{"id":372072,"date":"2025-05-01T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/connecticut-law\/connecticut-child-support-guidelines.html"},"modified":"2025-05-01T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T04:00:00","slug":"connecticut-child-support-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/connecticut-law\/connecticut-child-support-guidelines.html","title":{"rendered":"Connecticut Child Support Guidelines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Connecticut Child Support Guidelines<\/h1>\n
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\n By Kit Yona, M.A.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Jordan Walker, J.D.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Child support in Connecticut ensures children receive necessary financial support when parents are not together through a child support order. The State of Connecticut\u2019s Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) and Support Enforcement Services (SES) manage the program, using an income shares model to calculate payments based on parents’ combined net income. Obligations may include medical and child care costs. Payments typically continue until age 19 or high school graduation. Modifications are possible if financial circumstances change significantly.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

The state of Connecticut has child support guidelines<\/a> designed to use the same standards for all child support cases. This article will focus on explaining how the guidelines work, examine the state agencies involved, and show how payments are processed. Read on for a better understanding of child support guidelines in Connecticut.<\/p>\r\n

Child Support Background and Basics<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Each state oversees a child support program created under federal law, Title IV-D of the Social Security Act of 1975<\/a>. These programs are intended to ensure that children in a single-parent household are provided for by their parents.<\/p>\r\n

Connecticut’s child support enforcement program (also known as IV-D) is run through a cooperative effort between two agencies. The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS)<\/a> in the Connecticut Department of Social Services and the Support Enforcement Services (SES)<\/a> of the Connecticut Judicial Branch work together to make sure child support payments are gathered and distributed.<\/p>\r\n

The OCSS is responsible for most of the administrative duties<\/a> associated with child support in Connecticut. These include:<\/p>\r\n