Ohio Child Support
How to Apply for Child Support in Ohio
Anyone can request child support by filling out the proper application and submitting it to their local Child Support Enforcement Agency. The first step in this process is gathering all of the required documents and completing all forms with your application. Parents will need an ID, the child’s birth certificate and the child’s social security card. Next, they will need to complete a Noncustodial Parent Questionnaire and application. These forms can be found online or at your local child support office. Once all paperwork has been obtained by the agency, a caseworker will be assigned to your specific case. They will reach out to you with additional details about proceeding with your case
Download Forms.
How Much is Child Support in Ohio?
Support obligations in Ohio are calculated based on a specific formula that combines the father and mother’s respective gross incomes. This total amount is then compared to a chart, and an obligation amount is established.
How to Claim and Pay Child Support
Many non-custodial parents have their support payments withheld from their income. Ohio law requires employers to withhold this amount from the parents. In other circumstances, the parent should pay directly to the Child Support Payment Central online, by phone, by mail, by MoneyGram or in person. Parents can receive payments either through direct deposit to their bank account or onto an Ohio e-QuickPay Debit MasterCard.
Child Support Performance Stats for Ohio
In 2013, about eight percent of all past-due child support was collected in Ohio. Nearly 33 percent of families in the state are not receiving their rightfully owed payments.
Statistics for Regular On-Time Payments Collection
Other Incentive Performance Measures
| Performance Measures | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide Paternity Establishment (%) | 94.01 | 90.37 | 94.85 | 90.74 | 93.46 |
| IV-D Paternity Establishment (%) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Support Order Establishment (%) | 85.15 | 86.99 | 88.34 | 89.45 | 90.07 |
| Cost-Effectiveness ($) | 7.31 | 7.45 | 7.34 | 6.31 | 8.25 |
Total Number of Children in the Child Support Program
Total Distributed Collections and Total Administrative Expenditures ($ Millions)
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Distributed Collections ($) | 1697.14 | 1704.23 | 1680.82 | 1662.24 | 1651.45 |
| Total Distributed to Families ($) | 1622.29 | 1640.5 | 1619.22 | 1601.37 | 1589.26 |
| Total Administrative Expenditures ($) | 237.62 | 234.29 | 234.62 | 269.84 | 205.08 |
Average Collections per Case with Collections
Can Child Support Be Paid Off Early?
Yes, support can be paid off early, but it’s crucial that parents speak with a representative from the child support office to confirm such a payment plan. Most parents pay through income withholding, so arrangements will need to be made to ensure the income withholding doesn’t continue past a certain point.
What Will Happen If You Fall Behind on Child Support Payments in Ohio?
- Withholding winnings, trust funds or lump-sum payments
- Tax Offset
- Credit reporting
- Professional license suspension
- Criminal contempt of court charges
Can You Get Alimony and Support at the Same Time?
Yes. It is possible for parents with primary custody to be granted both alimony and support by Ohio courts during a divorce.
How to Terminate Child Support in Ohio?
Yes, it is possible to terminate a support order, but you should never stop payments unless the court has approved termination of your current order.
Ohio Child Support Calculator
Child Support and Taxes
Having children does have an impact on your taxes, but support payments, in general, will be considered tax-neutral. The main way in which children impact a parent’s taxes is through the tax credit a parent receives for claiming the child as a dependent. Only one parent can claim this exemption when they don’t reside together.
Can Child Support Payments Be Claimed on Taxes in Ohio?
No, nothing can be deducted for making court-ordered payments.
How Does My Child Support Affect My Taxes in Ohio?
Generally, the custodial parent will receive the right to claim the child as a dependent in Ohio because it is assumed they provided more than half of the child’s support. Payments are not taxable income, so they don’t need to be reported by the receiving parent.
Can Child Support Be Taken Pre-Tax?
No, the support payments are typically paid through income withholding. This occurs after income tax has already been levied on the money.
