Connecticut Child Support Laws: Guidelines and Calculations

Quick Summary: Connecticut Child Support

Detail	Connecticut Rule
Calculation Model	Income Shares Model
Governing Law	Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-84; Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines (Conn. Agencies Regs. Section 46b-215a-1 through 46b-215a-5)
Income Cap for Guidelines	$4,000 combined net weekly income (above this, case-by-case)
Support Ends	Age 18 (or 19 if still a full-time high school student)
Educational Support	Courts may order support for post-secondary education through age 23 (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-56c)
Disability Extension	Up to age 26 for orders entered on or after October 1, 2023 (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-84(c))
Modification Threshold	15% difference from current order
Enforcement Agency	Department of Social Services, Bureau of Child Support Enforcement
Phone	1-800-228-KIDS (5437)

How Connecticut Calculates Child Support

Connecticut courts use the Income Shares Model to determine child support. This approach estimates how much both parents would spend on their children if the family lived together, then divides that amount proportionally based on each parent's income.

The calculation follows these steps:

1. Determine each parent's gross weekly income from all sources.
2. Subtract allowable deductions to arrive at each parent's adjusted net weekly income.
3. Combine both parents' adjusted net weekly incomes into a single figure.
4. Look up the basic child support obligation in the Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, matching the combined income level to the number of children.
5. Add supplemental costs for health insurance premiums, unreimbursed medical expenses, and employment-related childcare.
6. Divide the total obligation based on each parent's percentage share of the combined income.
7. Assign payment responsibility to the noncustodial parent (the custodial parent's share is presumed spent directly on the child).

Sample Basic Child Support Obligations

The following table shows approximate weekly basic support obligations from the Connecticut guidelines schedule:

Combined Net Weekly Income	1 Child	2 Children	3 Children
$500	$117	$153	$167
$1,000	$229	$307	$347
$1,500	$320	$433	$497
$2,000	$389	$474	$571
$3,000	$433	$609	$711
$4,000	$482	$747	$878

These amounts come from the official guidelines schedule. When combined net weekly income exceeds $4,000 (approximately $208,000 per year), courts determine support on a case-by-case basis using statutory criteria and evidence of actual child-related expenses.

Calculation Example

Parent A earns an adjusted net weekly income of $600. Parent B earns $400. Their combined net weekly income is $1,000. For one child, the basic support obligation from the schedule is $229 per week.

Parent A earns 60% of the combined income ($600 / $1,000). Parent B earns 40%. If Parent B is the custodial parent, Parent A would pay 60% of $229, which equals $137.40 per week. Supplemental costs for health insurance, childcare, and unreimbursed medical expenses would be divided on the same 60/40 basis and added to that figure.

What Counts as Income in Connecticut?

Under the Connecticut Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines, gross income includes a broad range of sources:

• Wages, salaries, tips, and commissions
• Self-employment income (gross receipts minus ordinary business expenses)
• Bonuses and overtime pay
• Dividends, interest, and investment income
• Rental and royalty income
• Workers' compensation benefits
• Unemployment insurance benefits
• Pension and retirement benefits
• Social Security benefits (including dependency benefits paid on behalf of a child)
• Annuity payments
• Military pay and allowances
• Prizes and lottery winnings

Income Excluded from the Calculation

The guidelines exclude several categories:

• Child support received for children from other relationships
• Public assistance benefits (TANF, SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Income of a new spouse or partner (though it may be considered indirectly if it reduces the parent's household expenses)

Allowable Deductions

Parents subtract these items from gross income to calculate adjusted net income:

• Federal, state, and local income taxes
• Social Security (FICA) and Medicare taxes
• Mandatory retirement contributions (not voluntary)
• Health, dental, and hospital insurance premiums (for the parent only, not the child)
• Court-ordered life insurance premiums for the child's benefit
• Court-ordered alimony or child support paid for other dependents
• Mandatory union dues
• Mandatory disability insurance contributions

Imputed Income

If a court finds that a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed without good cause, the court may assign (impute) income based on that parent's earning capacity. Courts look at the parent's work history, education, vocational training, age, health, and the job market in the area when determining what the parent could reasonably earn.

