Do you owe child support?
Learn how the amount you pay is set, how support can be collected, any deadlines for collecting support, and how to try to change how much you pay.
Contents
1. The basics
Who decides how much support I’ll pay?
A judge or the Washington State Division of Child Support (DCS) decides.
What information does the judge or DCS need from me?
Each parent fills out child support worksheets. You put information about your finances and the children’s needs. If you’re in court, you may also have to fill out a Financial Declaration.
This information gets applied to a child support schedule. The schedule sets the support amount based on the parents’ income and how many children you have.
The judge or DCS will usually follow the schedule. They can sometimes consider other things too, though.
You can find the schedule and worksheets on our page about how child support is set.
How much will I have to pay?
It depends. If your take-home pay is very low, you may only have to pay $50 per child monthly. If a judge (or DCS) decides it would be unjust to order even that little, they can change (can deviate) from the $50 amount to make it even lower.
Before filling out the Worksheets, you can use the DCS Quick Child Support Estimator to get a rough estimate of the amount of support that DCS might order in your case. For a more accurate calculation, use our Washington Forms Online interview or DCS' Automated Child Support Worksheets.
The DCS Quick Estimator may not work if you’re asking for a “deviation” from the standard child support calculation. (Examples: you might ask for a deviation if you have a 50/50 Parenting Plan, or there are children from other relationships, or each parent has custody of one of the children.)
What’s the court process for deciding support?
You’ll have court papers delivered to you. The papers will explain how to respond to the court and to whoever filed the case. You must properly respond to the papers. The forms you need depend on the type of case it is.
Answer a few questions on Get Family and Safety Forms to get the right forms for your situation.
You’ll get notices of important hearing dates. At those hearings, the judge will decide on support and other issues. You must show up and be ready to take part.
If you don’t respond to the case, go to a hearing, or meet a deadline, the judge may give the other party whatever they want, with no input from you.
What’s the DCS process for deciding support?
If there’s no court order, DCS can set support. DCS may send you a Notice and Finding of Financial Responsibility (NFFR).
It says how much monthly support plus any back support you owe. DCS will also send you a support schedule and worksheets. If you disagree with the NFFR, you must respond.
What’s a Notice of Support Owed (NOSO)?
DCS uses a NOSO to set a monthly child support amount when a court orders support but doesn’t say how much you must pay. If you disagree with the suggested amount in a NOSO, you should ask for an administrative hearing. You can follow the same steps as if you disagree with a NFFR. Or you can schedule a court hearing and notify DCS within 20 days. Try first to settle the amount with your DCS worker.
At the hearing, you must show why DCS’ figures are wrong.
How can I get in touch with DCS?
Call their statewide toll-free line at 1-800-442-KIDS (1-800-442-5437).
Your local office may not be handling your case. The KIDS line will help find which office to call. They can transfer your call.
Do I have rights with DCS for interpretation and translation services?
Yes. Read about interpreters for people with limited English proficiency learn more.