Keep your mailing address and employer information current. Support orders paid through the registry must tell the parties to notify the FSR of address and employment changes.⁶

If payments stop or fall short, the registry’s records become the evidence. Collection and enforcement are separate steps that run through a county child support office or the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do both parents need an FSR account number?

Yes. Each case has its own account number, and both parents use it when they pay, ask about a payment, or request records.

Can parents pay each other directly instead?

Only if the order allows it. The registry’s payment record is admissible as proof of payment, so payments made outside it are harder to prove.⁷

Talk With a Colorado Child Support Attorney

The Family Support Registry is a useful tool, but it depends on a support order that is clear and complete. Johnson Law Group is here to help.

The attorneys at Johnson Law Group help parents set up, review, and enforce support orders and will give you a clear read on your options. Schedule a free consultation through our Colorado offices, and we will serve as your North Star from here.

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