A parent caring for a child under age two, a child with serious special needs, or a parent with a documented disability may have good cause for reduced employment.

Additional Costs Beyond Basic Support

The basic child support obligation from the schedule covers ordinary expenses like food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Connecticut guidelines also require parents to share several additional costs.

Health Insurance

Every child support order must include a provision for health insurance coverage for the child. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-84(d), the court assigns responsibility based on which parent can obtain coverage at a reasonable cost.

Health insurance is considered reasonable in cost if:

• The obligated parent qualifies as a low-income obligor and the cost does not exceed 5% of their net income, OR
• The parent does not qualify as a low-income obligor and the cost does not exceed 7.5% of their net income

Unreimbursed Medical and Dental Expenses

Medical and dental costs not covered by insurance are divided between parents in proportion to their share of combined net income. These include copays, deductibles, orthodontics, therapy, prescriptions, and other necessary health care costs.

Childcare Costs

Employment-related childcare expenses (daycare, after-school programs, summer camps needed for a parent to work) are added to the basic support amount and divided proportionally between parents.

Low-Income Obligor Protections

Connecticut's guidelines include protections for parents with very low incomes. A parent is classified as a "low-income obligor" when their income falls in the darker shaded area of the guidelines schedule.

For low-income obligors:

• The minimum support obligation is the greater of 10% of the applicable income figure or $1 per week.
• If the obligor's gross income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level and a child of the obligor lives in the obligor's household, the support amount may be set at $1 per week.
• If the obligor's gross income exceeds 250% of poverty level but a child lives with the obligor, the amount is 20% of an imputed support obligation for that child.

These provisions prevent child support orders from pushing low-income parents below a basic subsistence level.

Deviations from the Guidelines

Courts may order amounts that differ from the guideline calculation when strict application would be inequitable or inappropriate. The guidelines regulations list several grounds for deviation:

• Extraordinary educational, medical, or special needs expenses for the child
• Significant assets or resources available to a parent or child (such as a trust fund)
• Extraordinary travel expenses for visitation (long-distance parenting plans)
• Extreme differences in the parents' incomes
• Shared physical custody arrangements that change how expenses are divided
• A child's independent income or resources
• Tax consequences that significantly affect a parent's ability to pay
• Unreimbursed medical or employment-related expenses that are unusually high

When deviating, the court must state the guideline amount on the record and explain in writing why the deviation is appropriate.

Shared Physical Custody Adjustments

When both parents share physical custody and each parent has the child for substantially more than standard visitation time, courts may adjust the noncustodial parent's obligation. The adjustment accounts for the fact that both parents directly pay for housing, food, and other expenses during their parenting time.

However, the adjustment cannot reduce support so much that the custodial parent lacks sufficient funds to maintain a stable home for the child.

When Does Child Support End in Connecticut?

Under Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-84, child support typically ends when the child:

• Turns 18 and has graduated from high school, OR
• Turns 19 (if still enrolled full-time in high school and has not yet graduated), OR
• Becomes legally emancipated, OR
• Marries, enlists in the U.S. Armed Forces, or becomes self-supporting

Child support orders do not terminate automatically. The paying parent must file a Motion to Modify or Terminate with the court to end the obligation.

Post-Secondary Educational Support (Ages 18 to 23)

Under Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-56c, courts may order one or both parents to contribute to a child's post-secondary education expenses. Key rules include:

• The child must attend an accredited college, university, or vocational school at least half-time.
• Support cannot extend beyond the child's 23rd birthday or four full academic years, whichever comes first.
• The court must find that the parents more likely than not would have supported the child's education if the family had remained intact.
• Graduate and post-graduate studies are not covered.
• For unmarried parents, the request for educational support must be raised at the first court hearing regarding child support, or it is waived.

The court considers each parent's financial resources, the child's academic record, and available financial aid when determining the amount of educational support.

Extended Support for Children with Disabilities (Up to Age 26)

For child support orders entered on or after October 1, 2023, Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 46b-84(c) allows courts to order support for a child with an intellectual, mental, or physical disability until the child turns 26. Previously, the age limit was 21.

