Child Support in Allen County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026
Allen County, Ohio · Lima
Allen County child support runs on Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares guidelines — there is no county formula. Support travels with a divorce or dissolution in the Domestic Relations Division for married parents, and with a parentage or custody case in the Juvenile Division for never-married parents. Either way, the Allen County CSEA (200 W. Market St., Lima; (419) 224-7133) collects and enforces the order, and no order issues without a completed IV-D Application (DR Loc.R. 20.01(C)).
How do I get a child-support order in Allen County, Ohio?
Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator with both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then print and sign the worksheet. File it with the Health Insurance Affidavit and a signed IV-D Application in the right court — the Domestic Relations Division (married parents, $375 case deposit) or the Juvenile Division (never-married parents, $125 deposit). The Allen County CSEA then collects support by automatic wage withholding and enforces the order. To change an existing order, file a motion with an updated Uniform Affidavit of Income and Expenses or request a CSEA administrative review (DR Loc.R. 20.09).
Ohio Child Support by the Numbers
- 2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
- 10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
- 3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
- Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86
What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation
| What the worksheet counts | Counts toward support? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Both parents' gross income | Yes | Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings |
| Health insurance for the children | Yes | Credited to the parent who pays the premium |
| Work-related childcare | Yes | Daycare and after-school costs are added in |
| Parenting time | Yes | Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time |
| Imputed income | Sometimes | Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed |
| A new spouse's income | No | Only the two parents' incomes are counted |
Where to File: Allen County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division
301 N. Main St., Lima, OH 45801, Lima, OH 45801Phone: (419) 223-8513
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM (Clerk of Courts)
Website: clerkofcourts.allencountyohio.com/
e-Filing: https://courtvweb.allencountyohio.com/eservices
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Allen County Juvenile & Probate Court (Juvenile Division)
1000 Wardhill Ave, Lima, OH 45805, Lima, OH 45805
Phone: (419) 227-5531
Hours: Clerk's office 8:30 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–4:30 PM
Child Support is the right path if…
- You need a first child-support order as part of a divorce, dissolution, or parentage case.
- Your income, the other parent's income, or parenting time has changed and the order is now wrong.
- Health-insurance or child-care costs for the children have changed significantly.
- You need CSEA to collect and enforce support through wage withholding.
Filing Fees
Support set inside a divorce/dissolution rides the $375 DR deposit; a Juvenile support case is $125. Modifications: $275 (DR) / $75 (Juvenile), plus unpaid costs — confirm with the Clerk or CSEA at (419) 224-7133
Forms & Filing Packets
Establish a new child-support order — Part of the underlying case deposit ($375 DR / $125 Juvenile)
Run the Ohio worksheet and file it with the Health Insurance Affidavit and a IV-D Application. No support order issues without the IV-D Application (DR Loc.R. 20.01(C)).
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
- Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
- Allen County CSEA IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Required before any support order issues in Allen County (DR Loc.R. 20.01(C)). Opens a IV-D case so CSEA can collect and enforce support through wage withholding.
Modify an existing child-support order — $275 DR modification motion · $75 Juvenile modification motion
File a motion to modify with a fresh Ohio worksheet and an updated Uniform Affidavit of Income and Expenses, or request a CSEA administrative review (DR Loc.R. 20.09).
- Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — The Ohio uniform motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances. File in the division that issued the order.
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
- Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
How to File Child Support in Allen County
- Run the Ohio worksheet. Use the official Ohio Child Support Calculator with both parents' gross incomes, parenting time, health-insurance, and child-care costs; print and sign the worksheet.
- Complete the IV-D Application. Fill out and sign the Allen County CSEA IV-D Application — required before any support order issues.
- File in the right court. File with your divorce/dissolution in the Domestic Relations Division (married parents) or with a parentage/custody case in the Juvenile Division (never-married parents).
- Let CSEA collect and enforce. Once journalized, the Allen County CSEA collects support by wage withholding and can enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals.
Allen County Practice Notes
- IV-D Application is mandatory. Allen County will not issue a support order — temporary or final — without a completed, signed IV-D Application for Child Support Services (DR Loc.R. 20.01(C), 20.04(B)). The application opens the case with the Allen County CSEA, which then collects and enforces.
- Two ways to change support. You can file a motion to modify with the Clerk (with a Uniform Affidavit of Income and Expenses) or ask CSEA for an administrative review (DR Loc.R. 20.09). A modification generally needs a substantial change of circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is child support calculated in Allen County?
- Allen County uses Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares guidelines — there is no county-specific formula. Run the official worksheet at the Ohio Child Support Calculator using both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then print and sign it. The Allen County CSEA (200 W. Market St., Lima; (419) 224-7133) collects and enforces the order through wage withholding once it is journalized.
- What is a IV-D Application and why do I need one?
- A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with the Allen County CSEA. Allen County requires a completed, signed IV-D Application before any support order — temporary or final — can issue (DR Loc.R. 20.01(C), 20.04(B)). Once open, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it, and can enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.
- What does it cost to file in the Allen County Juvenile Court?
- Under Juvenile Local Rule 3.1, a civil petition, complaint, counterclaim, or cross-claim (including custody, parenting-time, and parentage actions) carries a $125.00 deposit, and a motion to vacate, revive, or modify a former Juvenile judgment is $75.00 plus any unpaid costs the moving party was ordered to pay. No support order — temporary or final — issues without a completed IV-D Application. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 227-5531.
- Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Allen County?
- If you are or were married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and support are decided in your divorce or dissolution in the Domestic Relations Division (filed through the Clerk of Courts, 301 N. Main St., Lima). If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled in the Allen County Juvenile Court at 1000 Wardhill Ave, Lima, (419) 227-5531. Non-parent (grandparent/relative) custody is always filed in Juvenile Court.
Free Local Resources in Allen County
- Allen County Clerk of Courts. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (419) 223-8513 or visit https://clerkofcourts.allencountyohio.com before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
- Allen County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Allen County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.
Other Family-Law Topics in Allen County
- Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
- Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Allen County custody attorney for help with your case.
Related to your child support case
- Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
- Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
- Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Related guides
In-depth, attorney-written guides on child support and related Ohio family law topics.
- Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
- How to Modify Child Support in Ohio — Child support orders aren't permanent. When income or circumstances change substantially, Ohio lets you modify support — through a CSEA review or a court motion. Here's how.
Keep exploring
- Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
- Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
- Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
- Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.
Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.
