Michigan’s child support forgiveness form, DHS-681, is a written request asking the Friend of the Court to cancel past-due child support that was assigned to the State of Michigan. You complete six sections covering your personal information, household, finances, income, employer, and anything else the Friend of the Court should weigh, then submit the signed form to the FOC office in the county that entered your support order. The form only reaches debt the state holds; it cannot forgive arrears owed directly to the other parent.
What DHS-681 Can Actually Forgive
Before you fill anything out, confirm what kind of arrears you carry. State-owed arrears exist because the custodial parent received cash benefits under programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. When that happens, the right to collect support shifts from the parent to the State of Michigan as reimbursement for the public assistance paid out. Because the state holds this debt rather than a person, the Friend of the Court can forgive it through DHS-681 without the other parent’s permission.
Payee-owed arrears belong directly to the custodial parent. The state cannot forgive someone else’s debt, so DHS-681 does nothing for that portion of your balance. Many payers carry both types on the same case, which is why checking the breakdown matters before you file.
Check Your Arrears Balance First
Michigan’s MiChildSupport portal at micase.state.mi.us lets you view case details, payment history, and balance information online. You can also call the Friend of the Court office in the county that issued your support order and ask a caseworker to break down how much of your arrears is owed to the state versus the other parent. If your entire balance is payee-owed, DHS-681 won’t help you.
Where to Get the Form
DHS-681 is available as a downloadable document through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website, or you can pick up a paper copy at your local Friend of the Court office. The form is titled “Request to Forgive Debt Owed to the State.”
Filling Out the Six Sections
Each section builds a picture of why you can’t pay. Be accurate throughout. The FOC may verify your figures against tax records, employer data, and other government databases.
Section 1: Personal Information and Case Details
Section 1 collects your name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license or state ID number, address, phone numbers, and email. You also list the other parent’s name and case number for each Michigan case, plus any cases you have in other states. If you have multiple cases, list every one. The FOC needs to see the full scope of your obligations.
Section 2: Household
Section 2 asks who lives with you, their ages, their relationship to you, and whether they contribute to household expenses. This is how the FOC gauges your actual cost of living against your income.
Section 3: Background and Financial Situation
Section 3 is the longest part of the form. You’ll answer questions about your education level, job training, and whether you’re permanently disabled. The form asks about every possible income source and asset: Social Security benefits, veterans’ benefits, unemployment, pensions, pending insurance claims or legal settlements, and expected inheritances. It also asks whether you own a vehicle, motorcycle, boat, or camper, and whether you have checking, savings, 401(k), or other retirement accounts.
On the expense side, you’ll report car payments, medical bills (yours and family members’), other court-ordered debts, and court fines. The form asks whether you’ve filed for bankruptcy.
This section also includes questions that may seem unusual but signal good faith: whether you’re willing to take a budgeting class, attend a job training program, or do volunteer work. Answering yes doesn’t obligate you to anything immediately, but it shows the FOC you’re making an effort.
Section 4: Income and Expenses
Section 4 asks for specific monthly dollar amounts: your income from work, income from all other sources, what you can pay toward current support, what you can pay toward past-due support, and any lump sum you could pay toward the debt right now. It also asks for your monthly rent or mortgage, medical bill payments, and credit card payments.
Section 5: Employer Information
Section 5 collects your employer’s name, phone number, and address if you’re currently working.
Section 6: Additional Explanation
Section 6 is an optional space where you can explain anything the form didn’t cover. A medical condition, a recent job loss, caregiving responsibilities, or any other circumstance the FOC should weigh belongs here. Use it. The structured sections capture numbers; this is where context lives.
Submitting the Form
Once you’ve completed and signed the form, submit it to the Friend of the Court office in the county where your child support order was entered. You can deliver it in person or send it by mail. If you mail it, keep a copy of everything and consider using certified mail so you have proof of delivery. You do not file this with the circuit court or send it to any state-level agency.
What the FOC Reviews and How Long It Takes
The Friend of the Court reviews your form and may ask you to fill out additional paperwork, provide proof of the information you reported, or attend a follow-up meeting in person or by phone. The FOC is looking for evidence that you genuinely cannot pay, not just that paying would be inconvenient. Permanent disability, long-term poverty with no realistic prospect of improvement, homelessness, and chronic illness are the kinds of circumstances that support approval.
If you have a current support order, being up to date on your ongoing monthly payments strengthens your case significantly. Compliance with your current obligation signals that you’re doing what you can. The FOC has discretion here; no formula guarantees approval or denial.
Expect the review to take several months. You’ll receive a written decision by mail. If approved, your account balance is adjusted to reflect the forgiven amount. The discharge applies only to the state-owed portion. Any payee-owed arrears remain untouched.
If Your Request Is Denied
A denial on DHS-681 isn’t the end of the road. Michigan law provides a separate path: you can file a motion with the circuit court asking for a payment plan combined with a discharge of remaining arrears after you complete the plan. This motion works for state-owed arrears, payee-owed arrears, or both, which makes it the broader tool. You propose paying a set amount each month for a defined period, and the court discharges whatever balance remains after you finish.
The Office of Child Support may submit written comments to the judge using Form DHS-986, stating whether it supports or opposes your proposed plan and why. If your arrears include payee-owed debt, the custodial parent must consent to any reduction of their share; the court cannot force that. For the state-owed portion, the judge can order the discharge over the state’s objection, though OCS support helps.
A special category called conditionally assigned arrears can complicate the picture. These are arrears that technically passed through state assignment but retain a payee interest. The state won’t support discharging conditionally assigned arrears through a payment plan unless the payee waives their interest first. If you’re not sure whether your balance includes conditionally assigned arrears, ask your FOC caseworker before you file either the form or the motion.