When circumstances change, so can your child support order.  Does your child support and medical order need to be reviewed?  Either parent or guardian can ask for a review of the order complete form JFS 01849 Request for an Administrative Review of the Child Support Order and send it in to our office.  The link to the request form is at the bottom of this page or on the forms tab.  You must include all required documents with your request. 

When submitting documents to the modification department the documents should be in PDF format.  If you are sending documents from your phone, please convert the picture to a PDF file.  This can be easily done with a PDF file converter.  There are free applications that can be downloaded onto your phone that will convert the photo on your phone to the PDF format.  This will allow the modification department to view and complete your modification in a timelier and more efficient manner.  

Child support orders can be reviewed by the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) every 36 months from the date the order was established or the date of the last review. Some orders can be reviewed sooner than the required time frame if certain criteria are met. If a review is denied by the CSEA, a party can file a motion for a review of his or her order with the court that has jurisdiction.

If it has been less than 36 months since the child support order has been reviewed or modified, the order can be reviewed to reflect changing life circumstances if you provide evidence which meets one of the following conditions:

• The order was established or modified when the obligor was unemployed or underemployed and is now employed or no longer underemployed.
• A party is now unemployed or underemployed due to no fault of their own.
• A party is permanently disabled, institutionalized or incarcerated.
• A party wants access to available or improved private health insurance.
• There has been an increase or decrease in the cost of private health insurance or child care which is expected to result in a change of more than 10% to the child support order.
• The obligor is a member of the uniformed services and has been called to active duty for a period of more than 30 days or a temporary adjustment was completed and the obligor’s term of active military service has ended.
• A child has been emancipated.

This list is not exclusive.  Contact the CSEA if you have a change of circumstances not reflected above.

The following terms may be used during this process: 

“Review” means that a CSEA worker looks at both parties’ income information to see if child support should be changed or if health insurance should be added or modified.

“Adjustment” means an upward or downward change in the amount of child support based upon the application of the Ohio Child Support Guidelines. It also means adding or changing provisions for the child(ren)’s health care needs through medical insurance.

“Imputing income” means to give a party income that they are not currently earning, but they have the capability to earn.

Review and Adjustment Process

Once the case has been accepted and scheduled for a review and adjustment, a notice will be mailed to both parties at the last known valid address with the date of the administrative review and an income information packet that the parties have 30 days to complete and return to the CSEA.  Both parties can agree to sign a “Waiver of 30-Day Period for Review”, which would expedite the process.

• If the requesting party does not return the packet, the review will be dismissed.

• If the non-requesting party does not return the packet, the CSE may use information obtained from the employer, impute income based upon reasonable assumptions or file a contempt action.

The requesting party may not withdraw his/her request for the administrative review on or after the date the review is scheduled.

The effective date of the modified order will be the first day of the month following the date the review is scheduled.

The process is conducted by the CSEA as a desk review and parties are not present.  A combined gross income of the parents will be used to calculate the appropriate amount of the support obligation to be paid using the Ohio Child Support Guidelines calculation in accordance with the Ohio Administrative Code.

After the review has been conducted the CSEA will send the parties (via regular mail) the findings and conclusions in the JFS 07724 form “Administrative Review Recommendation”.

• If neither party objects to the recommendation a new support order for both child and medical support will be issued that incorporates the findings and recommendations.

• If a party disagrees with the results of the administrative review they must submit to the CSE an objection in writing within the given time frame which will result in an administrative hearing or court hearing.

Objection Hearings

If an administrative hearing is requested, the hearing will be scheduled with 15 days after the request is received.  A decision will be issued with 10 days of the hearing.  Either party may object to the decision by submitting an objection in writing within the given time frame which will result in a court hearing.

If a court hearing is requested, the hearing will be scheduled on the next available court date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Question Document.

For any questions you may have regarding the review and adjustment process please contact us at ClermontSupportsKids@jfs.ohio.gov or call (513)732-7248.

Related Forms

Request for an Administrative Review of the Child Support
Affidavit of Child Care
Waiver of 45-day period for Review
Notification Form Self-Represented Party
Child Support Financial Affidavit