{"id":372222,"date":"2019-03-21T10:10:19","date_gmt":"2019-03-21T15:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/dc-law\/child-support-calculations-in-d-c-1.html"},"modified":"2024-12-05T14:16:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T19:16:28","slug":"child-support-calculations-in-d-c-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/dc-law\/child-support-calculations-in-d-c-1.html","title":{"rendered":"Child Support Calculations in D.C."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Child Support Calculations in D.C.<\/h1>\n
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\n By Kit Yona, M.A.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/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

Parents must provide for their children. In the District of Columbia, child support orders<\/a> meet the needs of the child regardless of the relationship between their parents. These court orders aim for kids to get the same financial support they would have in a two-parent household.<\/p>\r\n

You’re not alone if you’ve wondered how the District arrives at child support payment amounts. The process is complicated. In this article, we’ll look at the District’s hybrid system<\/a>, what types of income and deductions matter, and how the amount each parent must pay gets determined.<\/p>\r\n

The District of Columbia child support guidelines<\/a> act as a safety net for kids while remaining within the parent’s ability to meet their obligation. Children shouldn’t have to worry about their necessities being met. Read on to learn more about how the District calculates child support payments.<\/p>\r\n

District of Columbia Child Support Basics<\/h2>\r\n

Calculating any amount of child support in the District of Columbia is an involved and complex process. Before they crunch the numbers, they gather important information. If the couple wasn’t married, determining parentage<\/a> is a possible issue. Regardless of why the parents aren’t together, they are responsible for providing for their children.<\/p>\r\n

The CSSD (Child Support Services Division<\/a> of the Office of the Attorney General) runs the child support program in the District. The CSSD works with the Washington, D.C., courts to handle all aspects of child support. This includes establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support payments.<\/p>\r\n

Most child support cases choose one parent as the custodial parent and the other as the non-custodial parent. The custodial, or primary custody, parent has the children for most of the overnights per year. The non-custodial parent makes child support payments<\/a> to the custodial parents through the CSSD.<\/p>\r\n

The two types of child custody the District uses affect child support payments. The custody arrangements are as follows:<\/p>\r\n