Ohio Child Support

Gathering Information

Before the court will calculate your Ohio child support payments, the court must examine important financial documents provided by you and the other parent. Be certain to gather and review the following information before going to court:

• Gross income of both parents
• Childcare expenses
• Child support for children of other relationships (court-ordered support)
• Health insurance expenses
• Spousal support paid or received
• Extra education expenses for things like music lessons, tutoring, or special sports activities
• Extraordinary medical expenses for things like eyeglasses, braces, regular medications, or special needs therapy

Changing the Ohio Child Support Order

Either parent can request a change in the child support order. The court can revisit the child support issue and review the orders every 36 months from the date the order was established. Under special circumstance, some orders can be reviewed sooner than 36 months.

There are ways to lower your child support payments, but be certain to be honest and candid with the court. Do not lie to the court, doctor documents, hide assets, or exaggerate your financial situation. The same applies when you are requesting an increase in child support payments. You should be honest about your finances and the needs of your child.

Upon request, the court will modify a child support order based on:

• A change in the custody of a child
• An increase or decrease in the income of either parent
• Obligation of either parent to support additional children or elderly parents
• Addition of or a change the health insurance coverage
• Additional unexpected medical expenses
• Additional expenses for the special needs of gifted or handicapped children

Terminating Child Support

Your Ohio child support order will terminate if the child:

• Reaches the age of 18 and graduates from high school
• Has a change in legal custody
• Is emancipated by court order
• Enlists in the armed services
• Gets married
• Gets deported
• Dies

Child support, however, may not terminate in the above listed situations, if the child has severe special needs that cause him or her to remain dependent past the age of majority.

Either the custodial or non-custodial parent of a child must notify the child support enforcement agency in their county of any reason why the support order should terminate.

Enforcement

Child support enforcement services are available to all Ohio Works First, Medicaid, or IV-E foster care applicants or recipients. These services are also provided to any other person upon request.

Services provided through the child support enforcement agencies include:

• Location of non-custodial parents
• Establishment of paternity
• Establishment and enforcement of Ohio child support orders
• Review and modification of child support orders

In Ohio, a child-support order can be enforced by a mandatory payroll deduction. When a mandatory payroll deduction is ordered by the court, the court orders the employer to direct payroll funds for the support of the children. If the court orders a mandatory payroll deduction, the employer cannot refuse to implement the court’s order and the parent cannot dictate when they will make their child support payments.

Ohio’s Successful Enforcement

In 2004, Ohio collected just over $2 billion in child support. This amount includes $1.47 billion in income withholding and over $133 million in tax offset collections.

Ohio can even collect child support from parents that are no longer living in the State. The local county child support enforcement agency uses the Ohio Parent Locator Service to search for missing parents. The child support enforcement agency also uses information from the National Directory of New Hires, the Financial Institution Data Match, and the Federal Case Registry to track down dead-beat parents.

It is becoming increasingly more difficult for non-paying parents to hide their assets or hide from their child support orders. The child support enforcement agency can also request location through the Federal Parent Locator System (FPLS), Financial Institution Data Match (FIDM), National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), and the Federal Case Registry (FCR).

Additional Information

• Ohio Office of Child Support
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Online
• Ohio Child Support Handbook
• National Center for Children In Poverty

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