COTOP FAQs

COTOP is a program that provides Rio Hondo College with a method of collecting Accounts Receivable balances for student financial aid and non-financial aid obligations. Past due accounts will be submitted by Rio Hondo College to COTOP for a tax offset (via an intercept by the Franchise Tax Board of any tax refunds, lottery winnings, or unclaimed property that might be owed to you).

Please be aware that this debt will NOT be submitted to any major credit agencies.

The letter was to formally notify you of amounts owed to Rio Hondo College, and that Río Hondo College is participating in the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Tax Offset Program (COTOP).

Prior to submitting an account to COTOP for tax offset, the Río Hondo College Accounting Office will send out a “due process” collection letter to the last known address of the students, instructing them that they may be sent to COTOP.

Students then have 30 days to pay their fees in full or to make payment arrangements before the debtor data is submitted to the State Chancellor’s Office. This is to allow the debtor time to question the debt and/or pay the college before the tax offset process begins through the Franchise Tax Board.

• Non-resident tuition
• Enrollment fees
• Library fines
• Library replacement material charges
• Parking fees
• Parking fines (limited to those fines submitted within 3 years of being incurred)
• Personal checks returned for non-sufficient funds
• Returned check service charges
• Child care charges
• Instructional equipment breakage/replacement charges
• Health fees
• Transcript fees
• Foreign student insurance charges
• Dental health center charges
• Community services fees
• Lost key charges
• Transportation charges/fees
• Audit fees
• Contract class charges
• Instructional material fee
• Damage to campus facilities/equipment charges
• Student representation fee
• Student center fee
• Campus financial aid funds
• Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waivers (BOG) for which the student was not eligible.

Please follow the instructions on the letter you have received. You can pay your fees either online through ACCESSRIO, in person at the Cashier’s Office, or by mail. If your fees are not paid in full in the 30 days after the letters are sent out, your information will be submitted to COTOP.

You may submit objections and any supporting documentation to this action personally, or in writing. Please include:

• Your full name
• Student ID number
• Mailing address

Send your request within 30 days from the date of this letter to:

Río Hondo College
Attn: Accounting Office/COTOP
3600 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA  90601.

Upon receipt of your objections and supporting documentation, a Committee will review your request. If the committee finds that the debt is in error, the COTOP request will be withdrawn or the amount will be corrected. If no objections are submitted or if the objections are considered to be insufficient, we will proceed with this action.

Your past due student fees were submitted to COTOP due to non-payment. Because Río Hondo College did not receive anything in writing to dispute the charges explained above, COTOP was used as a collections tool provided by the State of California. If you want to dispute your charges, please follow the instructions above.