Ohio Child Support: What a Single Mom of Two Could Receive

Take two fathers in Ohio who are $18,000 apart in pay. One earns $30,000 and the other $48,000. On the state schedule, with a mother at $36,000 and two kids, their monthly support lands $450 apart: about $327 and $777. That gap comes from a rule built into the Ohio child support schedule.

A single mom can use that rule to read her own Ohio child support numbers. This guide works one full calculation from the actual schedule, then covers where to apply, what Ohio Works First takes, how money reaches you, and when support ends. The author is a writer rather than an attorney, so this is general information and not legal advice.

Ohio in six lines

• Support is set by a schedule and worksheet that every court and county agency must use
• The schedule runs from $8,400 to $336,000 of combined yearly income
• The usual minimum order is $80 a month
• A court order of 90 or more overnights cuts his yearly obligation by 10%
• Applying through your county costs $1, and the agency may absorb it
• On Ohio Works First, the state keeps current support up to what it has paid out

Why two fathers $18,000 apart land so far apart

Ohio child support law builds a self-sufficiency reserve into the schedule, based on 116% of the federal poverty level for one person. In the reserve band, the schedule takes roughly 30 cents of each dollar above that line, rather than a share of the whole paycheck (ORC 3119.021). So $18,000 more in pay adds about $5,400 a year.

The worksheet then compares two figures for him. One is the schedule row for his income alone. The other is his percentage of the row for both incomes combined. Line 18d uses the lower one, so a low earner's figure can sit well under his income share. The $30,000 father's share would be $6,692.97 a year, but his own row is $3,926.

If your child's father earns little, a single mother can be owed much less than his income share suggests. A shaded cell in his row flags the reserve band, though at $60,000 his share is still the lower figure.

The Ohio child support schedule is form JFS 07767, revised June 2023. That is still the revision listed in the state forms rule. By statute it is due for an update every four years, which points to around 2027.

Above $336,000 combined, the amount is set case by case, starting from no less than the top row unless that would be unjust (ORC 3119.04).

A $1,004 guideline result, line by line

Here is one full Ohio child support calculation. Picture a single mom earning $36,000 a year with two kids who live with her most of the time. Their father earns $60,000. Each line below follows the sole or shared worksheet, JFS 07768, and each dollar figure in Lines 18a and 18b is a cell read from the schedule.

Worksheet line	What it asks	Mom	Dad
14	Adjusted annual gross income	$36,000	$60,000
16	Combined income	$96,000
17	Income share	37.50%	62.50%
18a	Schedule, two kids, own income alone	$5,726	$12,926
18b	Schedule, two kids, combined income	$19,283
18c	Line 18b times Line 17	$7,231.13	$12,051.88
18d	Lower of 18a and 18c	$5,726.00	$12,051.88
23b	Cash medical: $1,020.42 for two kids, times Line 17	$382.66	$637.76
24	Line 22 divided by 12 (his child support)	Presumed spent on the kids	$1,004.32
27	Line 23b divided by 12 (his cash medical)	Not ordered	$53.15
30	Total monthly guideline amount	Would receive	$1,057.47

The single mom's own line never becomes a payment. Ohio presumes the obligation of the residential parent is already being spent on the children, and only the other parent's becomes part of the order (ORC 3119.07).

Cash medical sits apart from the support line. The state's Rev. 4/2026 manual, JFS 07766, sets $510.21 per child a year, split by Line 17. Medical costs above that count as extraordinary expenses. Run your own case through the official Ohio calculator.

Three lines that move a single mom's number

Child care. The parents share work-related care costs, and his portion is added to his order. Reimbursed or subsidized care comes out first, and so do available tax credits, whether or not you claim them (ORC 3119.05). When his income sits in the reserve, his portion is the lower of his share or 50%. His $60,000 cell is shaded, so each $1,000 of net yearly cost adds about $42 a month.

