Child support in Connecticut
Connecticut uses the income-shares model: both parents' incomes count, and each parent pays a share of the child's support. To open a case, contact the Connecticut Department of Social Services, Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) at 1-800-228-KIDS (5437).
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026. · Free letters and checklist ↓
How much child support in Connecticut?
Both parents' net weekly incomes are added and the state schedule gives the basic support for that income and number of children. Each parent pays a share based on his or her part of the combined income; health care coverage and child care are added.
Law: Conn. Agencies Regs. 46b-215a-1 et seq. (Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines, effective August 1, 2026); Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-215a
We don't estimate Connecticut's amount here: its formula uses both parents' incomes and other facts, and a home-made number could mislead you. The official tool gives the real starting number:
Open a child support case in Connecticut
- Phone
- Child Support Call Center 1-800-228-KIDS (5437); payment information 1-888-233-7223
- Apply
- Apply online
- How to open a case
Fill out the Application for Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Services and email it to the OCSS office for your town, or make an appointment. Families on Temporary Family Assistance get a case automatically. OCSS establishes parentage and support orders through the Family Support Magistrate court; it does not handle divorce, custody or visitation and does not represent either parent.
- Application fee
$0. There is no fee to apply.
Source: DSS, Application for Services
- Yearly fee
$35 a year, deducted from payments to a custodial parent who has never received Temporary Family Assistance, once at least $550 is paid out in a state fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). It is charged separately for each noncustodial parent (DSS).
- Forms
- Paternity (legal fatherhood)
Unmarried parents can sign an Acknowledgment of Parentage (VS-56); OCSS offices take walk-ins for this form, with photo ID. If parentage is disputed, OCSS can bring a parentage case and the court can order genetic testing.
Connecticut child support by topic
How support is calculated in Connecticut
The model, the percentages or the official calculator, and low-income rules.
Change child support in Connecticut
When you can ask, how to ask, and a review letter.
Collect unpaid support in Connecticut
Collection tools, interest and license rules, and a letter.
When support ends in Connecticut
The end age, high school and disability rules.
How child support is figured in Connecticut
- Model
- Income shares
- How it works
Both parents' net weekly incomes are added and the state schedule gives the basic support for that income and number of children. Each parent pays a share based on his or her part of the combined income; health care coverage and child care are added.
- Low income
Under the guidelines effective August 1, 2026, no support obligation is triggered until net income reaches $150 a week (up from $50), and the low-income protections now reach higher incomes, with a minimum of 10% used to figure the basic obligation in that range.
- Official calculator
- Official Connecticut child support calculator
- Health insurance and medical costs
Every order must require one or both parents to provide health care coverage, such as insurance available at reasonable cost; it may include cash medical support. If insurance is not available, a parent must apply for HUSKY B or a similar public plan. Unreimbursed medical costs are shared by percentage (Guidelines preamble).
Law: Conn. Agencies Regs. 46b-215a-1 et seq. (Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines, effective August 1, 2026); Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-215a
Change a child support order in Connecticut
- When a change is allowed
When your order is at least 15% higher or lower than the guideline amount because of changes in either parent's income or the cost of caring for the child, or there is another substantial change in circumstances. SES reviews IV-D orders and starts court action if the order differs from its calculation by more than 15%.
- How to ask
If SES enforces your order, ask your local SES office for a review; SES prepares the papers and serves the other parent. On your own, file a Motion for Modification (JD-FM-174) with an Appearance (JD-CL-12) and, if needed, a fee waiver (JD-FM-75); a state marshal must serve the other parent. If you both agree, you may file a Request for Approval of Final Agreement Without Court Appearance (JD-FM-282).
Law: Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-86
Can I ask for a change? Check your situation
Collect unpaid child support in Connecticut
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it:
- Collection tools
- Income withholding
- Federal and state tax refund intercept
- Credit bureau reporting
- Liens on real estate and personal property
- Seizure of financial assets
- Passport denial
- Lottery winnings intercept
- License suspension
- Contempt of court
- Contempt of court
SES or the parent owed support can file a Motion for Contempt (JD-FM-173); in the most serious cases a parent can be jailed.
Law: Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-87, 46b-220
When child support ends in Connecticut
- Support ends
18, or up to 19 if the child is still in high school
- Exceptions
A court can order support for an adult child with an intellectual, mental or physical disability who lives with and depends on a parent: up to age 26 for orders entered on or after October 1, 2023, or up to 21 for earlier orders. Separately, a court can issue an educational support order for college or vocational school for up to four academic years, ending no later than age 23.
Law: Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-84(c), as amended by Public Act 23-137; Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-56c
Law: Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-84(b)-(c); 46b-215; 46b-56c; Public Act 23-137
When does support end? Check your situation
Free help in Connecticut
- Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut (CTLawHelp) · 1-800-453-3320
- Find free legal help at LawHelp.org
Official self-help
Free letters and checklist
Ask the agency to review (change) your order
A letter to the child support agency asking for a review and adjustment.
Ask the agency to collect unpaid support
A letter asking the agency to enforce the order and collect what is past due.
Checklist: what to bring to open a case
IDs, birth certificates, the other parent's details and your papers, with Connecticut's agency contact.
Good to know in Connecticut
- New Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines took effect August 1, 2026, extending the schedule to $6,000 combined net weekly income (Commission for Child Support Guidelines).
- The new guidelines include a worksheet for a child with more than two legal parents under the Connecticut Parentage Act.
- When imputing income, the court should treat 32 hours a week as full-time work (2026 Guidelines).
Changes in 2024–2026
Revised Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines effective August 1, 2026: schedule extended to $6,000 net weekly income; minimum income triggering support raised from $50 to $150 a week; wider low-income protection; new arrearage payment rules (20% to 100% of an imputed obligation when there is no current support duty); 32-hour full-time rule for imputed income; and a worksheet for children with more than two parents.
