District of Columbia Child Support Guidelines

By Kit Yona, M.A. | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq. | Last reviewed December 05, 2024

All parents must provide for their kids. The well-being of children is a primary concern for officials in the District of Columbia. Avoiding putting excessive financial strain on the parents is also a goal. The District's child support guidelines meet the child's needs while limiting the parents' economic burden.

If you're facing child support payments or expecting to get them, it's natural to wonder how they're determined. This article will dig into the District of Columbia child support guidelines, explain what you need to know, and show how to start the child support process. It offers a better understanding of child support guidelines in the District.

Basics of D.C. Child Support Determination

Title IV-D of 1975's Social Security Act requires the District of Columbia to have an agency for collecting and paying child support. The Child Support Services Division of the Office of the Attorney General of the District of Columbia, along with the Family Court, handles all aspects of child support. This includes applications, enforcement, modifications, and more.

How Long Is Child Support Required in D.C.?

In D.C., parents must financially support their children until age 21 (unless the child gets married). Child support applications can come from divorce proceedings or child custody cases. One parent can also apply for support from the other birth parent.

An Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) establishes voluntary parentage for unwed children. A court order compels genetic testing when the father's identity needs confirmation.

Who Gets Child Support?

In most cases, the parent who spends the most overnights per year with the child is the custodial parent. The other parent is the noncustodial parent.

If one parent has the child for more than 65% of overnights, it's considered sole physical custody. If both parents have the child for at least 35% of the overnights, it's shared physical custody.

The noncustodial parent often pays at least some child support. But the actual calculation depends on a lot more than just physical custody.

How Is Child Support Calculated?

The child support guidelines must cover a wide range of incomes while remaining fair to everyone. Uniform standards help meet this goal. Parents are subject to the same criteria. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the D.C. courts and the CSSD will use the guidelines for child support determination.

When the parents of a child are not raising the child together in a two-parent household, child support is necessary. Using the income shares model, the District determines how much money the parents would spend on the children if they were together. That number and other factors become the amount of child support the parents must supply between them each month.

Determining child support amounts is complex. We've devoted an entire article to explaining the calculation process for child support in the District. If you'd like a rough (but not official) estimate for child support payments, the CSSD has an online calculator that walks you through the guidelines.

Generally, each parent's gross incomes are determined and combined. The joint income number gets applied to the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligation and the number of children available for support. The amount derived is the total amount of child support due each month. It's then multiplied by the percentage each parent contributed to the joint income amount.

Let's explain how this works with an example. Parent A has a gross income of $80,000 per year. Parent B has a gross income of $20,000. Their joint income is $100,000. The monthly amount then gets determined from the Schedule. Parent A must pay 80% of that amount each month, while Parent B must pay 20%. Most often, payments come from the noncustodial parent.

Child support adjustments get made at each end of the economic scale. If making a payment as determined by the District guidelines would lower a parent's income below the self-support (poverty) level, the court can adjust payments to a minimum of $75 monthly. The court can also rule outside the guidelines if the combined parental income is over $240,000 yearly, but it must use that number as a minimum.

Parents can form their own child support agreement through the Conciliation Process. A CSSD attorney will help them draft an agreement during a video conference. A judge must approve it. The court will consider the child's best interests before approving any agreement.

Can Child Support Orders Get Modified?

Child support orders are subject to review every three years. A parent can request a modification if there's been a change of at least 15% in their income or a significant change in circumstances has happened. Modifying an existing child support agreement is not easy. If you feel over your head or are afraid of making a mistake, speak with a District of Columbia family law attorney.

Child Support Payments and Enforcement

Having the court issue a child support ruling does not guarantee that the noncustodial parent will make the required payment. The District tries to lessen the chance of delinquent payments by making wage withholding mandatory. Also known as income withholding, the parent's employer must make payments and remove the funds from the parent's paycheck.

The employer then sends the child support amount to the Child Support Clearinghouse at the CSSD. CSSD sends the funds to the primary custody parent by one of the following methods:

Direct deposit to an account
Loaded onto a child support debit card
Mailing a paper check

In some situations, such as self-employment or unemployment, the parent who owes child support can make payments to the Child Support Clearinghouse. Acceptable forms of payment include:

By mail with a money order or check
Online through the CSSD
Using PayNearMe at a retailer near you

If a parent obliged to make child support payments falls into arrears (misses payments), the CSSD has various enforcement tools. These include intercepting federal and state income tax refunds, lottery winnings, worker's compensation benefits, and insurance payouts. While the goal is getting money for the child's needs, a nonpaying parent faces jail time for deliberate avoidance.

You can learn more about how the District collects overdue child support payments at FindLaw's District of Columbia Child Support Enforcement article. If you are experiencing financial hardship and can't make payments, speak with the CSSD for possible solutions.

Child Support Guidelines in the District of Columbia — Review

Children shouldn't go wanting because their parents are not together. Child support is designed to see that their needs get met. The table below recaps important child support guideline information and adds links for further research.

District of Columbia child support guidelines code sections	District of Columbia Official Code Title 16 — Particular Actions, Proceedings, and Matters Chapter 9 — Divorce, Annulment, Separation, Support, Etc. D.C. Code Section 16-916 (maintenance of spouse [or domestic partner] and minor children; maintenance of former spouse [or domestic partner]; maintenance of minor children; enforcement) D.C. Code Section 16-916.01 (child support guideline) D.C. Code Section 16-916.01a (appendices I. Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, II. Worksheet A: Sole Physical Custody, and III. Worksheet B: Shared Physical Custody to follow) D.C. Code Section 16-916.02 (child support guideline commission) D.C. Code Section 16-916.03 (proceedings in which child support matters may be considered) D.C. Code Section 16-924 (expedited judicial hearing for child support)
Types of child custody for child support cases in the District of Columbia	Parents in the District of Columbia must provide for their children until each child reaches age 21 or becomes emancipated. Sole physical custody: When one parent has physical custody of the child more than 65% of the overnights per year (use Worksheet A — Appendix II) Shared physical custody: When each parent has physical custody of the child for at least 35% of the overnights per year (use Worksheet B — Appendix III) (D.C. Code 16-916.01 (q))
Factors of the District of Columbia child support guidelines	While all efforts are made to ensure child support payments are not unjust or inappropriate for the parents, the primary concern of the DC child support guidelines is meeting the needs of the child and their well-being. This includes reasonable childcare expenses, food, health insurance premiums, shelter, clothing, educational expenses, extraordinary medical expenses, and all other requirements. (D.C. Code Section 16-916.01; CSSD Mission Statement)
Income share model	D.C. child support guidelines use the income shares model for determining child support obligations. Parents can also reach a child support agreement through the Conciliation Process. While a court hearing isn't necessary, final approval by a judge is. (CSSD — Conciliation Process; Income Shares — NCSL)

Disclaimer: District of Columbia laws are subject to change through the passage of new legislation, higher court rulings that include federal decisions, ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most up-to-date information available, speak with a District of Columbia family law attorney to confirm current District laws.