HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Paying child support is easier thanks to electronic programs used in the Commonwealth.

Parents are able to call in and make payments by phone and also electronically through the Department of Social Services.

Hundreds of thousands of children receive child support every year, whether it's paid in person or electronically.

Electronic methods seem to be easier and they have increased the number of child support being paid. The increase is more than $6.5 million just in the last year.

This website allows people to pay 24 hours, seven days a week at no charge.

Lyn Wright coordinates temporary assistance to families. She said many programs are becoming electronic because it's easier.

"A lot of our benefit programs are going to an online portal system to streamline, save people the gas and the traffic into the office. My guess is we're all tying into similar portals," Wright said.

State employees said the site is also a way to cut down on costs. More than 545,000 payments have been processed through the Virginia $4KIDS program website.

The child support office is located in Fishersville. However, if you need those services, a representative comes to Harrisonburg on the second, third and fourth Fridays of every month.

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