Federal rules in every state
- Applying. If you don't get TANF, Medicaid or foster care help, a state may charge an application fee of up to $25 to open a child support case. Law: 42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)(i)
- Yearly fee. If you never got TANF and the agency collected at least $550 for you in a year, the state charges a $35 yearly fee. It can come out of your support, but never out of the first $550. Law: 42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)(ii)
- Review every 3 years. If your case is with the child support agency, either parent can ask it to review the order every 3 years and adjust it to the guidelines. Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(10)(A); 45 CFR 303.8
- Past-due support. Each unpaid payment becomes a judgment on the day it is due. It can't be lowered later, except back to the date the other parent got notice of a request to change the order. Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(9)
- Tax refunds. The federal government can take a federal tax refund to pay past-due child support. Law: 42 U.S.C. 664
- Passports. A parent who owes more than $2,500 in past-due support can be refused a passport. Law: 42 U.S.C. 652(k)
- Pay withholding limit. For support, up to 50% of take-home pay can be withheld if the parent supports another spouse or child, or 60% if not. It is 55% or 65% when support is more than 12 weeks behind. Law: 15 U.S.C. 1673(b)
- How long support lasts. How long support lasts follows the law of the state that made the order, even if you move. Law: 28 U.S.C. 1738B(h)(2)
Questions about child support in Connecticut
How is child support calculated in Connecticut?
Both parents' net weekly incomes are added and the state schedule gives the basic support for that income and number of children. Each parent pays a share based on his or her part of the combined income; health care coverage and child care are added.
Is there an official child support calculator for Connecticut?
What if the paying parent has a low income in Connecticut?
Under the guidelines effective August 1, 2026, no support obligation is triggered until net income reaches $150 a week (up from $50), and the low-income protections now reach higher incomes, with a minimum of 10% used to figure the basic obligation in that range.
How do I apply for child support in Connecticut?
Fill out the Application for Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Services and email it to the OCSS office for your town, or make an appointment. Families on Temporary Family Assistance get a case automatically. OCSS establishes parentage and support orders through the Family Support Magistrate court; it does not handle divorce, custody or visitation and does not represent either parent.
Does it cost money to open a child support case in Connecticut?
$0. There is no fee to apply.
Is there a yearly fee for child support services in Connecticut?
$35 a year, deducted from payments to a custodial parent who has never received Temporary Family Assistance, once at least $550 is paid out in a state fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). It is charged separately for each noncustodial parent (DSS).
When can child support be changed in Connecticut?
When your order is at least 15% higher or lower than the guideline amount because of changes in either parent's income or the cost of caring for the child, or there is another substantial change in circumstances. SES reviews IV-D orders and starts court action if the order differs from its calculation by more than 15%.
How do I ask to change child support in Connecticut?
If SES enforces your order, ask your local SES office for a review; SES prepares the papers and serves the other parent. On your own, file a Motion for Modification (JD-FM-174) with an Appearance (JD-CL-12) and, if needed, a fee waiver (JD-FM-75); a state marshal must serve the other parent. If you both agree, you may file a Request for Approval of Final Agreement Without Court Appearance (JD-FM-282).
What happens if child support is not paid in Connecticut?
Arrears means support that is past due. The child support agency can use these tools to collect it: Income withholding; Federal and state tax refund intercept; Credit bureau reporting; Liens on real estate and personal property; Seizure of financial assets; Passport denial; Lottery winnings intercept; License suspension; Contempt of court.
Can a parent be held in contempt for not paying in Connecticut?
SES or the parent owed support can file a Motion for Contempt (JD-FM-173); in the most serious cases a parent can be jailed.
When does child support end in Connecticut?
18, or up to 19 if the child is still in high school
Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in Connecticut?
18, or up to 19 if the child is still in high school
Can child support continue past the usual age in Connecticut?
A court can order support for an adult child with an intellectual, mental or physical disability who lives with and depends on a parent: up to age 26 for orders entered on or after October 1, 2023, or up to 21 for earlier orders. Separately, a court can issue an educational support order for college or vocational school for up to four academic years, ending no later than age 23.
How is paternity established in Connecticut?
Unmarried parents can sign an Acknowledgment of Parentage (VS-56); OCSS offices take walk-ins for this form, with photo ID. If parentage is disputed, OCSS can bring a parentage case and the court can order genetic testing.
Who pays for the child's health insurance in Connecticut?
Every order must require one or both parents to provide health care coverage, such as insurance available at reasonable cost; it may include cash medical support. If insurance is not available, a parent must apply for HUSKY B or a similar public plan. Unreimbursed medical costs are shared by percentage (Guidelines preamble).
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- Connecticut Child Support and Arrearage Guidelines, effective August 1, 2026
- DSS Application for Services
- DSS Program Overview
- Child Support Services in Connecticut, A Brief Guide (Oct. 2024)
- Judicial Branch SES FAQ
- JDP-FM-218 How to Change Your Child Support Order
- JDP-FM-196 For Custodial Parents
- JD-FM-173 Motion for Contempt
- Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Library, Child Support research guide (2026 ed.)
Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.
- State plan requirements: application fee, annual fee, safeguards, 42 U.S.C. 654
- Required state laws: arrears as judgments, review every 3 years, UIFSA, 42 U.S.C. 666
- Federal tax refund offset, 42 U.S.C. 664
- Passport denial for child support arrears, 42 U.S.C. 652(k)
- Garnishment limits for support orders, 15 U.S.C. 1673(b)
- Full faith and credit for child support orders, 28 U.S.C. 1738B
- Office of Child Support Enforcement (federal)