Health insurance. The parent receiving support is presumed to be the one who carries the kids' coverage, though the presumption can be rebutted. Premiums you pay reduce your income on the worksheet. If the kids are on Medicaid and an assignment is in effect, cash medical goes to the Department of Medicaid, not to you (ORC 3119.30).

Overnights. A court-ordered schedule of 90 or more overnights a year cuts his yearly obligation by 10%. In the example, that takes $1,004.32 a month down to $903.89. You can ask a court to remove the reduction if he skips that time without just cause (ORC 3119.051). Review the difference between legal and physical custody before agreeing to a schedule.

Shared parenting orders use the same worksheet, and a court may depart from the result in extraordinary circumstances, such as each parent's ability to keep adequate housing for the kids (ORC 3119.24). A 50/50 custody schedule does not automatically mean zero support in Ohio.

What counts as income, and what stays out

Ohio child support starts with gross income from all sources, including wages, tips, commissions, unemployment and non-means-tested Social Security. Ohio Works First, SNAP, SSI and child support received for other children stay out, so a single mother's benefits do not raise her side of the worksheet (ORC 3119.01).

• New spouses stay out. Neither parent's spouse has income counted, though a judge may weigh shared living costs when deciding a deviation.
• A low paycheck can be questioned. A parent found voluntarily underemployed can be assigned potential income, with the child's age and special needs among the factors.
• Some parents cannot be imputed. That generally includes anyone on Ohio Works First or SSI, and a parent who is incarcerated.
• Children's benefits count against his bill. A Social Security benefit a child draws on his record comes off his obligation at the end.

What a judge can change and a caseworker cannot

Only a court can set Ohio child support at an amount different from the worksheet. County agencies are told not to deviate, so a parent wanting a different number has to petition the court (OAC 5101:12-45-10).

Ohio's list of factors runs to 17 items (ORC 3119.23). The ones most likely to matter for a single mom are a child's special needs, extraordinary child care costs above the state cap, big income gaps between households, and her own income if it is at or below the poverty level.

Going to court costs money that the agency route does not. Before filing, price what a family lawyer charges. A single mother on a low income can also check free legal aid.

Opening a case at your county agency

Ohio child support runs through an enforcement agency (CSEA) in each of the 88 counties, under the ODJFS Office of Child Support. A single mother does not need a lawyer to start: anyone may request services by filing form JFS 07076 by mail or in person, and you can usually expect to hear back within 20 days (ODJFS Getting Started). Call 1-800-686-1556 or use the county directory to find yours.

The fee is one dollar, and the agency may charge it or absorb it (OAC 5101:12-10-01.1). If your case comes as a referral from Ohio Works First or Medicaid, no application or fee is required. The 2% processing charge on an Ohio order is imposed on the parent paying, not on you (ORC 3119.27).

An order can come from either place. The CSEA can issue an administrative order after a meeting where parents bring pay stubs and tax returns, and either parent can ask a court to review it. A court can also set a judicial order. The agency can help even if he lives in another state (ODJFS Support Establishment).

If you were never married to him, your child has no legal father until paternity is set. An Acknowledgment of Paternity Affidavit costs nothing when both parents sign. Otherwise, genetic testing or a court order can do it, and it can happen before the child turns 23 (ODJFS Paternity Establishment).

On Ohio Works First, the state is paid first

For a single mom on cash aid, joining Ohio Works First assigns your Ohio child support rights to the state, up to the cash you have received (ORC 5107.20). A September 2026 CBPP table shows California and New Jersey passing through the first $100 or $200 of support to families on cash aid. It lists Ohio with no pass-through.

Collected current support first repays that month's grant, then the balance of unreimbursed assistance. Only what is left comes to you (OAC 5101:12-80-14.1). Once you leave the program, current support goes to you. Arrears from before an assistance period that began after September 2009 remain yours (OAC 5101:12-80-14).

Cooperation with the CSEA is a condition of the program for a caretaker, unless the agency approves a waiver (OAC 5101:12-10-31). The agency shall approve a good cause waiver when cooperating is against the child's interests or makes escaping domestic violence more difficult (OAC 5101:12-10-32).

