How Child Support Is Calculated in District of Columbia

D.C. uses an income shares guideline: the parents' combined adjusted gross income is used to find the basic obligation in the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, and each parent pays a share based on their percentage of the combined income, with adjustments for shared custody. The guideline does not apply presumptively above $240,000 a year in combined income. The Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division provides an online Child Support Guideline Calculator; its estimate is informational and the court decides the final amount.

The Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division (CSSD) helps establish parentage, get a support order and collect payments. If your children do not receive TANF or Medicaid, fill out CSSD's online child support enrollment form and staff will contact you; if they do receive TANF or Medicaid, contact CSSD by phone or email. There is no income limit for CSSD services. You can also file a Petition to Establish Parentage and/or for Child Support yourself, online or at the Family Court Central Intake Center. CSSD: (202) 442-9900, cssdcustomerservice@dc.gov.

In the District of Columbia, child support usually lasts until the child turns 21. A support case can be started any time from after the fourth month of pregnancy until the child turns 21.

Every three years, either parent can ask CSSD for a review and adjustment conference; if the guideline amount differs from the current order by 15% or more, a motion to modify can be filed. Outside the three-year cycle, a parent can ask for a review, or file a motion in court, if there has been a substantial and material change in the child's needs or the paying parent's ability to pay. If the parents agree at the conference, CSSD files a consent order that takes effect when a judge signs it; otherwise a motion to modify must be filed and the court holds a hearing (generally within about 45 days). A parent being sentenced to 30 days or more may ask to modify support at sentencing or during incarceration; changes apply only from the filing date forward. CSSD Enforcement Unit: (202) 442-9900, #4.

Support is normally collected by wage withholding. Starting 30 days after a payment is due, CSSD can take unpaid support from state and federal tax refunds and certain other federal payments; locate, freeze and seize bank and financial accounts; claim insurance payouts and lottery winnings; report arrears to credit bureaus; ask the DMV to suspend or revoke a driver's license or vehicle registration; ask the U.S. State Department to deny or suspend a passport; file a lien on real estate; withhold from disability checks and seize workers' compensation; and file a motion for civil or criminal contempt of court.

The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Child Support Services Division (CSSD), is D.C.'s child support agency. It helps establish parentage, locate parents, establish, modify, monitor and enforce support orders, and helps parents with barriers to employment. Apply through the online "Enroll for Child Support" portal (childsupport.dcoag.com; sign in or create an account), make payments at dc.smartchildsupport.com, look up a case at cson.oag.dc.gov, and estimate support with the guideline calculator at csgc.oag.dc.gov. CSSD customer service: 202-442-9900.

The D.C. Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Services Division publishes the D.C. Child Support Guideline Calculator, which asks a series of questions to determine each parent's ability to pay. It is based on the DC Child Support Guideline, revised effective April 1, 2007. Helpful documents include pay statements, W-2s and custody orders. Support orders are set by D.C. Superior Court.