(I'm posting this on behalf of my mother, who resides in Massachusetts)

The DOR was garnishing my ex husband's income to pay me the back child support that was owed to me. There was an order to pay child support until my youngest child was 23. We went to court in February 2022 to change the order. The new order was to end the support when my middle child was 23.

The court didn't file the new order at the time with the DOR apparently, and the DOR didn't receive the order until August 2024. They continued to garnish his income and I was overpaid. My ex husband is now sueing me for the overpayments which is almost $18k. He said he wants to settle out of court and suggested a monthly repayment plan.

The DOR said they will not get involved, even though they are the party that took the money from my ex husband. Is there a law that protects me in a case of overpayment?