What is the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS)?

The Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) is a service designed to gather child support payments from parents who may otherwise be difficult to track or locate. The service is an arm of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and was created by the United States Federal Government. In addition to the Federal Parent Locator Service, there are also state parent locator services in some states that can help secure child support payments.

The Federal Parent Locator Service and Child Support Payments

The Federal Parent Locator Service handles a number of tasks including obtaining and transmiting information about the location of any absent parent when that information can be used to enforce child support payments. The Federal Parent Locator Service can also be used in connection with the enforcement or determination of child custody, visitation, and parental kidnapping.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 also expanded the FPLS’s services to include a National Directory of New Hires and a Federal Case Registry of Support Orders. FPLS will match data between the New Hire and Case Registry every two days and report matches to states within two days. This can greatly assist in locating parents who have recently relocated, or those who may have switched jobs in order to avoid garnishment of wages due to overdue child support payments. Any legal situation in which an absentee parent is to be held liable for child support payments or other parenting obligations is a situation in which the services of the FPLS may be employed.

Using the Federal Parent Locator Service

Because a minor child, a supported spouse, an ex-spouse, or another party injured by the disappearance of a parent may have limited resources, and because such situations do not technically qualify as missing person cases, the Federal Parent Locator Service provides an important service. It provides this type of locating service without involving the authorities, and without requiring the user to seek private services that are often expensive.

Anyone who requires the assistance of the Federal Parent Locator Service should contact the FPLS directly with questions and concerns. The Federal Parent Locator Service will ask for any information regarding the whereabouts of the person who owes child support payments or other obligations. The Federal Parent Locator Service should also be able to direct interested parties toward other useful resources.

Case Studies: Utilizing Insurance in Support of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS)

Case Study 1: Liability Insurance, ProtectSure Insurance

ProtectSure Insurance provided liability insurance coverage to a private investigator agency specializing in locating parents for child support enforcement purposes. The agency frequently collaborated with the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) to track down parents who were difficult to locate.

During one particular case, the agency successfully located an absent parent who owed significant child support payments. However, during the process, the agency accidentally caused damage to the parent’s property.

Thanks to the liability insurance coverage provided by ProtectSure Insurance, the private investigator agency was protected from the financial consequences of the property damage and could compensate the parent for the loss.

Case Study 2: Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance, CoverageFirst Insurance

CoverageFirst Insurance provided Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance coverage to a law firm that frequently used the services of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) to assist clients in child custody and support cases. In one case, the law firm relied on the information provided by the FPLS to establish the location of an absent parent for child custody purposes.

However, it turned out that the FPLS provided outdated information, leading to an incorrect determination of the parent’s whereabouts. As a result, the client experienced significant emotional distress and incurred additional legal fees to rectify the situation.

The law firm’s E&O insurance coverage from CoverageFirst Insurance covered the costs of defending against the client’s claim and any potential damages awarded, ensuring that the firm’s financial stability was protected.

Case Study 3: Cyber Insurance, SecureShield Insurance

SecureShield Insurance provided cyber insurance coverage to the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) to protect against data breaches and cyberattacks. As a service that collects and stores sensitive information about parents and children, the FPLS is a potential target for malicious actors seeking to obtain personal data. In one instance, the FPLS experienced a cyberattack that compromised the personal information of individuals in its database.

Thanks to the cyber insurance coverage provided by SecureShield Insurance, the FPLS was able to cover the costs of investigating the breach, notifying affected individuals, providing credit monitoring services, and any potential legal liabilities resulting from the breach.

The cyber insurance coverage helped mitigate the financial and reputational risks associated with the cyberattack, ensuring the FPLS could continue its important work without significant disruptions.