Is child support pre-tax in Ohio?
Ohio participates in the tax offset program. This enforcement method allows the state to intercept and take any federal or state tax refunds to satisfy past-due child support debts.
Paternity Establishment
Paternity establishment is the administrative or court determines that a man is the legal father of a child. Paternity comes with social, emotional, legal and economic rights and responsibilities as part of the ongoing relationship. This important establishment is necessary before the support order can be established by the court.
How Do You Establish Paternity in Ohio?
Fathers can sign an “Acknowledgement of Paternity Affidavit” to voluntarily establish paternity. A court order can also be issued after genetic testing confirms the probability of parentage.
What Rights Does a Father Have If Not On Birth Certificate in OH?
A father who is not on the child’s birth certificate has no legal rights to the child.
Can a Mother Refuse Me a Paternity Test?
No. Either parent can ask Ohio’s Child Support Enforcement Agency to conduct genetic testing that would confirm or deny paternity.
How to Establish Paternity If The Father Is Deceased?
Parents can request information about how to establish paternity when one parent has passed away from their local Child Support Enforcement Agency. It may be possible to ask family members to provide DNA samples to help confirm parentage.
Can a Father Get a Paternity Test Without the Mother?
No. Court accepted genetic tests usually require samples from the father, mother, and child. Both parents will have to cooperate with a court ordered genetic test to confirm paternity.
How Long Does a Father Have to Establish Paternity in Ohio?
Fathers may sign an Affidavit of Paternity (AOP) either at the hospital or by appointment at the local health department. The mother of the child must also sign the AOP. The AOP must be signed by the child turns 21 in Ohio.
Support Order Establishment
Once paternity is established, one or both of the child’s parents will be ordered to pay support to the person with whom the child lives with. In some circumstances, the Child Support Enforcement Agency can establish order without going to court, but Ohio courts primarily establish child support orders in the state.
State Child Support Orders
Ohio courts or the Child Support Enforcement Agency will utilize state guidelines to calculate a reasonable amount of support the child will need. Once established, this order is mandatory. Paying parents should comply, or they will face a multitude of enforcement measures.
Can the Child Support be Modified in OH?
Yes. Either parent can request a change in a current support order. Changes must go through and be approved by a court to be valid.
Orders can be reviewed every 36 months from the date of establishment or last review. Other orders can be reviewed when there has been a significant change in either the child’s or parent’s needs, income or custody arrangement.
How to File for Child Support Modification in OH?
Parents can file for a modification of orders by completing the form “Request for an Administrative Review of the Child Support Order,” and returning the completed application to their local Child Support Enforcement Agency.
Can a Support Order Be Appealed?
Yes. If you disagree with an administrative hearing decision, then you have the right to appeal the decision to a higher court.
Do You Need a Lawyer to Modify the Support in OH?
No. Parents are not required to hire legal representation to modify support orders.
Child Support Enforcement
How Long Does the Support Enforcement Take?
Enforcement actions can take several weeks to begin after the court order is established.
What to Do When the Ohio child support Is Not Paid?
File a request for enforcement action with the courts.
What Happens If I’m Not Paying the Ohio Child Support?
If parents begin to fall behind, then enforcement measures will be put into place such as wage garnishments and revocation of drivers’ licenses.
How Much Overdue Child Support Payment Can Be Considered a Felony?
Federal law states that criminal misdemeanor charges can be placed on a parent who willfully fails to pay support for at least a year or over $5,000.It’s considered a felony to evade payments for two years and over $10,000.
Can the Support Debt be Forgiven?
The support debt can be paid on a payment plan, but the debt is very rarely forgiven by Ohio courts.
Support Order Termination
How Do I Stop a Child Support Order?
When there is reason to terminate a support order, parents must notify the Child Support Enforcement Agency. The agency will begin an investigation to whether termination is appropriate.
When Can I Apply for Child Support Termination?