To qualify, the child must:

• Have a documented intellectual disability, mental disability, or physical disability
• Reside with a parent
• Remain principally dependent on that parent for maintenance

The standard guidelines schedule does not apply to these cases. Instead, the court uses an individualized approach, considering each parent's financial ability and the specific needs of the child.

Emancipation

A minor aged 16 or 17 may petition a Connecticut court for emancipation. The minor must demonstrate:

• Financial independence and stable income
• The ability to manage personal affairs
• That emancipation serves their best interest

Emancipation also occurs automatically through marriage or enlistment in the Armed Forces. Once a child is emancipated, the parent's support obligation ends.

How to Modify a Child Support Order

Either parent may petition the court to modify an existing support order. Connecticut law allows modification when:

• There has been a substantial change in circumstances since the current order was entered (job loss, significant income change, disability, change in custody), OR
• Application of the current guidelines would result in an amount at least 15% different from the existing order

To request a modification, file these documents with the court that issued the original order:

1. Motion for Modification (Form JD-FM-174)
2. Appearance Form (Form CL-12)
3. Financial Affidavit (Form JD-FM-6)
4. Supporting documentation: recent pay stubs, tax returns, proof of changed circumstances

A modification takes effect from the date the motion is filed (or the date of proper service), not retroactively. Courts cannot reduce arrears that accrued before the modification request.

Periodic Review

Connecticut law allows either parent (or the Department of Social Services for public assistance cases) to request a review of the child support order every three years, even without showing a change in circumstances. This review compares the existing order to the current guidelines and may result in an adjustment.

Enforcement: What Happens If You Do Not Pay

Connecticut takes child support enforcement seriously. The Department of Social Services, Bureau of Child Support Enforcement and the courts use multiple tools to collect unpaid support:

Administrative Enforcement

• Income withholding: Automatic paycheck deductions, including from out-of-state employers. Most new orders include income withholding from the start.
• Tax refund intercept: Federal and Connecticut state tax refunds can be seized to pay arrears.
• Lottery intercept: Connecticut lottery winnings are intercepted to pay outstanding support.
• Bank account levy: Funds in bank accounts may be frozen and seized.
• Property liens: Liens can be placed on real property when $500 or more is owed.
• Credit bureau reporting: Unpaid support exceeding $1,000 may be reported to the three major credit bureaus.
• Passport denial: The federal government can deny or revoke a passport when arrears exceed $2,500.

License Suspensions

When a parent falls more than 90 days behind on support or fails to provide court-ordered health insurance, Connecticut can suspend:

• Driver's license
• Professional and occupational licenses
• Recreational licenses (hunting, fishing)

Licenses are reinstated once the parent enters a payment plan or becomes current.

Contempt of Court

If a parent has the ability to pay but willfully refuses, the court may find the parent in contempt. Consequences include:

• Fines
• Incarceration (typically used as a last resort to compel compliance)
• Community service
• Mandatory job training or job search requirements

The court must find that the parent had the ability to comply with the order but chose not to. The burden of proving inability to pay rests with the parent who failed to pay.

Federal Criminal Charges

Under the Child Support Recovery Act (18 U.S.C. Section 228), willfully failing to pay child support for a child in another state when the amount exceeds $5,000 or remains unpaid for more than one year is a federal crime. Penalties include fines and up to two years in prison for repeat offenses.

Interstate Enforcement

When the noncustodial parent moves out of Connecticut, the state pursues collection through the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). UIFSA allows Connecticut to coordinate with other states to enforce orders, garnish wages, and intercept tax refunds across state lines.

There is no statute of limitations for enforcing child support arrears in Connecticut. Unpaid support remains collectible indefinitely.

How to Apply for Child Support Services

The Connecticut Department of Social Services offers child support services to any parent, regardless of income. Services include:

• Locating absent parents through state and federal databases
• Establishing paternity through voluntary acknowledgment or court-ordered DNA testing
• Obtaining child support orders through the court system
• Enforcing existing orders using the tools described above
• Modifying orders when circumstances change

To apply:

1. Visit the DSS Child Support Application page or contact your local DSS office.
2. Call the child support hotline at 1-800-228-KIDS (5437).
3. Complete the Application for Child Support Services.

You can also file for child support directly through Connecticut family court without using DSS services, though DSS provides free assistance with enforcement.

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