Best Child Support in Texas — 6 resources

About Child Support for Women

Child support is administered state-by-state under the federal Title IV-D program, with every state required to operate a Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency. For custodial mothers, these agencies establish paternity, locate non-custodial parents, calculate orders under state guidelines, and enforce payments through wage garnishment, tax refund intercept, license suspension, and contempt actions. Services are free of charge. Mothers can also pursue retroactive support and modifications when income changes. The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) oversees the program. This directory includes each state's CSE agency, online support calculators, local enforcement offices, and modification resources.

Child Support in Texas

Texas district courts hear family matters across its 254 counties, with many urban counties operating dedicated family courts. The Texas Attorney General's Child Support Division runs enforcement statewide. Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth are the largest metros. Lone Star Legal Aid, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and the Texas Council on Family Violence serve women.

6 Resources

1. Texas Office of the Attorney General — Child Support — Free

State agency handling establishment, enforcement, and modification of child support for mothers and custodial parents in Austin. Services include establishing paternity, opening cases, modifying orders, and enforcing unpaid support. Bring birth certificates, income documents, and paternity information when applying. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

(800) 252-8014 · 300 W 15th St, Austin, TX 78701 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Find Your State Child Support Agency — Free

Federal directory providing direct contact links to every state and tribal child support enforcement office for opening, modifying, or enforcing orders at acf.hhs.gov.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

4. Single Mother Guide — Child Support — Free

Comprehensive plain-language online resource for single mothers covering child support, benefits, budgeting, and family law. Free at singlemotherguide.com with no registration required.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. National Family Support Network — Free

NFSN strengthens families through quality support services and a directory of family resource centers in all 50 states at nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many child support resources are in Texas?
Women's Corner tracks 6 child support resources for women in Texas.
Are child support resources in Texas free?
6 of the 6 listed child support resources in Texas are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Texas have child support resources?
Listings span cities including Austin.
What are some examples of child support resources in Texas?
Featured entries include Texas Office of the Attorney General — Child Support, National Child Support Enforcement Association, Find Your State Child Support Agency, Single Mother Guide — Child Support, Healthy Children — Child Support Basics.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
1 of 6 Texas child support listings include phone numbers.
How do I open a child support case?
Apply free through your state's Child Support Services agency — online, by mail, or in person at the local office. The agency establishes paternity if needed, locates the other parent, calculates the order, and enforces collection through wage garnishment, tax intercepts, and license suspension. You don't need the father's cooperation to open a case.
What if the father isn't paying?
Report non-payment to your state Child Support Services agency — they have enforcement tools you can't access alone, including wage garnishment, federal/state tax refund intercepts, passport denial, driver's license suspension, and contempt prosecution. Keep your contact info current with the agency so payments route to you correctly.
Can I get child support if we were never married?
Yes. You first establish paternity — voluntarily through an Acknowledgment of Paternity form, or through a court-ordered DNA test if the father disputes it. Once paternity is legal, the court issues a support order based on his income. The state agency handles the whole process at no cost.
What if my support order is too low?
File a Motion to Modify with the court if there's been a substantial change — his income went up, your costs went up, custody time changed, or it's been 3+ years since the last review. Your state Child Support agency will do a free review every 3 years on request. Modifications aren't retroactive, so file as soon as circumstances change.