Ohio Child Support Calculator

In Ohio, child support orders can be reviewed and potentially modified every 36 months by your local Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) as part of their administrative review process. However, a parent can request a review earlier if there has been a substantial change in circumstances, such as:

• A significant change in either parent's income (typically 30% or more)
• Loss of employment lasting longer than 30 days
• A child becoming emancipated
• Changes in healthcare coverage
• Either parent becoming disabled

To request a review, contact your county's CSEA office.

For self-employed parents, Ohio courts look at tax returns, profit and loss statements, and business records to determine actual income. Self-employment income includes gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary business expenses.

Important considerations for self-employed parents:

• Courts may scrutinize business expenses to ensure they're legitimate
• Self-employed parents may need to provide multiple years of tax returns
• Courts may "impute" income if they believe a parent is voluntarily underemployed or hiding income
• Self-employment tax adjustments may be considered in the final calculation

Documentation is crucial - keep detailed records of business income and expenses.

In Ohio, child support typically ends when the child turns 18 years old. However, if the child is still in high school at age 18, support continues until graduation or until the child turns 19, whichever occurs first.

Child support may also terminate earlier if:

• The child marries
• The child enlists in the military
• The child becomes legally emancipated
• The child passes away

For children with certain disabilities, support may continue into adulthood. These cases require specific court orders and documentation of the child's ongoing needs.

Work-related childcare expenses are typically added to the basic child support obligation and shared proportionally based on each parent's income. To be included in calculations, childcare expenses must be:

• Necessary for a parent to maintain employment or education
• Verified with receipts or documentation
• Paid to a licensed childcare provider when possible

Important note: The court may adjust for available tax credits for childcare expenses to avoid double-counting the benefit.

If a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support in Ohio, the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) can take several enforcement actions:

• Income withholding from wages, unemployment benefits, or other income
• Intercepting tax refunds
• Placing liens on property
• Suspending professional or driver's licenses
• Reporting delinquencies to credit bureaus
• Filing contempt of court charges, which may result in jail time

If you're not receiving ordered support, contact your county CSEA for assistance with enforcement.

Yes, child support orders in Ohio can be modified if there has been a substantial change in circumstances since the original order was established. Grounds for modification include:

• Significant change in either parent's income (increase or decrease)
• Change in the child's needs (medical, educational, etc.)
• Change in healthcare coverage
• Change in parenting time arrangement
• Any other substantial change that would result in at least a 10% difference in the support amount

To request a modification, you can contact your county CSEA or file a motion with the court that issued the original order.