OLYMPIA -- As many as 75,000 of Washington state's 350,000 custodial parents may be charged a federally required $25 annual fee on their child support payments.

The federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 requires every state to begin collecting the fee October 1.

Those charged the fee are custodial parents who have received $500 or more in child support during the past year and who have never received public assistance for a child.

The fee will be deducted from support payments by the Department of Social and Health Services Division of Child Support (DCS) between October 1 and September 30 each year, after at least $500 has been collected.

DCS is mailing notices this week to the 75,000 custodial parents informing them of the new federal fee and explaining how to file for an exemption.

Exemptions will be granted if the custodial parent has ever received Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF) or Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).

If parents believe the fee will severely harm their family, they can apply for a hardship waiver. However, the waivers will be granted only in limited circumstances.

Custodial parents can get more information by contacting their support enforcement officer, by calling DCS toll-free at 1-800-457-6202 or by visiting the DCS Web site at http://childsupportonline.wa.gov.