Child support

Child support is money that you or the other parent pays to help meet the financial needs of your children. 

Child support is usually paid to the parent who has custody

Usually child support is paid to the parent who has custody of the children by the parent without custody. However, there are exceptions:

• A parent can have custody and not receive child support.
• A parent can pay child support and not have visitation rights.
• The child is raised via "shared parenting," but only one parent pays child support. Having shared parenting does not eliminate child support. 

While child support payments are meant to help with the child or children’s costs, the decision for how that money is used is up to the parent who receives it.

Child support is calculated according to Ohio law

Ohio law includes a specific formula for calculating child support that considers the number of children, each parent's income, child care costs, health insurance costs, spousal support and benefits paid on behalf of a child.  

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has an online calculator that you will need to complete if you're filing for divorce with children or dissolution with children. Complete the child support calculator using the ODJFS website.

The calculator will estimate your standard child support and medical support obligations on a monthly and annual basis. You can ask the court for a "deviation," or change to the standard support payment, based on extraordinary expenses or circumstances. For example, if there are extraordinary uninsured medical expenses for a child, the child has special needs that require additional care or education expenses, or any other situation that requires a large expense on behalf of the child. 

If you ask the court for a deviation from the standard child support payment, you will need to explain in detail why the deviation is needed. You will also need to attach documentation to show the extraordinary costs.