17. Domestic Support Obligations

Support obligations are a first priority, but the administrative costs of a trustee are paid ahead of the support costs to the extent that the trustee is administering assets that can be used to pay support costs. To the extent such support claims have been assigned to or are directly recoverable by a governmental entity, such claims are subordinated to the support of claims that are not assigned. The stay does not apply to the payment of a domestic support obligation from property that is not property of the estate or to the enforcement of a wage withholding order under a judicial or administrative order, or statute, including obligations accruing from both before and after the filing. Failure to remain current on support claims is grounds for conversion or dismissal of a case, the debtor must be current on post petitions obligations in order to confirm a plan, the plan must provide for priority payment or support debts (with a limited cramdown available for claims assigned to or owed directly to a governmental unit), and the debtor may not obtain a discharge unless such obligations are paid in accordance with the terms of the plan.