Child support is calculated in Ohio using a variety of different considerations it is helpful for any parent with child support concerns to be familiar with. The range of child support may have significant flexibility both paying parents and recipient parents should be familiar with.
To begin with, the child support formula is used to calculate a baseline for child support. The family law court then has discretion to adjust that amount to provide a higher monthly child support payment.
The child support formula
The child support formula takes into account:
- Imputed income (income the parent would have earned if fully employed);
- Support for any children not born during the marriage; and
- Childcare and healthcare expenses.
Child support factors
Factors the family law court may consider when deviating from the child support formula can include:
- Any special needs of the child;
- Any income disparity between parties or the households; and
- The standard of living each parent and the child enjoyed during the marriage and if it were to continue.
It can also be important to have forensic accounting conducted to ensure that one spouse is not hiding income or assets that would be impact the child support amount one way or another. It may also be possible to negotiate for special child support provisions including private school tuition, tutoring or college prep programs or fees for extracurricular activities. It is important for divorcing parents to be familiar with what child support may be available and how to obtain the child support that will meet the needs of their children.
