How Child Support Is Calculated in Ohio

Ohio calculates child support using a basic child support schedule based on both parents' combined annual income and the number of children, together with state worksheets; each parent's income share percentage determines that parent's portion of the obligation (an income shares approach). The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services sets the schedule and worksheets, and the state offers an official online calculator that gives an estimate only.

Anyone may request child support services. Services are provided by the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) in each county: you complete the Application for Child Support Services (JFS 07076) and submit it to your local CSEA. People who already receive Ohio Works First, Foster Care or Medicaid may already be registered and can simply tell their local CSEA they want services. The application states that the only fee that can be charged for services is a one-dollar application fee, and some counties pay it for applicants. In most situations the CSEA should contact you within 20 days.

A court child support order continues past the child's 18th birthday only if (1) the child is mentally or physically disabled and cannot support himself or herself, (2) the parents agreed to continue support past 18 in a separation agreement made part of the divorce or dissolution decree, or (3) the child continuously attends a recognized and accredited high school full-time on and after turning 18. An administrative support order continues past 18 only for continuous full-time high school attendance. The termination rules also list, as a reason to end an order, that a termination condition in the court order has been met for a child who reaches 19.

When a parent asks to modify support, the court recalculates the amount under the guidelines. If the new amount is more than 10% higher or lower than the current order, that difference counts as a change of circumstances substantial enough to require a modification. A court also modifies support for a substantial change in circumstances not anticipated when the order was made, or when the child's health insurance is inadequate. The county CSEA can also review an order periodically or when either parent asks: it sends notice at least 30 days before the review, requests income and insurance documents, recalculates support, and gives both parents 14 days to request a hearing before the revised amount is sent to the court.

The county CSEA monitors payments. When support falls behind, measures listed by ODJFS include increasing income withholding to pay off past-due support, credit reporting, state and federal tax refund offset, driver's and/or professional license suspension, intercepting Ohio lottery, casino or racino winnings, seizing funds in financial institutions, intercepting lump sums or other payouts, civil contempt, and criminal penalties for nonpayment. Payments on arrears collected with current support are presumed to be at least 20% of the current support amount. If a court finds a default was willful, it may assess interest on the arrearage at the statutory judgment rate.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services' Ohio Child Support Calculator provides an estimate of the support obligations that may be included in a court or administrative child support order. You need gross annual income for at least one parent (both parents gives more accurate results), and you can include child care expenses, health insurance premiums, existing child support orders and spousal support. It cannot be used when the parties' combined annual gross income is above $336,000. Guidance is in the JFS 07766 Ohio Child Support Guideline Manual.