Can the recipient ask the Family Responsibility Office to seize a payor's tax refund?

The Family Responsibility Office's enforcement powers extend to certain federal payments owed to a payor, and a tax refund can fall within that reach as part of FRO's broader enforcement toolkit for unresolved arrears. A recipient doesn't typically request this as a stand-alone, one-off action; rather, once a case is registered with FRO and arrears exist, FRO has the ability to pursue various sources connected to the payor, including federal payments, as part of its ongoing enforcement of the case.

This is one reason a payor's tax refund isn't automatically a safe or separate pool of money once arrears exist; it can be intercepted alongside other enforcement measures like wage or bank account garnishment. For a recipient wondering whether this applies to their situation, the practical step is making sure the case is properly registered with FRO and that FRO has up-to-date information about the payor, rather than trying to request a specific seizure independently. If arrears are significant and other enforcement tools haven't resolved them, discussing the full range of available options, including this one, with FRO or a family lawyer is worthwhile.