> [!info] Personal working space > This is my personal working space. The final version of this page is at: > https://atharkhan.com/glossary/unreimbursed-public-assistance/ Government assistance not yet recovered through assigned support collections. The assistance pool is not automatically the parent’s support debt. ## Working notes Keep three figures separate: [[Public Assistance]] paid, [[Child Support]] arrears under the order, and the amount distributed to the family or government. [[Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)|TANF]] and CalWORKs terminology may appear in the records. A [[Noncustodial Parent (NCP)]]’s obligation depends on the order and payment history, not simply total benefits paid. California now passes qualifying collections to formerly assisted families. > [!tip] Accounting > Request the agency’s case accounting rather than inferring the debt from the aid total.