Parents can terminate orders when the child reaches 18 and has graduated from high school, has had a change in legal custody, gets deported, enlists in the military, becomes emancipated, gets married or passes away.
Can the Custodial Parent Close a Support Case?
Yes, custodial parents can request to close a support case at any time.
When Can I Stop Paying the Support?
When the child turns 18 and has graduated high school, is emancipated, joins the military, is deported, gets married or passes away.
18 is the age of majority in Ohio.
Ohio Hearing Rights
Ohio codes allow parents to request a hearing when a child support application has been denied, the oblige believes payments haven’t been distributed correctly, the oblige disagrees with the results of a support order termination or when the custodial parent disagrees with an agency’s decision to close a case. Non-custodial parents can seek a hearing when services for establishing paternity have been denied, a modification review has been refused or the obligor disagrees with an order’s termination.
Ohio Child Support Laws and Guidelines
Ohio’s guidelines are utilized by all courtrooms when deciding on an obligation amount. The guidelines include a mathematical formula that takes into account both parent’s combined income.
OH Child Support Coverage
What Is Child Support Meant to Cover?
Support is meant to cover a portion of the living expenses of the child. This includes necessities like shelter, food, clothing, basic educational supplies and health care.
Does the Support Cover Medical Care Expenses?
Yes, major medical insurance coverage is factored into the charted child support obligation set by the courts.
What if Both Parents are working, will the Support Cover child care services?
Yes. Ohio child support laws allow work or educational-related childcare services to be factored into the overall support amount.
Are Car Maintenance Costs Covered by the Support?
No. In most cases, the custodial parent is expected to take on the costs of everyday car maintenance.
What is Considered Basic Entertainment for the Support?
Ohio courts recognize that children need entertainment and stimulation, so basic entertainment may include activities like TV programs, games, movies or access to the internet.
Are School and College expenses Covered by the Support in Ohio?
No. The court’s jurisdiction to order support orders ends when the child turns 18-years-old. Unless the parents have a prior binding agreement, the courts can’t enforce one party to pay college-related expenses.
Basic educational costs are expected to be split between both parents, so payments can be used to cover these expenses.
Are Extracurricular Activities covered by Support?
Courts may consider extracurricular activities when calculating payments, but in most cases, these expenses are considered discretionary and won’t be included in the overall support amount.
Ohio Child Support Offices
| Institution name | Physical address | Email address | Phone number | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office of Child Support - Ohio Department of Job and Family Services | 30 E. Broad Street 32nd Floor, Columbus, OH | cuycsea@odjfs.state.oh.us | (614) 752-6561 | http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocs/ |
County Child Support Offices in OH
| County name | Institution name | Physical address | Email address | Phone number | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | Adams County, OH Child Support and Enforcement Agency | 482 Rice Drive, P.O. Box 386, West Union, OH 45693 | ADAMS_COUNTY_CHILD_SUPPORT@jfs.ohio.gov | 1(937) 544-5155 | https://adamscountyoh.gov/Child-Support-and-Enforcement-Agency-CSEA.asp |
| Allen County | Allen County, OH Child Support Enforcement Agency | 200 W. Market Street, P.O. Box 1589, Lima, OH 45802 | cicc_allen@jfs.ohio.gov | 1(419) 224-7133 | https://www.allencountyohio.com/child-support/ |
| Ashland County | Ashland County, OH Child Support Enforcement Agency | 15 W. Fourth St., Ashland, OH 44805 | N/A | 1(419) 282-5000 | http://www.ashlandjfs.org/child-support |
Download Child support Forms for Ohio
| Title | Number |
|---|---|
| LAKE COUNTY CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT | JFS07076 |
| APPLICATION FOR CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES NON-PUBLIC ASSISTANCE APPLICANT/RECIPIEN | JFS 07076 |
| Custodial/ Noncustodial Questionnai | HCJFS 1618 |