Texas child support arrears forgiveness

ESTIMATE — based on the rules Texas published, checked October 2026. Only the agency can approve a reduction, and approvals are discretionary.

What can be reduced

$1 credit for every $1 paid on interest + arrearage balances during each month of enrollment (i.e. the state-owed balance falls twice as fast as the obligor pays), while staying current

Who may be eligible to apply

• Delinquent NCPs with arrears assigned to the state under Tex. Fam. Code §231.104(a) who voluntarily enroll

Where to apply

OAG Child Support Division — "Arrears Payment Incentive Program" form (English/Spanish) on the OAG forms page

The split still decides it

State-owed (assigned) arrears are the state's to compromise. Family-owed arrears can only be reduced by the other parent's voluntary, documented agreement — no agency can force it. Tennessee is the verified inversion: family-owed arrears are the compromisable slice there with court approval, and state-owed cannot be forgiven. If you do not know your split, the first move is a written request to the agency for the split as separate lines.

Interest and limits

Interest: no rate is printed for Texas on this site. The rate for 2026 amounts was not verified in the published sources checked, so the arrears calculator runs Texas principal-only rather than print a wrong rate.

Passport / license: OAG works with 60+ licensing agencies (driver's, professional, hunting/fishing); suspension follows notice + failure to arrange payment (Tex. Fam. Code ch. 232) — verified example, sizing §5.1

What no one can do: a judge cannot erase arrears that already accrued for hardship, job loss, or incarceration when no modification was filed at the time (Bradley Amendment, 42 U.S.C. §666(a)(9)(C)). Arrears are not dischargeable in bankruptcy.

Federal lines: arrears over $2,500 can be certified for passport denial or revocation; only the state agency can request a release, and release practice is set by the state.

Run the arrears decoder for Texas

Source: Tex. Fam. Code §231.124; 1 Tex. Admin. Code §55.143; TX OAG forms page (texasattorneygeneral.gov) — state's own listing verified ◆ · Rules checked October 2026.