Ohio Child Support Laws

Ohio Child Support Issues & Resources


Ohio Child Support



Ohio child support is based upon official guidelines that are presumed to be correct unless there is a showing that the amount of the support award would be unjust or inappropriate. To deviate from the Ohio child support guidelines, a court must consider the following factors:
  • special or unusual needs of a child; 

  • obligations for other minor or handicapped children;

  • other court-ordered payments; 

  • extended visitation or extraordinary costs for visitation; 

  • mandatory wage deductions (including union dues); 

  • disparity in income between the parent's households; 

  • benefits that either parent receives from remarriage or sharing living expenses with others; 

  • the amount of taxes paid by a parent; 

  • significant contributions from a parent (including lessons, sports equipment, or clothing);

  • the financial resources and earning capacity of the child; 

  • the standard of living and circumstances of each parent and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed if the marriage had not been dissolved;

  •  the physical and emotional conditions and needs of the child;

  •  the medical and educational needs of the child;

  •  the relative financial resources, other assets and resources, needs, and obligations of both the non-custodial and the custodial parent; 

  • the need and capacity of the child for an education and the educational opportunities of the child;

  • the age of the child; 

  • the earning ability of each parent;

  • the responsibility of each parent for the support of others; 

  • the value of services contributed by the custodial parent; and

  • any other relevant factor.

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