For the rest of the cash and food picture, see grants for single mothers in Ohio.

Where the money travels before it reaches you

Ohio child support payments pass through Child Support Payment Central, known as CSPC. Once an order is final, the CSEA sends an income withholding notice to his employer, which state law requires. A father who pays directly can use the CSPC site. Online payments carry no charge (ODJFS Paying My Support).

You choose the route on your end (ODJFS Receiving Payments). The card needs no bank account, which helps a single mother who does not have one. To manage your account online, use the Ohio child support portal or its mobile app. It now requires an OHID login, and accounts not linked by November 18, 2026 must register again at the next login.

If late support puts rent at risk, Ohio housing assistance is the next place to look.

When the payments stop coming

When Ohio child support stops, call your CSEA before chasing him yourself. Monitoring payment is the agency's job, and it can use the tools below. Keep your own record of what arrived and when. An order ending does not wipe out what is owed, and you can ask the agency to keep collecting afterward (ORC 3123.14).

Tool	What Ohio law or the agency says
Larger withholding	The CSEA can raise the amount taken from his pay to cover past-due support.
Tax refund offset	The Office of Child Support works with the U.S. Treasury to take past-due support from a federal refund (ORC 3123.81).
Driver's license	After a default finding, notice goes to him first, and the agency can notify the BMV registrar no sooner than 30 days later (ORC 3123.54).
Liens	After a final default finding, the agency may assert a lien on his real and personal property in Ohio (ORC 3123.66).
Other money	Bank funds, lump sums, and Ohio lottery, casino or racino winnings can be seized or intercepted.
Passport	Once a state certifies arrears above $2,500, federal law sends the case to the State Department, which refuses a passport (42 U.S.C. 652(k)). Ohio runs a Passport Denial Program (ODJFS FAQ).
Contempt	You can start the action yourself, and in an agency case the prosecutor or an agency attorney can too (ORC 2705.031).
Interest	If a court finds the default was willful, it may add interest on the arrears (ORC 3123.17).
Criminal charge	Nonsupport is a crime in Ohio, with a defense for a parent who paid what he was able to pay (ORC 2919.21).

The 36-month door and the ones that open sooner

Either parent can ask for a review of an Ohio child support order every 36 months from the most recent order, using form JFS 01849 (ODJFS Change a Support Order). For a child currently on Ohio Works First, the agency starts that review itself. An adjustment is appropriate only if the new amount differs by more than 10%, or a medical support provision changes (OAC 5101:12-60-05).

A single mother does not always have to wait out the three years. The early review list is long, and these items matter most for a single mom:

• Job loss. Either parent has been laid off beyond their control for 30 straight days, or lost work in a plant closing.
• A big income swing. A 30% drop beyond the parent's control, or a raise lasting at least six months that should continue.
• Jail. Either parent is incarcerated for more than 180 days.
• Child care or insurance costs. A change that would move the order by more than 10%.
• A child ages out. Support ends for one child while a younger one is still covered.

Expect a notice at least 30 days before the review, asking for last year's tax return and six months of pay stubs (ORC 3119.60). On a court order, you get 14 days after the new figure arrives to ask for a hearing, or it goes to the court as is (ORC 3119.63).

In court, a recalculation more than 10% away from the current amount counts as a substantial change (ORC 3119.79).

Age 18, high school and the 19 line

An Ohio child support order generally stops at 18 unless the teen is still attending an accredited high school full time. In that case, it continues while attendance does (ORC 3119.86). Court orders can also run longer for a child who has a disability and cannot self-support, or when a divorce agreement says so. Administrative orders have only the high school extension.

The state's summary treats 19 as the line where a court order ends unless it says otherwise. Other reasons include marriage, emancipation, adoption, a custody change, or enlisting in the armed services (ORC 3119.88).

