When you get Reach Up benefits, you give your right to get child support to the State of Vermont. Each month, you will get your Reach Up grant PLUS $100 of any child support that your ex pays to the State. The state will keep the rest to help cover the cost of the Reach Up money you get. The state is not allowed to keep more than you get from Reach Up. If you start getting more money from child support than from Reach Up, your Reach Up will stop.

When you are on Reach Up, you can’t try to get any back child support your ex owes you.

If Your Ex Doesn't Pay Child Support

If your ex doesn't pay child support, you won't get the $100. If your ex does not pay child support, the State might try to make your ex pay.

If you're worried for your safety or your child's safety, you can ask the State not to try to get child support from your ex. The Office of Child Support, your worker or a group that helps victims of domestic violence can help you with this. You can find your local domestic violence group on the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence website.

If your Reach Up worker still says you have to let them try to get child support, call Vermont Legal Aid at 1-800-889-2047.

Going Off of Reach Up

If the child support your ex pays is more than what you are getting from Reach Up, your Reach Up benefits will stop. When you go off of Reach Up, you will only get the child support that your ex pays. It will be paid to you directly. You will have the right to try to get any back child support your ex owes you or that the State did not get while you were on Reach Up.

It takes two months for you to get the full amount of the child support once you go off Reach Up.The State often makes mistakes about back child support. Call Vermont Legal Aid at 1-800-889-2047 for help if the State is keeping your child support and you aren't on Reach Up any more.