Iowa Code » Chapter 252A — SUPPORT OF DEPENDENTS
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 252A.13 (2026)

Recipients of public assistance — assignment of support payments

✓ Iowa Code 2026 (laws through the 2025 session)
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1. If public assistance is provided by the department of health and human services to or on behalf of a dependent child or a dependent child’s caretaker, there is an assignment by operation of law to the department of any and all rights in, title to, and interest in any support obligation, payment, and arrearages owed to or on behalf of the child or caretaker not to exceed the amount of public assistance paid for or on behalf of the child or caretaker as follows:

a. For family investment program assistance, section 239B.6 shall apply.

b. For foster care services, section 234.39 shall apply.

c. For medical assistance, section 252E.11 shall apply.

2. The department shall immediately notify the clerk of court by mail when such child or caretaker has been determined to be eligible for public assistance. Upon notification by the department, the clerk of court shall make a notation of the automatic assignment in the judgment docket and lien index. The notation constitutes constructive notice of the assignment. If the applicant for public assistance, for whom public assistance is approved and provided on or after July 1, 1997, is a person other than a parent of the child, the department shall send notice of the assignment by regular mail to the last known addresses \n Tue Dec 09 22:19:53 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 252A (27, 0) §252A.13, SUPPORT OF DEPENDENTS 10\n\nof the obligee and obligor. The clerk of court shall forward support payments received pursuant to section 252A.6, to which the department is entitled, to the department, unless the court has ordered the payments made directly to the department under that section. The department may secure support payments in default through other proceedings.

3. The clerk shall furnish the department with copies of all orders or decrees awarding and temporary domestic abuse orders addressing support when the parties are receiving public assistance or services are otherwise provided by child support services. Unless otherwise specified in the order, an equal and proportionate share of any child support awarded is presumed to be payable on behalf of each child, subject to the order or judgment, for purposes of an assignment under this section. [C77, 79, 81, §252A.13; 82 Acts, ch 1237, §2] 83 Acts, ch 96, §157, 159; 97 Acts, ch 175, §7; 2008 Acts, ch 1019, §3, 7; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §841 Referred to in §602.8102(47)\n\n 252A.14 and 252A.15 Reserved. \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases, 1981–2020 · leading case: State ex rel. Bishop v. Travis, 306 N.W.2d 733 (Iowa 1981).
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State ex rel. Bishop v. Travis, 306 N.W.2d 733 (Iowa 1981). · cites it 4× “In refusing to provide a jury under the uniform act the legislature might well have had an eye on section 252A.13 under which public funds become involved by way of assignment for public support.”
State ex rel. Hamilton v. Snodgrass, 325 N.W.2d 740 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 2× “§ 252A.13. Thus the state would at present receive any support payments required of the defendant and can be said to have initiated these proceedings.”
State ex rel. Phipps v. Phipps, 503 N.W.2d 391 (Iowa 1993). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code § 252A.13. III.Discussion. On January 13,1992, Duane Phipps made an oral application to terminate the support order and to vacate the support judgment.”
State ex rel. Parcel v. St. John, 308 N.W.2d 8 (Iowa 1981). “§ 252A.13. In December 1978 the Department of Social Services filed a petition pursuant to chapter 252A.”
State, Dep't of Human Servs. ex rel. Hammons v. Burge, 503 N.W.2d 413 (Iowa 1993). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code § 252A.13. The court found that Burge was the father of the child and ordered him to pay support and to provide medical assistance.”
State ex rel. Dep't of Human Servs. ex rel. Whitebreast v. Whitebreast, 409 N.W.2d 460 (Iowa 1987). “, § 252A.13 . Id., § 252B.5(4) . Id., § 252B.”
State, Dept. of Human Serv. v. Whitebreast, 409 N.W.2d 460 (Iowa 1987). “, § 252A.13 [3] Id., § 252B.5(4) [4] Id., § 252B.”
State of Colorado ex rel. Graham v. Brammer, 301 N.W.2d 715 (Iowa 1981). “See § 252A.13, The Code. On this record it was error for the trial court to adjudicate nonpaternity on the basis of a rule 127 violation.”
In re the Marriage of Hoffmeyer, 947 N.W.2d 682 (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code § 252A.13. The department periodically terminated and re-initiated the assignments and periodically obtained income-withholding orders.”
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