The CSEA can open a termination investigation for any of these (OAC 5101:12-60-50). Read your own order for its end date, and tell the agency if your teen leaves school.

What Ohio moms ask about child support

How much is Ohio child support for one child?

There is no flat percentage. If both parents earn $30,000, the combined row for one child is $9,937 a year, and half of that is $4,968.50. His own row is $3,926, which is lower, so the guideline comes to about $327 a month before cash medical support.

Is the state calculator's result the final order?

No. It estimates what an order may look like, based on what you enter, and it stops at $336,000 of combined income. The agency or court checks income against pay records and tax returns, and it does not have to accept a worksheet either parent prepared (ORC 3119.02).

What if the father has no income right now?

Ohio's usual minimum order is $80 a month, and a court or agency may go lower for reasons such as documented disability. On a minimum order, if he receives means-tested aid such as SSI and follows any seek-work order, payment is suspended, yet unpaid amounts still build up as arrears (ORC 3119.06).

Can we skip the agency and agree on our own amount?

Parents can settle many things, but a number different from the worksheet needs a judge's findings of fact to stand as a deviation (ORC 3119.22). A private side deal sits outside the order and leaves no record at CSPC. Ask a lawyer or legal aid office to look it over before you sign.

Is my address safe if I fear the other parent?

Raise it with the CSEA at the start, since ODJFS asks applicants to bring up safety and confidentiality concerns directly. Ohio's Safe at Home program can also shield a home address from public records. A safety plan with a domestic violence advocate is worth having before any hearing date is set.

Sources

• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. JFS 07767, Basic Child Support Schedule, Rev. 6/2023 (archived copy, Internet Archive, captured September 1, 2025). web.archive.org (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Child Support Program Manual Transmittal Letter No. 206, March 24, 2026, with JFS 07766, Child Support Guideline Manual, Rev. 4/2026. dam.assets.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-1-99, Chapter forms list. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-1-17, Child support guidelines. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-45-10, Calculating obligations. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-60-05, Administrative review and adjustment process. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-60-05.1, Initiation of an administrative review. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-60-50, Termination of support. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-10-01.1, IV-D application and referral. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-10-31, Requirement to cooperate. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-10-32, Good cause waiver. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-80-14, Limited assignment and PRWORA assignment. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Administrative Code. Rule 5101:12-80-14.1, Distribution of assigned support. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.01, Definitions. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.02, Calculating support. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.021, Basic child support schedule. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.04, Income above the schedule. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.05, Computing support. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.051, Parenting time reduction. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.06, Minimum order. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.07, Residential parent's obligation. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.22, Deviation findings. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.23, Deviation factors. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.24, Shared parenting orders. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.27, Processing charge. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.30, Health care coverage and cash medical support. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.60, Notice of review. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.63, Review of a court order. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.79, Modification. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.86, Support beyond age 18. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3119.88, Reasons to terminate. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3123.14, Arrears after termination. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3123.17, Default and interest. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3123.54, License suspension notice. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3123.66, Lien upon default. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 3123.81, Federal tax refund collection. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 2705.031, Contempt for failure to pay support. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 2919.21, Nonsupport of dependents. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code. Section 5107.20, Assignment of support rights. codes.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• U.S. Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. 42 U.S.C. 652(k), Denial of passports for nonpayment of child support. law.cornell.edu (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. State Child Support Pass-Through and Distribution Policies, September 2, 2026. cbpp.org (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Getting Started: Eligibility and Applying for Services. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. County Directory. dam.assets.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Support Establishment. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Support Enforcement. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Change a Support Order. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. End a Support Order. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Paternity Establishment. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Receiving Payments. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Paying My Support. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Child Support FAQ. jfs.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Child Support Customer Service Web Portal. childsupport.ohio.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Child Support Payment Central. CSPC payment site. oh.smartchildsupport.com (retrieved November 5, 2026)
• Ohio Secretary of State. Safe at Home. ohiosos.gov (retrieved November 5, 2026)