(a) A financial institution doing business in the State shall participate on a calendar quarter basis in the exchange of data with the Title IV-D agency or its agent, matching the names of delinquent child support obligors with the names of account holders and providing information from matched account owner records on all accounts owned by the delinquent child support obligor. A financial institution must share the required information with the Title IV-D agency using data specifications approved by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB Control No: 0970-0196) on March 5, 1999, in one of two methods:
  (1) Match Method 1 ("all accounts method"): A financial institution shall submit to the Title IV-D agency or its designated agent an account file and total record on a quarterly basis and within fourteen days of the end of the week designated by the financial institution; or
  (2) Match Method 2 ("matched accounts"): A financial institution shall conduct a data match against an inquiry file supplied by the Title IV-D agency, OCSE, or authorized agent on all customer accounts maintained by the financial institution. The financial institution must provide an account file on all accounts that were matched with the inquiry file. The financial institution must submit the total record to the Title IV-D agency, OCSE, or authorized agent within forty-five (45) days of its receipt of the inquiry file. The financial institution shall destroy, erase, or return the inquiry file to the Title IV-D agency or OCSE within forty-five (45) days of its receipt of the inquiry file.
(b) Financial institutions may contract with reporting agents (also known as service agents, service providers, or transmitters). If a financial institution chooses to contract with a service provider to report information for the financial institution, the financial institution, rather than the service provider, must sign the memorandum of agreement and the financial institution remains responsible for compliance with the law.
(c) Financial institutions conducting data matches with the Title IV-D agency that choose to use a reporting agent/transmitter must inform the Title IV-D agency by completing the appropriate section on the memorandum of agreement. The Title IV-D agency must be informed of the institution's decision to use an agent/transmitter in order to ensure the confidentiality of data. Similarly, if an institution wishes the Title IV-D agency to send the match file to a recipient whose Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is different from the institution, the Title IV-D agency must be notified.
(d) Multi-state financial institutions that choose to use a reporting agent/transmitter must inform OCSE by completing the appropriate section on the memorandum of agreement. OCSE must be informed of the institution's decision to use an agent/transmitter in order to ensure the confidentiality of data. Similarly, if an institution wishes OCSE to send the data match file to a recipient whose Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is different from the institution, OCSE must be notified.

Source Note: The provisions of this §55.553 adopted to be effective August 15, 2001, 26 TexReg 6009