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D.C. child support: the guideline in D.C. Code 16-916.01, by the year

The District writes its whole child support guideline into one section of the D.C. Code, 16-916.01, with the schedule attached as an appendix. Everything is figured in annual dollars on combined adjusted gross income, shared custody starts when a child spends 35% of the year with each parent, and support generally continues until 21.

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At a glance

ModelIncome shares on combined adjusted gross income, D.C. Code 16-916.01
ScheduleAnnual amounts in Appendix I (16-916.01a); between rows, round up to the next higher amount
Income capPresumptive to $240,000 combined a year; above it, at least the $240,000 amount, more on the child's reasonable needs
Shared custodyPresumed when the child spends 35% or more of the year with each parent: 1.5 times the basic obligation, credited by time, never above the sole-custody amount
Low incomeSelf-support reserve at 133% of the federal poverty guideline for one person; $75 presumptive minimum below it; total support capped at 35% of the payer's income
Support endsAt 21, the District's age for child support and medical support
ModificationPresumed substantial change when the guideline amount differs by 15% or more

Adjusted gross income under 16-916.01(d)

The District's list of gross income is long and specific: wages, overtime and tips, self-employment and business income (after reasonable expenses but not depreciation), commissions, bonuses, severance, interest and dividends, Social Security, veterans' and insurance benefits, workers' and unemployment compensation, pensions, annuities, trust and estate income, regular capital gains, net rental income, lottery winnings and prizes, and significant perks that reduce living costs, such as a company car or military BAH and BAS. Taxes an employer pays on a parent's behalf count too. Means-tested benefits such as TANF, SSI and food stamps do not.

Adjusted gross income then subtracts half of self-employment Social Security and Medicare tax, alimony paid to the other parent (and adds alimony received), support paid under other orders, and, for each other child living in the parent's home, 75% of the schedule amount for that child figured on the parent's income alone. Income can be imputed only on a finding of bad faith or a deliberate effort to suppress income, never to a parent who cannot work or who receives means-tested benefits, and the judge must explain the imputation in writing.

Worksheet A (sole custody) then adds the two adjusted incomes, reads the annual basic obligation from the Appendix I schedule, and splits it by each parent's percentage. The parent the child does not primarily live with pays their share, with health insurance, extraordinary medical costs and child care added in proportion to income.

Worked example: District of Columbia

  1. Parent A has $72,000 a year of adjusted gross income and Parent B has $48,000, for $120,000 combined.
  2. Appendix I lists $25,174 a year for two children at $120,000. At the $240,000 ceiling the figure for two children is $43,423.
  3. Parent A's share is 60%, or $15,104; Parent B's share is 40%, or $10,070.
  4. With the children living primarily with Parent B, Worksheet A sets Parent A's obligation at $15,104 a year, before insurance, medical and child care additions.

This is an estimate, not legal advice. Figures are rounded to the dollar and leave out the insurance, childcare, and other adjustments your case may have. Try your own numbers in CoreParent's calculator, then confirm with the state's official calculator.

Shared physical custody at 35% of the year

When a child spends 35% or more of the year with each parent (about 128 days), the law presumes shared physical custody and uses Worksheet B. The basic obligation is multiplied by 1.5, each parent's income share of that larger figure is reduced by the share of time the child spends with that parent, and the parent who still owes more pays the difference. If Parent A in the example had the children 140 nights a year, the annual obligation would be about $8,173 instead of $15,104, a difference of $6,931. At exactly equal time it would be about $3,776 a year. The shared result can never exceed what the paying parent would owe under sole custody.

Either presumption can be rebutted. A parent can show that the shared method would be unjust because of how custody actually works, or, below 35%, that sole-custody math is unjust and a shared calculation would be fair. The judge must give written reasons whenever either method is challenged.

Health insurance, medical bills, and child care

Every order must provide for the child's medical expenses. The added premium cost for covering the child is split by income and added to each share; coverage is reasonable if covering the children costs the obligated parent no more than 5% of gross income, and no adjustment is made if adding the child costs nothing extra. Uninsured medical costs above $250 per child per year, including copays, deductibles, orthodontia, dental, vision, therapy and asthma treatment, are split by income; a parent who pays a provider is reimbursed within 30 days of written proof. Reasonable child care for work or school is split the same way, based on what the family actually pays or, if that is not in the child's interest, the cost of licensed care.

The self-support reserve and the 35% ceiling

The last step in every calculation is a low-income adjustment. The paying parent's maximum ability to pay is adjusted gross income minus the self-support reserve, set at 133% of the federal poverty guideline for one person and updated by the Mayor every two years. If that leaves less than $900 a year, the judge sets support individually, with a presumption of $75 a month that can be rebutted down to $0 or up. Otherwise the order is the lesser of the guideline amount and the ability to pay. In every case, support including add-ons cannot exceed 35% of the paying parent's adjusted gross income. If a parent fails to appear or to provide income information, the judge may enter a $75 minimum order.

Age 21, modification, and back support

The District's general age of majority is 18, but the statute preserves the right to child support, and the Child Support Services Division treats 21 as the age of majority for child support and medical support. A parent can seek a modification when applying the guideline to current circumstances changes the amount by 15% or more, which is presumed to be a substantial and material change; a new guideline that produces such a gap is enough on its own, but not within a year of an order that deliberately departed from the guideline. Parents should exchange financial information every three years, and IV-D cases get a review notice on the same cycle. A new case can include up to 24 months of retroactive support before filing, longer only on bad faith or extraordinary circumstances.

The Child Support Services Division of the Office of the Attorney General locates parents, establishes parentage, establishes, modifies and enforces support orders in the District, and offers an online guideline calculator.

Documents you will need

District of Columbia child support FAQ

How is child support calculated in D.C.?

Add both parents' annual adjusted gross incomes, find the basic obligation in the Appendix I schedule, split it by income share, add health insurance, extraordinary medical and child care costs, then apply the low-income adjustment and the 35% cap. With 35% or more time each, the shared custody formula applies.

Does child support end at 18 or 21 in D.C.?

Generally 21. The District's age of majority is 18 for most purposes, but the law preserves child support rights, and the Child Support Services Division applies 21 for child support and medical support.

What counts as shared custody for child support in D.C.?

A child spending 35% or more of the year with each parent. In our example, 140 nights a year lowers Parent A's annual obligation from $15,104 to about $8,173; at equal time it is about $3,776.

What is the maximum child support in D.C.?

There is no fixed maximum. The guideline is presumptive up to $240,000 of combined annual income; above that, the order cannot be lower than the $240,000 amount, and a judge may order more based on the child's reasonable needs. Separately, support cannot exceed 35% of the payer's adjusted gross income.

How much does income have to change to modify child support in D.C.?

Enough that the guideline amount differs from the current order by 15% or more, which is presumed to be a substantial and material change. A parent can also show a material change in the child's needs or the payer's ability to pay without meeting the 15% test.

Next steps

Sources

Verified against these official sources in October 2026:

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This is general educational information, not legal advice, and official figures change. Last verified: October 2026. Consult a licensed family-law attorney in District of Columbia.