How the District of Columbia Calculates Child Support
The District combines both parents’ annual adjusted gross incomes, rounds up to the next row of the statutory schedule, splits the basic obligation by income share, and adds child care, insurance and extraordinary medical costs. The paying parent’s total is capped at 35% of income.
Step 1: Adjusted gross income
Gross income means income from any source, including wages, overtime, tips and self-employment income; commissions, severance, royalties and bonuses; interest, dividends and business or partnership income after reasonable business expenses; Social Security, veterans’ benefits, insurance benefits, workers’ compensation, unemployment and pensions; trust and estate income; capital gains that are a regular source of income; significant perquisites and in-kind pay such as military housing allowances; lottery winnings, prizes, and net rental income. Alimony received is added and alimony paid is deducted. See what income and add-ons count.
Step 2: The schedule
The Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations in Appendix I lists the basic obligation for one, two, three, and four or more children by combined annual adjusted gross income, from $12,382 to $240,000, in $600 steps after the first rows. If the combined income falls between two amounts, the obligation is rounded up to the next higher amount. Nothing is interpolated.
Step 3: Shares and the paying parent
Each parent’s percentage share is his or her income divided by the combined income. The basic obligation is multiplied by that share. When custody is not shared, the parent with whom the child does not primarily live has the legal duty to pay and pays that share to the other parent, who is presumed to spend his or her own share directly on the child.
Step 4: Add-ons
Health insurance premiums for the child, extraordinary medical expenses and reasonable child care are divided between the parents in proportion to their incomes and added to their respective shares. See income and add-ons.
A worked example
Two children live mostly with their mother. The father earns $90,000 a year and has them 10% of the time; the mother earns $50,000 and pays $12,000 for child care and $2,400 for the children’s health insurance.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Combined adjusted gross income | $140,000 a year |
| Basic obligation, two children, row at $140,400 (rounded up) | $28,695 |
| Father’s share (90,000 ÷ 140,000 = 64.3%) | 64.3% |
| Child care $12,000 + insurance $2,400, paid by mother | $14,400 |
| Total: basic obligation + add-ons | $43,095 |
| Father’s obligation (64.3% of the total) | $27,704 a year |
| 35% cap on father’s income ($31,500) | Not reached |
| Father pays mother each month (10% of the time with the father) | $2,309 |
Without the add-ons, the father’s share alone would be $1,537 a month. The District of Columbia child support calculator reproduces this example.
What to gather
Pay stubs, tax returns and records of other income for both parents, child care invoices, the cost increase for adding the child to health insurance and records of uninsured medical costs. The official Worksheet A and the Child Support Services Division calculator use the same inputs.
Limits that apply last
The paying parent’s low-income adjustment and the cap of 35% of adjusted gross income apply after the additions. A parent below the self-support reserve is presumed able to pay $75 a month unless evidence rebuts it, and an order cannot leave the paying parent below the modified self-support reserve. See the shared custody rule for equal time.
Frequently asked questions
Does D.C. round the schedule up or interpolate?
It rounds up. If the combined income falls between the amounts shown in the schedule, the basic obligation is the next higher amount.
What income range does the D.C. schedule cover?
Combined adjusted gross income from $12,382 to $240,000 a year, for one, two, three, and four or more children.
Who pays child support in D.C. when custody is not shared?
The parent with whom the child does not primarily reside pays his or her share of the basic obligation to the other parent.
Are child care costs added to D.C. child support?
Yes. Reasonable child care costs due to employment or education are divided by income share and added to each parent's share, based on actual family experience unless that is not in the child's best interest.
What is the D.C. child support cap?
35% of the adjusted gross income of the parent with the legal duty to pay support, including additions for health insurance, extraordinary medical and child care.
Official sources
- D.C. Code 16-916.01: child support guideline
- D.C. Code 16-916.01a: schedule of basic child support obligations
- D.C. Office of the Attorney General: child support guideline calculator
A local family law attorney can review your situation — many offer a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited District of Columbia statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed District of Columbia attorney.