By KRWG News
New Mexico – The state Human Services Department says it collected a record-setting amount of child support payments in the most recent budget year.
The department announced Monday that about $115 million was collected in the fiscal year that ended last month. That's nearly 4 percent higher than the previous year.
About 60 percent of child support payments were made through witholdings of wages of parents. The department arranges for the money to go to a child's custodial parent.
The agency said about 7 percent of child support collections came from unemployment benefits.
When parents refuse to make required payments, the state can try to enforce child support obligations by revoking a person's professional or occupational license or a driver's license.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.