How District of Columbia Calculates Child Support

District of Columbia uses the Income Shares Model to determine child support obligations. The guidelines are established under D.C. Code § 16-916.01.

Key Facts About District of Columbia Child Support

• The District of Columbia is a federal jurisdiction, not a state, but maintains its own child support guidelines under D.C. Code § 16-916.01.
• D.C. uses the Income Shares model, combining both parents' gross incomes to determine the basic child support obligation from a statutory schedule.
• Each parent's share of the basic obligation is proportional to their percentage of combined gross income. The non-custodial parent's share becomes the child support order.
• A shared custody adjustment applies when the non-custodial parent has 110 or more overnights per year (approximately 30%), reducing the obligation to reflect shared expenses.
• Health insurance premiums for the children and work-related childcare costs are added to the basic obligation and divided proportionally between parents.
• D.C. applies a self-support reserve based on the federal poverty guideline to ensure the obligor retains sufficient income for basic living expenses. Courts may deviate from the guidelines when application would be unjust or inappropriate.

Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates only and is not a substitute for legal advice. The actual amount ordered by a District of Columbia court may differ based on factors including but not limited to: special needs of the child, travel expenses for visitation, extraordinary educational expenses, and the court's discretion to deviate from the guidelines.