Ohio Child Support Enforcement Resource Center
- Ohio Child Support Enforcement Measures
- Who Can Enforce Court-Ordered Ohio Child Support in Ohio
- Ohio Office of Child Support Caseload Statistics
- Interest on Missed Child Support Payments
- Statute of Limitations on Back Child Support
- Statute of Limitations on Determining Paternity
- Age of Emancipation / Age of Majority
- How Are Ohio Child Support Payment Amounts Determined?
- Custody and Visitation Issues
- You Have Options
Even if the non-custodial parent lives in a state other than Ohio, the law requires cooperation between states. The non-custodial parent is required by law to make regular child support payments, regardless of where they live.
Ohio Child Support Enforcement Measures
If a non-custodial parent does not pay child support, he or she is subject to enforcement measures in accordance with Federal and Ohio child support law to collect regular and past-due payments.
- Withholding of personal earnings
- Withholding of worker’s compensation payments, unemployment compensation payments to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, ORC §2301.371 and ORC §4141.28(D)(4), and federal law
- Withholding or seizure of pensions, annuities, insurance proceeds, lottery prize awards, any form of trust fund or endowment, lump-sum payments, federal and/or state tax refunds
- Reporting to credit bureaus
- Placement on the statewide Most Wanted Poster of individuals who owe Ohio child support
Who Can Enforce Court-Ordered Ohio Child Support?
The Office of Child Support, part of Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services, is Ohio's state-run child support enforcement agency. The ODJFS is required by law to provide its enforcement services free of charge and is funded by the federal government and the State of Ohio.
| OHIO OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT CASELOAD STATISTICS1 | |
|---|---|
| Full Time Equiv. Staff | 4,624 |
| Total Caseload | 941,062 |
1 U.S. Office of Child Support Enforcement, Boxscores for FY 2005
Support Collectors Collects Unpaid Child Support in Ohio
If the Office of Child Support hasn't delivered the results you need or you don't feel they can give you the personal attention you deserve, Support Collectors can help. Support Collectors has developed a system that works teaming attorneys, investigators and enforcement specialists to work your your Ohio child support case from every possible angle. We work nationwide and our only business is collecting support. Our success rate is up to three times better than Ohio’s Office of Child Support and our services are free if we don’t collect on your behalf.
Interest on Missed Ohio Child Support Payments
Interest is charged on back child support in some cases. Ohio child support law states that the court shall assess interest on the amount of support an obligor failed to pay if the court determines the failure to be willful and the arrears accrued after July 15, 1992.
Interest is only charged on adjudicated arrears if the arrears have been reduced to judgment.
Ohio's Statute of Limitations on Back Child Support Payments (Arrears)
Ohio has no statute of limitations on enforcement of a child support order. If any back support payments (arrears) are owed, the court retains jurisdiction to take child support enforcement action until the arrears are paid in full.
Ohio's Statute of Limitations on Determining Paternity
In Ohio, Paternity must be established by age 23.
Age of Emancipation / Age of Majority in Ohio
Ohio Revised Code (section 3103.03) defines the age of emancipation as 18 years of age, or as long as the child attends high school on a full-time basis or a court order requires the duty of support to continue. Unless specified in the court order, no duty of support extends beyond the 19th birthday of the child.
In cases of mental or physical handicap, or college, the court may extend support beyond the age of majority.
How Are Ohio Child Support Payment Amounts Determined?
The Ohio child support guidelines are based on a model called "income shares." This model assumes that parents of children share the responsibility for their support in proportion to their income. The model also assumes that children have a right to the same standard of living based upon the combined incomes of their parents regardless of the parents’ marital status.
Custody and Visitation Issues
Child support and visitation rights are separate issues. The court determines both and will usually order the non-custodial parent to pay support and the custodial parent to make the child available for visits.
The custodial parent must obey the court order for visitation, even if the non-custodial parent cannot or will not pay child support. The court can enforce any of its orders against either parent.
You Have Options
Any custodial parent not receiving public assistance may contract with a child support collection agency such as Support Collectors, or hire a private attorney, and at the same time have a case open with the Ohio’s Office of Child Support. We work harder to collect the child support you are owed.
Collecting support is all we do and we give you the personalized, dedicated attention that your case deserves. Call us at (888) 729-6661 or get started online right now! We don’t charge a cent until we put money in your pocket.
