What to do when an emancipation letter is received?
- Update DOCL entry for the EM01 to show it has been received. Additionally, confirm that the emancipation letter from the school has been uploaded to the case file on OnBase and contains an expected graduation month and year. Letters will not be accepted unless the expected graduation month and year are included.
- Update the child’s expected graduation date on the CHU screen based on the school letter. If the graduation date extends beyond the upcoming school year, update the CHU screen to end one year out. The CP will be required to provide another school letter for the next school year to continue current support.
- Example: If the child’s 18th birthday is 03/29/2025, current support will end 03/31/2025. If CSS receives a school letter with an expected graduation date of May 2027, CSS will update the CHU screen through 05/31/2026. An emancipation letter will be automatically issued to the CP within 90 days of the graduation date. In which the CP will need to provide another school letter.
Note: Requiring an updated school letter each year helps prevent overpayment of child support in cases where a child graduates early, drops out, or otherwise ends their education before the expected graduation date.
- After updating CHU, verify that the obligation reflects the correct end dates. If the end date did not update automatically, manual update the end date for the child using OBLU.
- Verify continuation of support (COS) start date is correct on OBLU. The start date is set to the first day of the month following the new obligation end date if you are updating the only child on the case. If it is not the only child, then COS will be the first of the month following the youngest child’s end date on the case. COS does not automatically update.
- If the school letter is received after current support has ended, you may need to place the case back into 02 status using CSCU. You will need to update CSCU, then update the CHU screen with the expected graduation date and OBLU with the new end date. Generate an income assignment.