Updated for 2026 guidelines
Ohio Child Support Wage Garnishment Calculator 2026
Every Ohio support order is expected to collect itself through income withholding. The ceiling on how much of a paycheck that withholding can take comes from the federal tiers: 50 to 65 percent of disposable earnings.
Reviewed by SupportDecode Editorial Team Page content reviewed Sources Methodology Update log
Check the Ohio withholding ceiling
Maximum weekly withholding for support: $480.00
That is 60% of disposable earnings, the federal CCPA ceiling that applies to this situation (15 U.S.C. 1673(b)(2)).
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Federal CCPA ceiling: 60% of disposable earnings (15 U.S.C. 1673(b)(2))15 U.S.C. 1673 (CCPA garnishment limits: 50/55/60/65% for support) (U.S. Congress (text via Cornell LII mirror)) | $480.00 |
| Maximum support withholding: 60% of disposable earnings15 U.S.C. 1673 (CCPA garnishment limits: 50/55/60/65% for support) (U.S. Congress (text via Cornell LII mirror)) | $480.00 |
Assumptions
- Disposable earnings are earnings minus deductions required by law (15 U.S.C. 1672); voluntary deductions are not subtracted.
- Obligor does not support another spouse or dependent child.
- No arrears older than 12 weeks.
Estimate only. The court or state agency calculation controls.
Federal CCPA ceiling under 15 U.S.C. 1673(b)(2); state rules under Ohio Rev. Code 3121.03. Rules last reviewed 2026-08-06.
How support withholding works in Ohio
Ohio does not treat wage withholding as a last-resort enforcement trick. Support orders are set up to be paid through withholding from the start, with the county child support enforcement agency issuing a notice to the employer and the employer sending the money to Ohio Child Support Payment Central. The paying parent usually never touches the support amount at all.
The ceiling lives in ORC 3121.03, which requires withholding up to the maximum permitted under section 303(b) of the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act. The federal tiers allow at most 50 percent of disposable earnings when the paying parent supports another spouse or child, and 60 percent when not. Both ceilings rise 5 points, to 55 or 65 percent, once arrears are at least 12 weeks old. Ohio adds no stricter cap of its own.
Disposable earnings means pay left after deductions required by law, like taxes and Social Security. Voluntary deductions, such as a retirement contribution you elected, do not shrink the base the percentage applies to.
The same statute reaches past paychecks. ORC 3121.03 also covers deduction from bank accounts and other income sources when wage withholding cannot capture the order, and ODJFS publishes employer guidance for lump sums, bonuses, and multiple notices against one paycheck.
- Withholding ceiling
- 50% / 55% / 60% / 65% of disposable earnings by situationsource
- State statute
- ORC 3121.03, adopting the federal CCPA 303(b) maximumsource
- Stricter Ohio cap
- None identified; the federal tiers are the operative limitsource
- Employer process
- ODJFS notices; payments route through Ohio Child Support Payment Centralsource
How to use this estimate
Enter your weekly disposable earnings, then answer the two questions: whether you support another spouse or child besides this order, and whether your arrears are more than 12 weeks old. The tool picks the matching federal tier, which is Ohio ceiling too.
Keep the ceiling separate from the payment. The withholding notice states the actual order amount, often plus an arrears portion, and the percentage only matters when that total is large next to the paycheck. Most withholdings sit well under the tier.
If your pay stub shows support withholding above the tier for your situation, raise it with the county child support enforcement agency on the case. The employer follows the notice it was served, so corrections run through the agency, not payroll.
What this estimate includes
- The four federal CCPA tiers that ORC 3121.03 makes the Ohio withholding limit
- Disposable earnings figured from legally required deductions
- The 12-week arrears bump from 50 to 55 or 60 to 65 percent
What it leaves out
- The actual amount in your withholding notice and any arrears add-on
- Account deductions and lump-sum captures under the same statute
- Employer allocation rules when several notices hit one paycheck
To see what your paycheck looks like after taxes before any withholding, the PayDecode take-home pay calculator covers that side of the math.
Ohio garnishment FAQs
How much of a paycheck can Ohio withhold for child support?
Up to 50 percent of disposable earnings if the paying parent supports another spouse or child, and up to 60 percent if not, rising to 55 and 65 percent when arrears are at least 12 weeks old. ORC 3121.03 adopts these federal CCPA tiers as the Ohio limit and adds no lower state cap.
Is income withholding automatic in Ohio?
Effectively yes. Ohio support orders are collected through withholding as the standard mechanism, not as a penalty for falling behind. The county child support enforcement agency issues the notice, the employer deducts each pay period, and the money flows through Ohio Child Support Payment Central to the receiving parent.
What counts as disposable earnings?
Pay remaining after deductions required by law: federal, state, and local taxes, Social Security, and Medicare. Deductions you chose, like a 401(k) contribution or optional insurance, still count as disposable earnings when the tier percentage is applied.
Can Ohio take support from a bank account or a bonus?
Yes. ORC 3121.03 covers deduction from accounts and other income sources, and ODJFS gives employers specific instructions for lump sums like bonuses and severance, which can be captured for arrears before payout. The CCPA percentage tiers protect periodic earnings; lump-sum rules run on their own track.
What if two support orders hit the same paycheck?
The tiers cap the combined support withholding, not each order separately. When the notices together would pass the ceiling for your situation, allocation rules split the available amount across the cases, and the employer cannot lawfully deduct past the cap. The ODJFS employer guidance covers the mechanics.
Does the withholding include the Ohio processing charge?
Orders carry a 2 percent processing charge on top of the support amount, and the withholding notice totals reflect what must actually be remitted. This tool shows only the federal ceiling on the deduction; the notice on your case states the real figure inside that ceiling.
Official sources
Official sources last verified: .
- ORC 3121.03 (withholding or deduction from income or accounts to satisfy support orders)
Ohio Legislature Last checked
- ODJFS Child Support Employer Information hub (payroll and lump sum withholding, multiple notices, remittance)
ODJFS Last checked
- 15 U.S.C. 1673 (CCPA garnishment limits: 50/55/60/65% for support)
U.S. Congress (text via Cornell LII mirror) Last checked
- DOL WHD Fact Sheet #30 (CCPA garnishment; rev. Dec. 2024)
U.S. Dept. of Labor WHD Last checked
Reviewed by SupportDecode Editorial Team Page content reviewed Sources Methodology Update log
Changelog: page first published with the CCPA tiers ORC 3121.03 adopts and the employer withholding mechanics. Material changes are dated in the update log.