{"id":372224,"date":"2019-03-21T09:54:02","date_gmt":"2019-03-21T14:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/dc-law\/child-support-modification-in-d-c-1.html"},"modified":"2024-12-31T10:50:49","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T15:50:49","slug":"child-support-modification-in-d-c-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/dc-law\/child-support-modification-in-d-c-1.html","title":{"rendered":"Child Support Modification in D.C."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Child Support Modification 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

The District of Columbia recognizes the need to modify child support orders. Not much in life stays the same. Unexpected events can upset routines and make meeting obligations difficult or even impossible.<\/p>\r\n

Parents making child support payments<\/a> may struggle due to changes in their lives. While the primary concern is acting in the child’s best interests<\/a>, the District also strives to keep payments manageable.<\/p>\r\n

This article will examine when child support agreements are open to modification, explain what information you’ll need to gather, and walk you through the District’s child support modification process.<\/p>\r\n

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

Before modifying a child support agreement, learn what child support is and how it functions in the District of Columbia. The requirement for states and the District to administer child support payments became federal law as Title IV-D of 1975’s Social Security Act<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Child support ensures that children of parents who aren’t married or in a relationship get adequate financial support. The District uses an income shares model<\/a> with the D.C. child support guidelines<\/a> to determine child support obligations for each parent. The noncustodial parent is usually the one making child support payments.<\/p>\r\n

The child’s needs include necessities like food, clothing, shelter, educational expenses, childcare expenses, and more. Parents also must pay health care premiums and cover extraordinary medical expenses for their children. The premiums shouldn’t exceed 5% of the parent’s gross income<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Determining exact child support payments is a detailed and complicated process. FindLaw’s District of Columbia Child Support Calculation article<\/a> breaks down the procedure. The Child Support Services Division of the Office of the Attorney General (CSSD) handles all aspects of child support in the District and can answer your questions.<\/p>\r\n

All child support payments in the District get collected and distributed by the CSSD. CSSD also enforces child support<\/a>. In most child support cases, the parent’s employer takes the payment directly from a parent’s paycheck. This is wage withholding. All payments get sent to Child Support Clearinghouse.<\/p>\r\n

Accepted Reasons for Modification<\/h2>\r\n

Feeling like your child support obligation is too much money often isn’t enough to merit a modification. Given that the cost of living usually rises and rarely falls, the District of Columbia allows a child support review and adjustment conference with the CSSD<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Both parents can show financial information, including changes in income and expenses. The CSSD plugs these numbers into the guidelines to determine a new possible amount of support. If there’s a difference of at least 15% from the amount in the order, the child support order is eligible for a motion to modify<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

If the original child support order didn’t include medical support or the child’s medical needs have changed, a parent can request a review and adjustment conference. This is not subject to the three-year timeline. Parents can also file in court for medical modifications. Speak with a District of Columbia family law attorney<\/a> for help with this.<\/p>\r\n

A parent can request a review and adjustment conference with the CSSD if there has been a substantial and material change in circumstances. The three-year timeline doesn’t apply to this. The parent must provide evidence of the significant change for the CSSD to proceed with a review. Changes can include<\/a>:<\/p>\r\n